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The consumer
With the application of the Marketing concept, reaching consumers and persuading them to purchase has become the most important marketing challenge. Marketers must be aware of the interests and preferences of the consumers to meet this challenge. Simply, a consumer is an individual or a household who desires to acquire goods, services, or ideas for personal or household consumption. Generally, we refer to people as consumers because they are the final users of the products. The term ‘consumer’ comprises two categories of consuming entities. individuals and organisations. We all know that we behave as individual consumers in our daily lives.
Imagine how you start your day and think of how often you buy goods or services for your usage or consumption. On your way to your office or University, you may use public transport. Next, you enjoy tea or a drink from a hotel or at the canteen. In all these instances, you have been a consumer. Likewise, every individual fulfils his need by purchasing some product or service. On the other hand, organisations, companies, or business firms form the second category of consumers who are not the final users. They are called ‘intermediary customers,’ and today, they purchase a significant part of the massive production. Their purpose may be to resell or use them as raw materials for producing other products. Organisational consumers buy raw materials or equipment required to manufacture products or render services.
The diagram below illustrates the two broad types of consumers and the various entities that belong to each.
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| Types of Consumers |
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