The purchase decision is the fourth stage in the consumer decision process and when the purchase actually takes place. During this time, the consumer may form an intention to buy the most preferred brand because he has evaluated all the alternatives and identified the value that it will bring him.
According to Philip Kotler, Keller, Koshy and Jha (2009), the final purchase decision, can be disrupted by two factors:
- Negative feedback of others and our level of motivation to comply or accept the feedback. For example, after going through the need recognition, information search, and alternative evaluation stages, one might choose to buy a Nikon D80 DSLR camera, but a close photographer friend might share negative feedback, which could drastically influence personal preference.
- The decision may be disrupted due to a situation that one did not anticipate, such as losing a job or a retail store closing down.
During this stage, the consumer must decide the following:
- From whom they should buy, which is influenced by price point, terms of sale, and previous experience with or awareness of the seller and the return policy.
- When to buy, which can be influenced by the store atmosphere or environment, time pressures and constraints, the presence of a sale, and the shopping experience.
- This is also a time during the which the consumer might decide against making the purchase decision. Alternatively, they may also decide that they want to make the purchase at some point in the near or far future perhaps because the price point is above their means or simply because they might feel more comfortable waiting.