Supre Purchase Phase

• Purchase

The purchase stage in the consumer decision process is the point of acquisition of the product. A consumer’s purchase intention can change at this stage and can be influenced by many different factors. A consumer has to decide whether to purchase, when to purchase, what and where to purchase, and the form of payment to use. Time, money, and attention costs are all incorporated in making a purchase. Many determinants play a role in the consumer’s decision to make a purchase.

The retail image plays a significant role in the purchase decision. The interviewees all had a similar image of Supre. They described the store’s image as having a younger female target market. Supre gives off the image of selling trendy, affordable clothing and accessories. On the other hand, Billabong targets both male and female consumers. Their retail image is more of a “surfer” or beachwear style clothing and accessories store. Billabong is also perceived as having a higher price to its products than Supre. The interviewees were familiar with both brands and many had friends that wore each brand.

When deciding on a product to purchase, location is also an important factor. Both Supre and Billabong consumers chose the location of their purchase primarily due to convenience. They tend to go to the shopping center that has the least travel time; therefore, it tends to be convenience shopping trip rather than destination shopping trip. Some of the interviewees stated that they choose certain shopping centers based on the variety of other stores in the center. Supre only sells its products in its own stores, while Billabong sells its products in various stores and surf shops as well as Billabong stores. Because of this, at times it may be easier to obtain Billabong products as to Supre products if a shopping center does not have a Supre store but has stores that carry Billabong products.

Supre shoppers commented on the wide variety of styles, sizes, and colors that are always in stock in the store. All of the interviewees that had purchased a product from Supre stated that their desired color and size were in stock at the time of purchase, and they did not have to switch locations to complete their purchase. On the other hand, one of the interviewees that had purchased a Billabong product from a surf shop could not find her desired size and had to purchase an alternate product. Billabong shoppers also commented on the wide variety of products that are available in stores as well.

Price also plays a role in the purchase decision process. Supre shoppers identified Supre’s products as affordable and stylish. Some Interviewees even used to word “cheap.” Most of the products that were purchased from Supre were not on sale, and many of the shoppers were not looking to spend a fortune. However, Billabong is a more expensive