Problem
Harley Davidson faces the problem of the identifying the type of customers, their preferences, and the reason for using the product of the company. According to the management, individuals between the age of 35 and 47 years widely use the company’s products. However, the company also sells sports bikes that are used by young adults having an age between 18 and 35 years. The company needs to develop a new marketing strategy that can increase the market share of the company in the international markets. The information of the existing consumers of the product can provide a direction that a company can apply to focus on the market or consumers trend.
Solution
Harley Davidson can resolve its problem by conducting an effective research on ascertaining consumer behavior. It will allow the company to prepare effective marketing strategies for specific target customers. The company should focus on the characteristics that influence consumer behavior to determine who and why people purchase the products of the company. The main characteristics that affect the consumer behavior include culture, social, personal, and psychological factors. These characteristics put a direct impact on the consumer behavior. A consumer is strongly affected by the culture derived from schools, family, and society. A consumer remains bound to his values and norms in consuming the specific type of the product. However, a consumer may oppose to culture and society by giving priority to his personal identity. A consumer’s psychological thinking towards the category of the product allows him to use the product (Hoyer, MacInnis, & Pieters, 2012).
Harley Davidson requires working on these characteristics prominently as it will give a clear idea why a consumer is ready to buy the product. However, there is a need for resources, and it is a time consuming procedure, but the analysis will give expected outcomes for the problem. A selection of effective market team will conduct the research and present a report to the upper management for decision-making. An alternative solution to understanding the buyer’s decision process is also relevant to the problem.
Buyer’s Decision Process
It is common that a consumer follows the steps depicted above. A consumer first recognizes the need for the product depending upon his preferred desires. Then, collect information by visiting the place or through online sources. A consumer also reviews alternatives of the product and then choses the suitable brand from the list that makes a purchase decision. It is often that a consumer recognizes after-purchase factors such as product reliability and sustainability that can change his decision (Rao, 2011).
The above solutions will provide expected outcomes to Harley Davidson, but their implementation requires high cost and a long time to perform. If the company conducts an interview or online survey, it is possible that the responses are common and suggest a trend. The research could also have bias. A similar group of customers can have views that may not be reflective of the actual situation faced by the company. The company can use outsourcing for conducting an effective survey. On the other hand, a social website is an effective media to approach the consumers and collect information regarding their attitude and behaviors towards a product. Harley Davidson will be able to regain its position in the international market by working on the factors that have a direct link with consumer behavior.
Works Cited
Hoyer, Wayne D., Deborah J. MacInnis and Rik Pieters. Consumer Behavior. Mason: Cengage Learning, 2012. Print.
Rao, K. Rama Moahana. Services Marketing. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2011. Print.
