Stages of Consumer Buying Decision Process

There are multiple "models" of the stages in the customer buying decision-making process.

5 stages

1. Identification of problem/need
2. Research alternative solution-types
3. consider narrow set of alternative solutions
4. decision/selection/purchase
5. post-purchase behavior, evaluation (cf activation)

The five stages of a decision process were first introduced by philosopher John Dewey in How We Think in 1910.[10] Later studies expanded upon Dewey's initial work and are seen as foundational for analysis of consumer purchasing decision-making.[11] Dewey did not refer in How We Think specifically to purchasing decisions.