Deck 8: The Buying Process and Buyer Behavior

Question 1

What should the sales director of RealPlan most likely do before sending salespeople out to call on business buyers for the first time?

A)Make sure the salespeople have talked to businesspeople before.
B)Ask the salespeople to rehearse the standard customer presentation.
C)Adjust the sales forecast using the normal sales cycle for customers.
D)Build long-term strategic alliances by creating systems selling appeals.
E)Discuss the differences between consumer buyers and business buyers.

Answer 1

E

Question 2

Terrence needs to rework his customer strategy to focus on:

A)why customers buy
B)how customers buy
C)building a strong customer base
D)collecting customer information
E)increasing product knowledge

Answer 2

B

Question 3

One difference between organizational and consumer buyers is that organizational buyers' purchases are made for some purpose other than personal consumption.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Managers at Swim-Tex have informed members of the purchasing department to change straight rebuy situations to modified rebuys. What does this most likely mean for members of the Swim-Tex purchasing department?

A)renegotiating prices with vendors
B)simplifying the buying process
C)building strategic alliances
D)forming a new value chain
E)focusing on a decision in the process that is not an issue for the customer

Question 5

The three major types of organizational buying situations are:

A)new task buy,rebuy,and limited task buy
B)new task buy,straight rebuy,and modified rebuy
C)habitual buying decisions,variety-seeking buying decisions,and complex buying decisions
D)transactional buy,consultative buy,and strategic alliance buy
E)transactional buy,product buy,strategy buy

Question 6

Which is most likely true regarding the differences between consumer and organizational buyers?

A)Consumer buyers focus on complex,technical specifications,while organizational buyers focus on brand reputation.
B)Consumers purchase for household consumption,while organizational buyers purchase for personal consumption.
C)Consumer decisions are usually made by individuals,while organizational decisions are frequently made by several people.
D)Consumer purchases are based primarily on rational criteria,while organizational purchases are based primarily on emotional responses to products or promotions.
E)Consumers mostly engage in a lengthy decision process,while organizational buyers make quick decisions.

Question 7

The sales director of RealPlan has developed a sales team training session to address the differences between consumer and business buyers. Which of the following is a true statement that should be included in the training session?

A)In business sales,the initial contact is almost never the actual purchaser.
B)In business sales,more than one person may be involved in the purchasing decision.
C)In consumer sales,emotion plays a more significant role than logic in decision making.
D)In consumer sales,a new-task buy is the most common type of purchasing situation.
E)In consumer sales,even low-cost items involve significant consumer involvement.

Question 8

Which term refers to a cross-functional team of decision makers who often represent several departments in a company?

A)value chain
B)task force
C)reference group
D)buying center
E)virtual group

Question 9

The concept"Treat different customers differently"is based on the idea that:

A)segmenting customers based on statistics and behavioral data leads to a higher rate of closing sales
B)understanding a customer's needs and motivations as an individual allows you to sell them the correct solution
C)creating a persuasive sales presentation requires understanding customer motivations
D)customer strategy is a natural outgrowth of product strategy
E)pipeline management requires understanding statistics and data of large and small groups of customers

Question 10

On a customer satisfaction survey,which answer most likely suggests that RealPlan salespeople should focus on needs awareness?

A)"The product was not as sturdy as the salesperson said it would be."
B)"The product did not solve my primary problems."
C)"The product is not a good value for the money."
D)"The product arrived torn in the box."
E)"The product had a strange color."

Question 11

Which type of selling appeals to buyers who prefer to purchase a packaged solution to a problem from a single seller,thus avoiding all the separate decisions involved in a complex buying situation?

A)modified selling
B)bundled-option selling
C)straight selling
D)transactional selling
E)systems selling

Question 12

The three prescriptions for developing a customer strategy focus on(1)the customer's buying process,(2)why customers buy,and(3)negotiating the transaction.

Question 13

A consumer who purchases the RealPlan product for the first time would most likely be engaging in a ________ buying decision.

A)straight rebuy
B)variety-seeking
C)modified rebuy
D)habitual
E)complex

Question 14

A(n)________ is a carefully conceived plan that will result in maximum customer responsiveness.

Question 15

A habitual rebuy is characterized by perceived brand differences and high customer involvement.

Question 16

According to the text,Ashley Pineda of the PulteGroup needs to do which of the following before meeting with customers?

A)Rehearse her sales presentation until she has it memorized.
B)Conduct research to determine each customer's specific needs.
C)Contact the home office to confirm the customer's address.
D)Meet with her sales manager about her flagging sales.
E)Implement a systems selling strategy director.

Question 17

Customers have so much power in the buying process now because they have instant information from the Internet,immense choice,and real-time price comparisons.

Question 18

Part of the customer strategy is understanding how a given customer plans to make a purchase,because:

A)how the customer plans to buy tells us why the customer wants to buy
B)the salesperson also needs to have a strong prospect pipeline and new account base
C)the salesperson won't know what product to sell the customer without knowing the customer's buying process
D)the selling process should be aligned with the buying process to make the sale go smoothly
E)the buying process is something the salesperson should decide,not the customer

Question 19

Which type of consumer buying situation requires very little consumer involvement and brand differences are usually insignificant?

A)habitual buying decision
B)straight rebuy decision
C)complex buying decision
D)modified rebuy decision
E)partner buying decision

Question 20

The sales director of RealPlan has observed that during the selling process the sales team primarily focuses on promoting product features and benefits to customers. Although the sales team has a high closure rate of initial sales,the team has a low rate of repeat business. Which stage of the typical buying process should RealPlan salespeople most likely focus on to improve customer retention rates?

A)needs awareness
B)building rapport
C)presentation skills
D)purchase procedures
E)self-actualization

Question 21

Which step in the buying process most likely adds customer value after the sale?

A)need awareness
B)evaluation of solutions
C)resolution of problems
D)purchase evaluation
E)implementation

Question 22

Which buyer behavior theory focuses the salesperson's attention on five important factors that the customer is likely to consider before making a purchase?

A)buyer-action theory
B)compulsive buying theory
C)need satisfaction theory
D)buyer resolution theory
E)feature benefit theory

Question 23

The first stage in the typical buying process is evaluation of solutions.

Question 24

Systems selling appeals to buyers who prefer to purchase individual products from a variety of sellers.

Question 25

RealPlan marketers have developed advertisements that show images of families spending quality time together enjoying fun activities. The implication of the ads is that the RealPlan product enables families to organize their busy schedules so well that more time is available for bonding. What are the RealPlan marketers most likely trying to do with these advertisements?

A)Stimulate emotional buying motives.
B)Examine rational buying motives.
C)Appeal to working and single mothers.
D)Engage common reference groups.
E)Develop lifetime customer value.

Question 26

Terrance has noticed that many of his customers become very frustrated with him when he attempts to use needs assessment,problem solving,or relationship building techniques. These customers typically know what product will meet their needs. What should Terrance most likely do when faced with this type of customer?

A)Highlight product benefits more than product features.
B)Ask the customer questions to identify unspoken wants.
C)Focus on the purchase stage of the buying process.
D)Spend more time building rapport with the customer.
E)Rework the presentation script to focus more on emotion.

Question 27

How would Terrance most likely benefit from aligning the sales process with the customer's buying process?

A)lower advertising and marketing costs
B)greater efficiency with fewer salespeople
C)lower travel expenses due to fewer customer visits
D)greater success in making sales due to understanding how buyers buy
E)fewer returns from customers who felt pressured into making transactional purchases

Question 28

The three types of consumer buying situations are habitual buying decisions,complex buying decisions,and modified buying decisions.

Question 29

________ is the first stage in the buying process.

Question 30

The biggest limitation of using the buyer resolution theory to guide the sales process is:

A)there is no way to know in advance which one of the five questions will be harder for the customer to answer
B)the salesperson cannot always convince the buyer to answer the questions in the correct order
C)buyer resolution theory only applies to transactional sales,so more complicated sales processes don't conform to the theory
D)salespeople require too much training in buyer resolution theory to be able to use it with customers until they have been with their companies for several years
E)it only helps customers decide to buy,it doesn't help them decide not to buy

Question 31

There are three types of organizational buying situations: new-task buy,straight rebuy,and modified rebuy.

Question 32

Which of the following is an important limitation of the buyer resolution theory?

A)Salespeople find the theory too complex.
B)Customers already know what they should buy.
C)Few customers ask the question,"What is a fair price?"
D)Knowing which decisions are difficult for buyers is difficult.
E)Answers provide little insight into customer buying strategies.

Question 33

Transactional buyers are well aware of their needs and usually know a great deal about the products or services they intend to purchase.

Question 34

List and describe the three types of consumer buying situations.

Question 35

According to the buyer resolution theory,which of the following is an important factor that the consumer is likely to consider before making a purchase?

A)Where should I store the product after purchase?
B)What is a fair price?
C)How many sellers are in the market?
D)When should I make the payment?
E)From whom should I ask advice about the purchase?

Question 36

Which stage in the typical buying process occurs after a customer has evaluated solutions but before a purchase is made?

A)resolution of problems
B)needs awareness
C)solution selling
D)pre-purchase
E)implementation

Question 37

In which value creation selling approach do salespeople focus a great deal of attention on customers' needs awareness?

A)transactional selling
B)strategic alliance selling
C)consultative selling
D)new task selling
E)system selling

Question 38

A first-time purchase of a product or service by a business-to-business customer is a(n)________ buy.

Question 39

List the five steps in the typical buying process.

Question 40

Salespeople should most likely think of needs in terms of:

A)the product
B)the industry as a whole
C)the typical customer
D)each specific customer
E)the competition

Question 41

A customer will tend to screen out or modify stimuli. This process is known as:

A)conscious input
B)selective attention
C)discrimination
D)selectivity
E)sensation

Question 42

"When should I buy?"is a consideration in the buyer resolution theory of personal selling.

Question 43

Terrance relies on the buyer resolution theory to pursue sales. Terrance is most likely vulnerable to which of the following factors?

A)increasing the time it takes to close the sale
B)spending too little time building rapport with the customer
C)losing focus on the features and benefits of the product
D)shifting all the power in the transaction to the customer
E)focusing on a decision in the process that is not an issue for the customer

Question 44

In order for a customer to arrive at a buying decision,the salesperson should present the product according to:

A)the individual customer's needs
B)the salesperson's point of view
C)a standardized procedure or presentation
D)the buyer profile based on industry research
E)the chronological timeline of the product

Question 45

What most likely leads a prospect to purchase one product instead of another?

A)product buying motives
B)patronage affiliations
C)buyer resolutions
D)group emotional needs
E)physiological concerns

Question 46

A purchase based more on feelings than on logic is a(n):

A)product buying motive
B)patronage buying motive
C)rational buying motive
D)emotional buying motive
E)group buying motive

Question 47

Product buying motives include:

A)engineering preference
B)social preference
C)method preference
D)purchase preference
E)frequency preference

Question 48

Sarah,a RealPlan sales representative,recently sold a software package to Mario,the owner of a small business. How can Sarah most likely create value for Mario now that the sale is complete?

A)send Mario product brochures
B)become personal friends with Mario
C)continue to contact Mario to ask for referrals
D)provide additional software training to Mario
E)explain the many software benefits to Mario

Question 49

The idea that a customer needs to answer a set of five questions about the buying process before he or she can make a purchase is called the ________.

Question 50

When products are indistinguishable or there is a prior relationship between customer and vendor,a purchase is most likely based on a(n):

A)product buying motive
B)patronage buying motive
C)rational buying motive
D)emotional buying motive
E)group buying motive

Question 51

Which of the following statements about social class is most likely true?

A)People in lower social classes purchase items less impulsively than upper social class shoppers.
B)Social scientists agree that there are an unlimited number of social classes.
C)Self-made millionaires possess inherited wealth,often acquired several generations before.
D)It is virtually impossible to move from one social class to another.
E)Social class is determined by a combination of factors such as income,education,occupation,and accumulated wealth.

Question 52

When a teenage girl asks her best friends for their opinions on a career opportunity,she is most likely seeking support from which of the following groups?

A)culture
B)subculture
C)social class
D)reference
E)mastery

Question 53

Which of the following motives would most likely make a customer buy from the same business they have been buying from?

A)systems buying motives
B)emotional buying motives
C)brand loyalty motives
D)product buying motives
E)patronage buying motives

Question 54

Buyer resolution theory says that the buyer can only decide to buy after having answered a series of five questions about the purchase.

Question 55

A study of buying behavior reveals that most people make buying decisions based on:

A)a combination of emotional and rational buying motives
B)emotional buying motives only
C)rational buying motives only
D)social buying motives only
E)group theory motives only

Question 56

According to Abraham Maslow,self-fulfillment is achieved through satisfaction of which of the following needs?

A)esteem
B)social
C)safety and security
D)self-actualization
E)fullness

Question 57

In Maslow's theory,after physiological needs have been satisfied,the next need level is likely to be:

A)self-actualization
B)psychological awareness
C)freedom from danger
D)worthiness in the eyes of others
E)food and shelter

Question 58

A purchase based on the result of an objective review of available information is based on a(n):

A)product buying motive
B)patronage buying motive
C)rational buying motive
D)emotional buying motive
E)stable buying motive

Question 59

Which influence on buying decisions is defined as a set of characteristics and social behaviors based on the expectations of others?

A)reference group
B)social class
C)role
D)culture
E)process

Question 60

The buyer resolution theory states that buyers need to resolve the answers to which five questions?

Question 61

Patronage buying motives are particularly important when product offerings from several companies are very similar.

Question 62

Terrance positions certain swimming pool accessories,such as slides and diving boards,to appeal to baby boomers with grandchildren. Which influence on buying decisions is most important in this situation?

A)role
B)culture
C)social class
D)reference group
E)organizational culture

Question 63

Buyer behavior is often influenced by perception.

Question 64

The need to belong is really just an urge,not a basic human social need.

Question 65

Very few purchases are guided by emotional buying motives.

Question 66

When giving a sales presentation to new customers,Terrance strives to convey that he is highly ethical and trustworthy and that Swim-Tex products are safe and will perform as expected. Terrance is most likely addressing which aspect of Maslow's hierarchy of needs?

A)security needs
B)social needs
C)esteem needs
D)general needs
E)physiological needs

Question 67

Terrance has identified that a customer strongly identifies with social groups and is influenced heavily by her role,reference,social class,and culture. What would be important for Terrance to do to win the sale from this customer?

A)Position the product as being a luxury product.
B)Position the product as fitting with the groups the customer identifies with.
C)Position the product as being the standard across all groups.
D)Assume the mannerisms of the culture the customer identifies with.
E)Mimic the customer's speech patterns to create rapport.

Question 68

Which of the following is a factor that would motivate a rational buyer?

A)prestige
B)nostalgia
C)celebrity endorsement
D)durability
E)branding

Question 69

Cross-generational selling is most likely a challenge because different generations:

A)have different basic emotional needs
B)prefer different forms of contact
C)have different physiological needs
D)feel mistrust for each other
E)have power dynamic issues

Question 70

Terrance should most likely understand a customer's emotional buying motives because such motives are:

A)only overcome by nonverbal communication
B)foundations for rational buying motives
C)influential in most buying decisions
D)factors in cost/benefit analyses
E)barriers to most high-end sales

Question 71

An aroused need,drive,or desire is referred to as a(n):

A)buying motive
B)undifferentiated motive
C)compelling motive
D)rational motive
E)personal motive

Question 72

The process through which sensations are interpreted,using our knowledge and experience,is called ________.

Question 73

Within most cultures are groups whose members share value systems based on common life experiences and situations. We call such a group a(n)________.

Question 74

The person who withdraws money from a savings account and uses this money to buy government bonds at a higher return on investment is very likely guided by rational buying motives.

Question 75

Subcultures typically share value systems based on similar life experiences and situations.