13.4 Post-Purchase Behavior and Customer Satisfaction

After a purchase, consumers enter a critical phase of evaluating their decision. This post-purchase behavior shapes future buying choices and brand loyalty. Satisfaction hinges on how well the product meets expectations, influencing whether customers will repurchase or seek alternatives.

Customer satisfaction is influenced by product performance, service quality, and perceived value. The gap between expectations and perceived performance determines satisfaction levels. Companies can boost satisfaction through regular feedback, effective complaint handling, and loyalty programs.

Post-Purchase Behavior and Customer Satisfaction

Post-purchase behavior and loyalty

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• Customer's actions and attitudes after purchasing a product or service impact future purchase decisions and brand loyalty
• Includes product usage (wearing a new shirt), evaluation (comparing the shirt to expectations), and disposal (donating the shirt to charity)
• Satisfied customers more likely to repurchase and recommend the brand to others (positive online review)
• Dissatisfied customers may seek alternatives (switching to a different clothing brand), engage in negative word-of-mouth (complaining to friends), or complain (requesting a refund)
• Loyalty is a customer's commitment to repurchase or continue using a brand despite competitors' offerings or price changes (sticking with a favorite clothing brand over time)

Factors in customer satisfaction

• Product performance influences satisfaction based on how well it meets or exceeds customer expectations
  • Determined by product quality (durability of a shirt), reliability (consistent sizing), and functionality (breathability of the fabric)
• Service quality before, during, and after the purchase affects satisfaction
  • Responsiveness (quick replies to customer inquiries), empathy (understanding customer needs), and reliability (accurate product descriptions) are key factors
• Price and perceived value impact satisfaction based on the customer's assessment of the product's worth relative to its price
  • Price fairness (reasonable markup), discounts (seasonal sales), and competitors' offerings (comparing prices across brands) influence perceived value
• Personal factors such as demographics (age, income), personality (fashion-conscious), and emotions (excitement about a new purchase) shape how customers perceive and evaluate their experiences

Expectations vs perceived performance

• Customer expectations are pre-purchase beliefs about a product or service that serve as a reference point for evaluating performance
  • Formed by past experiences (previous purchases), marketing communications (advertisements), and word-of-mouth (friend recommendations)
• Perceived performance is the customer's subjective assessment of a product or service based on attributes, quality, and personal factors
• Satisfaction is determined by comparing expectations and perceived performance:
  1. Confirmation: Performance matches expectations, leading to satisfaction (shirt fits as expected)
  2. Positive disconfirmation: Performance exceeds expectations, leading to high satisfaction (shirt is even softer than anticipated)
  3. Negative disconfirmation: Performance falls short of expectations, leading to dissatisfaction (shirt shrinks after washing)

Strategies for customer satisfaction

• Regularly measure and monitor customer satisfaction using surveys (post-purchase email questionnaires), feedback forms (in-store comment cards), and customer reviews (online ratings) to gather insights and identify areas for improvement
• Implement effective complaint handling procedures:
  1. Encourage customers to voice concerns and provide feedback (prominent "Contact Us" information)
  2. Respond promptly, empathetically, and professionally to complaints (personalized email responses)
  3. Use complaints as opportunities to improve products, services, and processes (redesigning a product based on customer feedback)
• Foster customer loyalty through relationship marketing:
  • Personalize interactions and offer customized solutions (product recommendations based on purchase history)
  • Provide loyalty programs (points for purchases), rewards (exclusive discounts), and incentives for repeat purchases (free shipping for members)
  • Engage customers through regular communication (newsletters) and value-added services (style advice)
• Continuously improve product and service quality by investing in research and development (new fabric technologies), training employees (customer service workshops), and benchmarking against industry best practices (studying successful competitors)