In the context of the business buying decision process, what is a buying center? Explain why it presents a major marketing challenge

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

The buying center is the decision-making unit of a buying organization. The buying center consists of all the individuals and units that play a role in the business purchase decision-making process, including the actual users of the product or service, those who make the buying decision, those who influence the buying decision, those who do the actual buying, and those who control buying information. The buying center is not a fixed and formally identified unit within the buying organization. Instead, it is a set of buying roles assumed by different people for different purchases. Within the organization, the size and makeup of the buying center varies for different products and buying situations. The variable nature of the buying center makes it a major marketing challenge. The business marketer must learn who participates in each decision, each participant's relative influence, and what evaluation criteria each decision participant uses. Sometimes identifying the decision maker is difficult or even impossible, as no one single person may make the purchasing decision.