Marketing Essay Sample: Consumer Behavior at the John Deer Company

Consumers today are aware of the products they purchase due to readily available information on products and services. As such, the readily available information has played a role in changing the demand aspect of the marketplace. For instance, consumers are more likely to go for cheaper products especially when there are comparable products or services in the marketplace. Consumer awareness evident today has also created a situation where they purchase products that resonate with their needs and wants. In this regard, in order for firms to ensure their products reach a significant number of the target customers, they need to focus attention on changing their marketing strategies on a constant basis and in tandem with the changing needs and wants of consumers. In different product categories, pricing is now dependent on the consumer's willingness to pay, promotion strategies have also shifted to the use of the new media while product design is influenced by the constantly changing consumer preferences (Clemons, 2008, p. 14, para. 2). A company such as John Deer deals with a wide range of product categories that target different consumer segments. In this regard, this report critically examines how John Deer can position its entire consumer product line to meet the needs and wants of older consumers who are just retiring and from diverse ethnic backgrounds as well as reach out to female buyers.

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Discussion

John Deer deals in a wide range of products that target diverse customer base that include the young and older demographics, men and women as well as customers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds. In this respect, in order for John Deer to achieve success with marketing message that targets buyers, retirees, ethnic and female customers, it is important for the firm's marketing personnel to take into consideration the current market dynamics in the sectors it has established its operations. Important factors for the firm's marketers to consider prior to developing an effective marketing message include taking an inventory of available products to be marketed to the target consumers, develop an understanding of consumers' perception of the firm's and strategize for product position in relation to consumer behavior.

Product Categories Marketed by John Deer

John Deer deals in consumer products that target men, women, and children. The product categories range from maintenance kits, garage, and workshop, cleaner lubricants, and paint, women's clothing, hats, ride- on toys, children's clothing and maintenance parts. The products from the company that may appeal to older customers who are just retiring and from different ethnic and cultural background include maintenance kits and garage and workshop products. Since the retiring customers are leaving their jobs and may have ample time to do repairs in their own homes, the firm may consider developing marketing messages based on the two product categories to attract the attention of older demographics who are just retiring. The firm also deals in apparel, which may appeal to female buyers due to their emphasis on fashion and lifestyle (John Deer, 2018).

Consumer Behavior in Relation to Perception of Product

According to Vainikka (2015, p. 3, para. 2), perception is central for information processing purposes as well as decision making by consumers. Vainikka (2015, p. 3, para 2) further observes the perceptual process begins with exposure for consumers and shift to attending to market stimuli and ultimately the interpretation of the stimulus. At the stage of exposure and attention, consumers often process less information, and as such, Vainikka (2015, p.3, para. 3) points out that the first two stages of the perceptual process are highly selective. In most instances, consumers in the first two stages of the perceptual process seldom process the stimuli in an objective manner because each consumer is likely to interpret the stimulus in a different way based on their needs and wants. As such, for a marketer to achieve success in promoting a given product to the target consumers, there is need to understand consumers' perception regarding the product being promoted in the marketplace. Such a focus plays a role in eliminating the subjectivity of consumers 'perception regarding a given product by using clear messages that are not misinterpreted by the target consumers (Vainikka, 2015, p.4, para. 2).

On the other hand, consumers' choice regarding a particular product depends largely on their perception regarding quality and satisfying their pressing needs (Agyekum, Haifeng & Agyeiwaa, 2015, p.25, para.1). Further, according to Agyekum et al. (2015, p. 25, para. 5), consumers rely on a wide range of variables for purposes of determining products' quality. On this note, the perception of quality by the individual consumers tends to vary. For instance, what one consumer perceives as high quality is seen by another as inferior. More than often, consumers also use price to perceive product quality. However, they may still exhibit doubt regarding the relationship between price, value as well as the quality of a given product. Ultimately, where other information lacks, consumers still use price to determine the quality of a given product (Agyekum et al., 2015, p. 25, para. 5).

Consumers are also more likely to determine the quality of a given product based on the country of origin or producer. According to Agyekum et al. (2015, p. 25, para. 6), perception is an important attribute in consumers' life. As more businesses attempt to attract consumers' attention, the quality of consumers' perception is largely influenced by the manner they process and interpret the information they receive regarding a wide range of products. In this regard, it is important for producers or manufacturers to understand the perception process. In essence, consumers' purchase decision is often influenced by the manner in which the marketer can promote the products or services offered to the target consumers in the marketplace (Agyekum et al., 2015, p.26, para. 9).

The Process of Product Position in Relation to Consumer Behavior

According to Akpoyomare, Adeosun and Ganiyu (2013, p. 46, para. 1) product positioning is significantly influenced by the thought process or perception of consumers. Similarly, Akpoyomare et al. (2013, p. 46, para 1) observe that a brand's position in an industry or product category largely depends on consumers' perception with regard to quality, attributes, price, value as well as an image of the respective brand. In this regard, positioning entails establishing brand equity in order to realize a sustainable purchase behavior (Akpoyomare et al., 2013, p 46, para. 1). The factors necessary to consider in positioning a product include, for example, the place that a given product occupies in the marketplace, the comparative performance of a given product in the marketplace and consumer perception of a given product in the market (Akpoyomare et al., 2013, p. 46-47, para. 2). Positioning also entails a focus on the various characteristics of a given product and its uniqueness compared to competitors as well as appeal to the target consumers. In essence, product-positioning entails a focus on ensuring product offerings meet the pressing needs and wants of consumers (Akpoyomare et al., 2013, p.47, para. 5).

While producers and manufacturers tend to focus attention on product differentiation, building an effective positioning strategy in relation to constantly changing marketplace dynamics is a challenging process. Subsequently, achieving success with product positioning requires an emphasis on an integrated market plan that recognizes the importance of creating added value for purposes of maintaining premium prices for respective products or services. Further embracing effective communication processes with the target consumers especially on the benefits they are likely to derive from products or service offerings is necessary to achieve success with product positioning (Akpoyomare et al., 2013, p.48, para. 13).

Develop a Marketing Message for Buyers, Retirees, Ethnic, and Female Consumers

Developing a marketing message for buyers, retirees, ethnic and female consumers require the marketing personnel to focus attention understanding consumer perception in the target consumer groups. Factors necessary to consider when targeting different consumer groups include, for instance, age, gender, interests and spending patterns. John Deer is a well-established firm in the marketplace with a significant number of customers relating to the firm's product. However, due to the constantly changing needs of different consumer groups, using one message to promote the firm's product categories may not suffice in realizing increased sales and profits in the marketplace. As such, the firm's marketing personnel should make efforts to create multiple messages that resonate with the changing taste and preferences of different consumer groups. Retirees, for instance, emphasize quality and affordable price for the product they seek after leaving employment. Their purchase decision more than often is influenced by the need to acquire durable products while cutting costs to ensure they save money to attend to other plans they wish to accomplish after leaving employment. In this regard, the message that targets older consumers and retirees just leaving employment should focus on offering quality as well as affordable prices (Usman, 2013, 79, para. 2).

The medium use to disseminate messages targeting older customers should embrace both traditional and new media. This is because, while older demographics have shifted to the use of the new media, some still prefer traditional media. Such an approach would help John Deer to reach out to older customers who are just retiring. Conversely, the firm should also create messages that take into consideration the values and beliefs of ethnically diversified customers. In this sense, there is a need for marketing messages that also takes into consideration the different needs of ethnically diverse customers. With regard to marketing messages targeting female buyers, the marketers at John Deer should make efforts to understand the needs and wants of the target female buyers. Some of the approaches they can use to understand their needs include, for instance, using a focus group of female customers. Through such a focus, marketers at John Deer can create a message that is specifically meant to attract female customers to John Deer products (Usman, 2013,79, para. 2).

Conclusion

Consumer behavior has a significant influence on the success of products in the marketplace. As such, marketers should give greater attention to consumer perception regarding their product offerings in the marketplace. Such a focus can play a role in ensuring that firms tailor their products or services based on the changing needs of consumers. In this respect, in order for John Deer to attract older customers who are retiring and from diverse ethnic groups, it is important for the marketing personnel to develop multiple messages that resonate with the different needs and wants of an ethnically diverse group of customers. Similarly, attracting female buyers with the appropriate message may require first experimenting with a focus group of female customers to understand their pressing needs.

References

Agyekum, C. K., Haifeng, H., & Agyeiwaa, A. (2015). Consumer perception of product quality. Microeconomics & Macroeconomics, 3(2), 25-29.

Akpoyomare, O. B., Adeosun, L. P. K., & Ganiyu, R. A. (2013). Approaches for generating and evaluating product positioning strategy. International Journal of Business Administration, 4(1), 46-51.

Clemons, E.K. (2008).How information changes consumer behavior and how consumer behavior determines corporate strategy. Journal of Management Information Systems, 25(2), 13-40.

John Deer. (2018). John Deer Store. Retrieved from https://www.johndeerestore.com/

Usman, M. (2013). Creation of effective advertising in the persuasion of target audience. International Journal of Economics, Finance & Management 2(1), 77-80.

Vainikka, B. (2015). Psychological factors influencing consumer behavior. Retrieved from https://www.theseus.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/96405/Vainikka_Bianca.pdf.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y