SE-883 What's the Motive? (Determining Buying Motives) Review

When customers make purchases, they are actually buying the __________ that products offer.

• prestige

• services

• benefits

• features

Answer explanation

Benefits. Benefits are the advantages obtained from a good or service. People buy benefits, not features. Features are facts or characteristics of a product. Not all products provide prestige or have accompanying services.

Determine whether the following statement is true or false:

Two prospects may buy the same product to obtain different benefits.

• False; prospects buy products based on the products’ features.

• False; products offer the same benefits to all prospects.

• True; all prospects have the same product wants and needs.

• True; products offer different benefits to different prospects.

Answer explanation

True; products offer different benefits to different prospects. Motivated to fulfill their needs and wants, customers buy benefits (the advantages gained), not features (the characteristics provided). Since customers have different needs and wants, the benefits they seek may vary. And, the benefits a particular product offers may be different for different customers.

The reasons that cause people to purchase products are called

• needs

• buying motives

• features

• wants

Answer explanation

Buying motives. Buying motives are the reasons that cause people to purchase products. A need is something essential that is lacking. A want is something that’s desired but may not be essential. A feature is a physical characteristic of a good or service.      

When people make purchases on the basis of reason or logic, they are using __________ buying motives.

• rational

• emotional

• patronage

• diverse

Answer explanation

Rational. Rational buying motives cause people to buy because of the advantages or benefits of the item that appeal to the sense of reason, judgment, or logic. In other words, they weigh the pros and cons of the purchase in an appropriate manner and then decide what to buy. When people use emotional buying motives, their decisions to buy are based on feelings and impulses. Patronage motives can be rational or emotional, and they cause a customer to choose one business over another.

When customers buy on the basis of their feelings or impulses, they are using __________ buying motives.

• patronage

• detached

• rational

• emotional

Answer explanation

Emotional. These motives are often influenced by advertising, current styles and each person’s unique life experiences. They cannot be described as detached, because they involve feelings. When people make purchases on the basis of reason, they are using rational buying motives. Patronage motives cause people to choose one business over another, and they can be either emotional or rational.

Customers purchase from one business rather than another because of __________ buying motives.

• impulsive

• patronage

• rational

• emotional

Answer explanation

Patronage. Patronage motives are emotional or rational buying motives that cause customers to choose one business over another. Emotional motives are buying motives that involve an appeal to the customer’s emotions or feelings. An impulsive buying decision would be categorized as emotional. Rational buying motives are buying motives that cause people to buy because of the advantages or benefits of the item that appeal to the sense of reason, judgment, or logic.          

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The concern for a product’s durability can best be described as a(n) __________ buying motive.

• emotional

• rational

• patrionage

• traditional

Answer explanation

Rational. When customers make purchases on the basis of judgment, logic, or reason, they are using rational buying motives. If a customer is concerned with how long a product will last, the customer has a rational motive for buying. Patronage motives are emotional or rational buying motives that cause customers to choose one business over another. Emotional motives are involved when customers base their buying decisions on feelings or impulses. Traditional is not a category of buying motives.

Which of the following buying motives could best be described as emotional:

• Accuracy

• Group Approval

• Increased Production

• Quality of Materials

Answer explanation

Group approval. Purchases made to gain the approval of others are driven by emotional buying motives because the reasons to buy are based on feelings. Accuracy, increased production, and quality of materials are considered rational buying motives.

Which of the following is a patronage buying motive:

• Desire for Variety

• The Product's Safety

• State of Health

• Product assortment

Answer explanation

Product assortment. Patronage motives are rational or emotional buying motives that cause people to choose one business over another. Buying from a business because of the assortment of products it offers would be a patronage motive. Other patronage motives include product quality, customer services and policies, and a courteous sales force. The product’s safety is a rational buying motive. Health can be an emotional or a rational buying motive. The desire for variety is an emotional motive.

A prospect who wants to buy tickets for a white-water rafting trip to experience the adventure of the rapids has __________ buying motives.

• Emotional

• Rational

• Patrionage

• Traditional

Answer explanation

Emotional. An emotional buying motive involves an appeal to the customer’s emotions or feelings. A common emotional buying motive is the desire for adventure. Patronage motives explain why customers choose one business over another. Patronage motives can be rational or emotional. Rational buying motives are being used when customers buy on the basis of logic, judgment, or reason. Traditional is not a category of buying motives.