Stages of Customer Purchasing

The goal of every website is to attract visitors – but for most websites, there’s a difference between simple “visitors” and people who take action.

There is a point at which someone who is simply browsing the website turns into someone who purchases an item, fills out a membership application, or downloads a software program. The problem is how to get customers over that point – or, in other words, how to increase the conversion rate of your website.

The conversion rate is the ratio of “goal achievements” to the overall number of visits to a website.

Goal achievements can be defined differently depending on whether the website is of a business or content nature; usually, it is a purchase or subscription. Therefore, the conversion rate for a business would be the number of purchases over the number of total visits in a certain time period.

The key to increasing conversion rate – to getting customers over that “wall” between simply being a visitor to a website and taking an action to achieve the “goal” of the site – is identifying and taking advantage of customer buying stages.

There are five main stages:

1. Problem recognition

The customer recognizes that he or she has an issue that needs to be solved or a need that needs to be met. This issue can then be solved by the purchase of a product or service.

2. Information search

The customer conducts research to discover the choices he or she has for meeting the need or solving the problem. This may involve visiting numerous businesses to build a list of options.

3. Evaluation of alternatives

The customer considers all options and analyzes which would be most beneficial and effective depending on factors such as cost and quality.

4. Purchase

The customer makes the decision to purchase an item or service, and goes through with the action of purchasing it.

5. Post-purchase evaluation

 

The customer evaluates the purchase to decide whether to stay with the company or keep the product, and whether or not to become a repeat customer.

Businesses can utilize these stages by making sure that they address each stage and provide adequate support to customers throughout the process.

For example, businesses should allow customers to find enough information on their websites, as well as a way to purchase the item or service directly online.

Following through with this will allow your website to achieve a greater conversion rate, as customers that can find all steps of the purchase process simply by visiting your website will be more likely to follow through with a purchase.

Sticking with your customers, before during and after, and maintaining a relation should be your main goal. You should know all about them, because you depending on them, and they should depend on you.

Recommended Reading: 3 Ways to Influence Post-Purchase Behavior