Key Highlights
- Consumer Behaviour : Consumer behaviour reflects how people decide, buy, use, and discard products based on psychological, social, personal, and situational factors.
- Marketing Importance : Understanding behaviour enables better segmentation, branding, pricing, product decisions, and more relevant messaging.
- Behaviour Types : Buying behaviour ranges from complex and cautious to habitual and variety-driven, based on involvement and brand differentiation.
- Data Collection : Behavioural insights come from polls, reviews, UGC, and transactional data across the shopping journey.
- Business Impact : Behaviour-driven insights improve retention, loyalty, inventory planning, competitive positioning, and sales growth.
What truly shapes your e-commerce marketing strategy, assumptions or real customer insights?
Many brands plan campaigns without fully understanding who their consumers are and what drives their decisions. Consumer behaviour goes beyond who buys the product. It focuses on who uses it, what they need, and what influences their choices. This understanding helps brands create messages that feel relevant and timely.
Here are a few key points to consider:
- • Consumers may not always be the buyers
- • Interests and needs drive purchase decisions
- • Buying choices are shaped by emotions and intent
By studying consumer behaviour in marketing, brands can align products, messaging, and channels better. This blog explores how understanding consumer behaviour helps build stronger marketing strategies and more meaningful customer connections.
What Is Consumer Behaviour In Marketing?
Consumer behaviour refers to the decisions and actions that people make when they buy, choose, use and discard a product or service. In other words, it looks at the psychological, cultural and sociological factors that contribute to how customers buy, use or dispose of a product.
Here are some factors that form customer behaviour.
- • Psychological factors : The psychological factors to consider in consumer behaviour include beliefs, attitudes, and individual motivations. For instance, one of your loyal consumers might have an emotional connection with your e-commerce business that can significantly influence purchase choice.
- • Social factors : Family, friends, and social media significantly impact consumers' usage or purchasing behaviour. Social influences often create brand loyalty and prevent users from trying new products.
- • Personal factors : Some personal factors of your consumers, including their age, gender and lifestyle, also affect how they engage with the products from your e-commerce business.
- • Situational factors : Situational factors that influence the way consumers use or purchase a product include the shopping environment or timing.
Here is a visual depiction of the consumer decision process.
Importance of Consumer Behaviour In Marketing
When you have an understanding of consumer behaviour, you know how your consumers make purchasing decisions or what and when they buy. This makes it easy to reach out to these consumers with the right products and the right messaging.
Here are the importance of consumer behaviour in marketing management.
- • Customer segmentation : Understanding consumer behaviour helps your e-commerce business perform a behavioural market segmentation. This lets you optimise the messages and the strategies so that they align with the interests of each segment.
- • Develop branding strategies : Knowing consumer behaviour helps your e-commerce business create a branding strategy. This builds positive views of your brand and customer loyalty.
- • Product development : Understanding consumer behaviour is key for product development. When you design products that match consumer preferences, you boost sales and satisfaction.
- • Develop pricing strategies : Understanding consumer behaviour helps identify price points that appeal to customers. This allows you to create pricing strategies for different customer segments.
Now we know the factors influencing consumer behaviour in marketing. So, let us explore the types of consumer behaviour.
Types of Consumer Behaviour
The four types of consumer behaviour are.
- Complex buying behaviour
- Dissonance-reducing buying behaviour
- Variety-seeking buying behaviour
- Habitual buying behaviour
Let's explore more about the types of consumer behaviour and how you can customise your marketing efforts to meet the interests of each type.
1. Complex Buying Behaviour
The complex purchasing behaviour of consumers is when they buy expensive, rarely purchased items. This could be the occasion when they buy a car or a house. The purchasing behaviour is complex as the consumers are deeply involved and conduct extensive research investment.
How To Approach Consumers With Complex Buying Behaviour
- • Including details : For products on your e-commerce website, include comprehensive descriptions and comparison charts to help them with their product research.
- • Offer personalised assistance : It is important to personalise the assistance you offer your consumers and address their concerns during the decision-making process.
- • Emphasise unique features : it is essential to highlight the unique benefits, features and value proposition of your product so that the consumers become ready to make a significant investment in the product.
- • Social proof : You can include client testimonials, reviews and case studies to improve the consumer's product perception.
Pro Tip
You need to give them personalised support to consumers as they help make purchasing decisions. For this, you need more than just AI chatbots. You need AI Agent-powered conversational chatbots from TechMonk who can assist your customers through personalised conversations in multiple languages and guide them through the complete purchase process without much human intervention.
Deploy TechMonk’s AI Agents To Assist Your Customers Through Personalised Conversations.
2. Dissonance-Reducing Purchase Behaviour
This purchasing behaviour usually occurs when your consumers don't have a favourite brand to purchase from and need help choosing a brand that particularly attracts them. This creates dissonance or lack of harmony, which makes the consumers fear that they might regret their decision.
Here is an example. Think of one of your consumers who plans to buy a television, and they compare television models from different brands. Since most televisions have similar specifications and pricing, it might be quite challenging to differentiate between them. So when they see advertisements for competing models post-purchase, they might have second thoughts about that decision.
How To Approach Consumers With Dissonance-Reducing Purchase Behaviour
- • Address the consumer's pain points : Find out the typical pain points consumers usually face with your product. So you can efficiently convey how your product addresses these pain points in your marketing messages.
- • Quality and reliability : You can highlight the quality and reliability of your products in the marketing messages to encourage consumers to make a purchasing decision.
- • Satisfaction guarantees : You can include satisfaction guarantees and attractive return policies in your e-commerce platform to make the consumers think that the risk associated with the purchase is less.
Pro Tip
You can use TechMonk's Agentic Platform to adjust marketing messages in real time based on live consumer interactions. For example, if a consumer browses a product page but hesitates to purchase, you can give them personalised messages, offers, and discounts to bring them back.
3. Habitual Purchasing Behaviour
Habitual buying behaviour refers to the purchasing behaviour in which consumers buy something without thinking a lot. There is little or no consideration of the products or brands they choose from.
Let us consider the example of toothpaste. Most individuals purchase toothpaste of the same brand as they are comfortable with it and have a perceived effectiveness. There is little decision-making around this purchase, and consumers do not feel they must explore alternatives.
How To Approach Consumers With Habitual Purchasing Behaviour
- • Meet the industry trends : If you see consumers exhibit habitual purchase behaviour, keep yourself updated about the industry trends and stay relevant. Only then can you remain appealing to your consumers and attract them to your product.
- • Loyalty programs : You can implement loyalty programs and incentivise your consumers to encourage repeat purchases.
- • Maintain brand visibility : You need to maintain your brand visibility by ensuring that your messaging and branding are consistent to stay on top of the minds of your consumers.
Pro Tip
To ensure customer retention, you need to keep your loyalty programs unique, and they should be consistent with your brand image. You can use TechMonk’s loyalty program builder to create tiered loyalty programs that reward your consumers.
Build Your Loyalty Programs TechMonk’s Simple Tools To Reward Your Customers.
4. Variety-Seeking Purchasing Behaviour
Consumers don't always try a different product because they are dissatisfied with the one they previously used. They might be seeking variety from other products.
Let us understand this with an example of ice cream. Consumers who buy ice cream do not always choose one brand. They look for different brands and flavours in each purchase to meet their interest in varieties.
How To Approach Consumers With Variety-Seeking Purchasing Behaviour
- • Offer a variety of products : Include different flavours and options to meet consumer preferences.
- • Limited-time promotions : Use limited-time offers to create excitement around your brand.
- • Personalised recommendations : Suggest different products based on customer preferences. This encourages them to try new items from your e-commerce store.
Pro Tip
Some e-commerce businesses lack a 360-degree customer view, making their suggestions and recommendations less personalised. TechMonk’s customer data platform combines customer data for complete customer visibility, strengthening personalisation.
How to Collect Consumer Behaviour Data in E-commerce?
Understanding how your customers think, browse, and decide to buy isn’t just about gut feeling. It’s about gathering the right data. Below are key research methods e-commerce businesses can use to study consumer behaviour and how to use them:
1. On-site Polls
These are short, real-time micro-surveys that appear while users are browsing. Polls are great for capturing immediate feedback without disrupting the experience.
How to do it:
- Embed a one-question poll on key pages
- Trigger exit-intent polls to capture reasons for leaving.
- Ask returning visitors what made them come back.
What data do you get:
- Clarity issues in product descriptions or features.
- Reasons behind hesitation or drop-off.
- Customer expectations before purchasing.
How to use the data:
- Refine product copy and highlight key benefits.
- Reduce bounce rates by addressing common doubts.
- Test new messaging ideas based on feedback themes.
2. Product Reviews and UGC Analysis
Product reviews and user-generated content (UGC) hold rich behavioural data. What customers praise or criticise often points to the perceived value and actual usage of your product.
How to do it:
- Analyse themes and keywords from customer reviews.
- Track star ratings against product variations or SKUs.
- Monitor social mentions and tagged posts on platforms like Instagram or TikTok.
What data do you get:
- Sentiment around product features or quality.
- Unexpected use cases or buyer personas.
- Perceived value vs. communicated benefits.
How to use the data:
- Prioritise product enhancements based on common complaints.
- Highlight real-world usage in marketing campaigns.
- Use testimonials and visuals in retargeting ads.
3. Transactional and Behavioural Data Analysis
Every purchase, search, or cart abandonment leaves behind a data trail. Analysing this can help segment customers, predict preferences, and identify buying patterns.
How to do it:
- Use ecommerce analytics platforms or CDPs to unify data.
- Segment users based on purchase frequency, order value, or churn.
- Track seasonal trends or repeat purchase patterns.
What data do you get:
- Top-selling products by segment.
- Time between visits and purchase cycles.
- Churn indicators or repeat behaviour.
How to use the data:
- Create targeted remarketing or email campaigns.
- Build loyalty programs for high-LTV customers.
- Introduce product bundles based on co-purchase data.
Why E-commerce Consumer Behaviour Matters
1. Better Marketing and Communication
Understanding ecommerce customer behaviour helps design effective messaging. By tracking online customers' behaviour, you can adjust your strategies to meet their preferences.
2. Improve Customer Retention
Retaining existing customers is easier and more profitable than acquiring new ones. When you know their buying patterns, you can offer more relevant products, creating stronger loyalty.
3. Increase Customer Loyalty
By analysing online customers' behaviour, you can enhance loyalty. Personalised offers and discounts based on this data build stronger customer relationships and boost sales.
4. Better Plan Inventory
Knowing your customers' preferences helps you plan your inventory. Understanding demand patterns ensures you have the right products in stock at the right time.
5. Increase Sales
By understanding your customers, you can focus on their needs and target specific niches. This leads to smarter decisions, higher sales, and more conversions.
6. Research Competition
Studying customer behaviour helps you identify gaps in your competition. This knowledge gives you an edge when positioning your products against theirs.
Consumer Behavioural Analysis With TechMonk
Now, let us move on to explore how you can perform a behavioural RFM analysis using TechMonk.
- From TechMonk’s interface, open the RFM tab in its sidebar and choose the Create RFM button.
- In the respective fields, enter the necessary details.
- Choose the event you want from the Select Recency & Frequency Event field.
- Further, choose the Start Date and End Date for the segmentation duration.
To refine your segments further, you can include additional filters as needed.
- Hit the Add Filter button, then decide whether to apply the OR or AND condition based on your logic.
Fill out the required fields accordingly.
- Under Select Attribute, pick either Customer Attributes orPage Data from the list provided.
- For Select Condition, choose from Is, Contains, or Is Not depending on how you want to match the value.
- In the Enter Value field, type in the appropriate value based on your chosen condition.
- You can also select a pre-existing group from the ‘Do you want to use Existing Segment?’ option.
TechMonk provides more precision with its Advanced Filters.
- Look for the Add Advanced Filter button near the bottom-left corner of the interface.
- You can define a specific timeframe for your segmentation. Within both the Customer and Event filter sections, you are free to apply multiple filters to match your criteria.
- Enter the necessary details in the remaining fields and select the Next button.
- This will show the user segments based on the RFM event as follows.
- About to sleep
- Price-sensitive
- Loyal customers
- Promising customers
- Recent customers
- Customers who need attention
- Once done, click the Save section button.
Wish to know how else TechMonk can help your e-commerce business? Then, get on a call with us.
Use Behavioral Data To Personalise Customer Experiences Across All Touchpoints With TechMonk
TechMonk: Understand Consumer Behaviour And Approach Them With The Right Strategies
At TechMonk, we help you build strong AI capital by using enterprise-level AI agents and tools that fit smoothly into your existing workflows. You may wonder how this supports your teams. These AI-powered solutions improve operational efficiency and support your human capital. Your teams focus on high-value work while AI handles repetitive tasks.
TechMonk uses deep customer intelligence to give you a complete view of customer behaviour and intent. This insight helps you design personal experiences and build loyalty at every touch point. How do you ensure customers feel understood at each stage? You guide them with clarity across their full journey.
Pre-Built AI Agents for E Commerce Workflows
TechMonk offers a set of pre-built AI agents that manage key tasks across sectors. They improve efficiency and increase customer lifetime value.
- AI Sales Agent : This agent works like a trusted sales assistant. It tracks customer actions and shares personal product suggestions. This creates smoother transactions and repeat purchases.
- AI Support Agent : This agent delivers instant and accurate support. It resolves queries, supports self-service, and reduces pressure on your teams. This lifts the overall experience.
- Voice AI Agents : This agent delivers natural conversations across calls and messaging platforms like WhatsApp. It stays available all day and supports multilingual needs. This builds stronger relationships.
Want to Build a Custom AI Agent?
When pre-built agents do not meet every need, AgentMonk helps you create custom AI agents. You shape them around your workflows, tasks, and goals. Why settle for limits when you can build exactly what you need?
- Tools Library : A ready set of tools helps AI agents take action. You can also build custom tools as your needs grow.
- Agents Library : You can browse many pre-built AI agents or customise one to match your brand and goals.
- Agent Flow :TechMonk makes sure all agents work together smoothly. It manages tasks in the right order to keep experiences fast and seamless.
How TechMonk Ensures Your AI Agents Perform Seamlessly
TechMonk supports your AI agents with features that keep them safe, reliable, and improving over time.
- Strict Guardrails : You set clear input and output guardrails so your system accepts only valid inputs. This keeps responses accurate and prevents misuse. It also protects quality control and safeguards your system integrity. How do you maintain trust at scale? You rely on guardrails to keep every response on track.
- Testing Automation : You use an LLM Judge to train and validate AI agent responses on a continuous basis. This helps customers receive accurate and relevant answers every time. It improves the overall user experience and keeps response quality consistent.
- Observability of Workflows :You monitor AI agents as they handle customer queries in real time. This view helps you spot issues early and improve interactions. How do you refine experiences faster? You observe workflows and make quick improvements.
- Traceability of Conversations :You track AI agent conversations across multiple channels to understand how responses form. This helps you find gaps and keep communication consistent.
- Tracking AI Agent Performance :You evaluate AI agents on reasoning quality, response speed, and delay. These insights help you improve efficiency and performance.
- Choose Prebuilt Tools or Build Custom Tools
- Choose Prebuilt AI Agents or Custom AI Agents
- Build Custom Agentic Workflows to Automate Operations
Why TechMonk's AI Agents Are Unmatched?
TechMonk gives you a strong customer engagement toolkit that supports AI agents and delivers steady value over time. You may ask what makes this work so well. TechMonk combines data, intelligence, and automation to improve customer lifetime value at every stage.
- Customer Intelligence Platform : With TechMonk, you view all customer data in one place. It connects profiles, purchase behaviour, and engagement history. This helps you see intent clearly. How does this help you move faster? You deliver personal and targeted experiences that keep customers engaged.
- AI-Driven Campaigns : TechMonk simplifies campaign management through clear AI-driven automation. You create personal offers based on age, location, or behaviour. This helps you reach the right groups with the right message.
- Journey Builder :TechMonk offers a Journey Builder to design smooth and personal customer journeys. You may wonder how this improves daily engagement. AI guides each touch point and keeps interactions relevant.
Conclusion
Now you know why the foundation of a successful marketing strategy should be consumer behaviour. Knowing their behaviour lets you approach them with offers and recommendations that meet their interests.
At the same time, you need to know your consumers' purchasing behaviour. E-commerce businesses need complete visibility of their customers to understand their behaviour better. If not, your marketing messages and strategies will not be as effective as you think they would be.
If you wish to get a 360-degree view of your consumers and develop strategies to meet consumer needs, join TechMonk.
FAQs
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