Who are the organizations customers?
Coop La Maison Verte started as a café and bulk store to promote harmony and team spirit amongst neighbors. Presently Coop is a general store-like center that has a market, café and restaurant. The Coop provides a variety of local, ecological and cost effective grocery products. The Coop’s customers are mainly Coop’s members and individuals who are looking for organic and healthy products for the much sort healthy lifestyles.
Determinants of Customer Behavior: Personal factors and Market Environment
Coop’s ability to offer a wide range of local cost effective organic products is the most important trait of this business as well as the hot meals they offer. In addition, the business has a high affinity for people establishing a place where people can meet and socialize. This characteristic makes the surrounding community NDG, a vibrant street that draws many crowds to the town.
The Coop has contributed to increased numbers of people visiting NDG since it was initiated in 1999. The personal factor that has contributed to customer behavior is the motivation behind the inspiration of Coop’s mission to reduce community isolation and vulnerability. This mission was founded based on the ice storm that killed six NDG residents. At present 10,500 members of the NDG, community can be encouraged that the tragedy is commemorated from Coop’s mission statement( Kruzynski, 98). The Coop also has community-based fundraisers, for example, the “suspended coffee campaign”. The idea behind the suspended coffee campaign is to suggest to willing customers to pay for coffee for individuals who lack the financial capacity to purchase their coffee. To make the initiative even more sensible any suspended coffee is noted on a blackboard at the café, and it can later be redeemed by anyone who requests.
Another initiative is encouraging members of the NDG community to take part in collective garden activities that will promote food security. The fundraiser is dubbed Action Communiterre, the collective gardens from the initiative will provide the community with fresh and healthy products.
Trends in Determinants of Customer Behavior
There is an emerging popular trend in consumers resorting to using organic foods this transformation in consumer habits has been influenced by the need for people to globally lead healthier lives. Studies have indicated that organic food sales are drastically increasing despite the fact that the food market is still tremendously controlled by conventional food (Mithas., et al, P 205).
There are many reasons why organic food products are gaining popularity. The major reasons being that the organic food leads to less soil reason, it helps protect animals and keep water clean. These reasons are in-line with the notion “going green” that advocates environmental conservation and sustainability (Hughner et.al, 98).
Coop is solely associated with organic products, its café offers 20 different coffee varieties from Santropol and Café Rico their products are also affordable. To illustrate their dedication to environmental preservation, they serve their meals in stainless steel containers made by Life without Plastic. The customer loyalty of Coop is likely to increase given the steady of the organic trend. Coop founding member Hughes has gone further and created a website that provides information on the importance of consuming ecologically friendly products.
The Customer as a Perceiver and Learner
Marketing communication in any business is vital in enhancing consumer perception. Consumers often look forward to quality products at affordable prices. Coop website has an online store that shows all its produce and the significance of using their products from using conventional food. Their website is very appealing and detailed with relevant information of products and an online store. Coop communications serve to educate consumers on the advantages of choosing organic food over conventional food.
How do customer’s values relate to their purchasing behavior
The customer values are to change eating habits and adopt healthier eating patterns and lifestyle changes. Coop products and services are in line with the customer’s values. The fact that Coop is organic oriented will conveniently see its profits increase with the increase in popularity for organic products.
Relationship-Based Buying
The fact that Coop was established by seven indigenous residents of NDG with the aim of creating alternatives to the North American consumption mode. They all had a passion for transforming their neighborhood and boost local trade. Moreover, there is an internal desire to reinforce the decision making power of consumers by diversifying the products and services. This is complimented by the provision of more detailed information regarding the products available on the market.
Customer Loyalty to Products, Brands and Stores
Coop was formed based on the values of NDG as a community. The organization also acquires its products from local producers this creates a cycle of correlation. However, there is great need to improve on its customer loyalty. There is need to maintain repeated calls and requests from customers (Mithas., et al, p. 207). This can be done by offering incentives aimed at patronizing Coop on a regular basis. Such incentives may include loyalty programs such as regular discounts or issuing of punch cards which dictate the amount of discount to be offered based on the number of holes punched. This will go a long way in promoting the brand equity of Coop which is irrefutable since it has been present in NDG for over fourteen years among the existing clients. Moreover, having launched a beautiful and informative website, Coop should start a newsletter or email club. This would assist to send out newsletters or emails to clients who would in turn get a discount upon signing up. Such steps will ensure that Coop experiences great consumer loyalty even among the organization’s newly launched stores.
Works Cited
Hughner, Renée Shaw, et al. "Who are organic food consumers? A compilation and review of why people purchase organic food." Journal of consumer behaviour 6.2‐3 (2007): 94-110.
Kruzynski, Anna. "Sortir de la cage productiviste: faire la révolution en préfigurant des alternatives conviviales, autonomes et économes." Objecteurs de croissance. Montréal, Écosociété (2007): 97-107.
Mithas, Sunil, Mayuram S. Krishnan, and Claes Fornell. "Why do customer relationship management applications affect customer satisfaction?." Journal of Marketing 69.4 (2005): 201-209.
