Resumo

This article investigated the terms, problem, need, and desire, commonly attributed as triggers of the first stage in the consumer's purchase decision process, proposing that they are not synonyms and that the individual as a consumer doesn´t clearly understand which of these feelings is stimulating him to buy, so your purchase decision and your satisfaction will be affected. The results, using a sample of 260 respondents and statistical techniques pointed to the three feelings as not being synonymous and to the individual's lack of clarity in his recognition of consumption.

Research problem: Is the individual as a consumer, in his decision-making process, able to distinguish whether he is experiencing a problem, a need, or a desire for consumption? The general objective was to investigate whether the individual as a consumer perceives the feeling that triggers his perception of the lack of a product, as a problem, a need, or a desire for consumption. As a specific objective, it was intended to verify whether the individual feels able to distinguish what is a problem, a need, or a consumption desire and whether such feeling influences his purchase action.

The authors carried out bibliographical research to define and conceptualize the terms: problem, need, desire, and purchase decision. Then, they addressed the first three terms as triggers for the individual's consumption decision. An item was presented that briefly discussed purchasing decision models as abstractions of reality. And the last item addressed the theme, purchase decision. For each term investigated, one hypothesis was developed and tested.

The cut proposed for the sample used comprised individuals of both sexes, aged between 18 and 35, economically active, and residing in Brazil. With the help of Software G*Power 3.1.9.7, 160 respondents were reached. The data collection instrument was the questionnaire, with items belonging to the scale called Delineation Theory - TD, developed by Loureiro (2020), as it met the purpose of this article. The statistics used were: Exploratory Factor Analysis and Spearman's correlation coefficient (non-parametric data).

Using Exploratory Factor Analysis, it was possible to reduce the items that made up the terms, problem, need, desire, and purchase decision. The factor correlation matrix showed that the terms are independent, that is, they measure different aspects of each feeling, therefore, are not synonyms. Spearman's correlation coefficient showed that there is no robust correlation between the investigated terms, which allows us to state that the individual cannot clearly distinguish the feeling that triggers his purchase recognition. The hypotheses were all validated.

The results obtained allowed the authors to state that the objectives were achieved. Revisiting the consumer purchase decision model allowed the authors to propose new perspectives on how individuals are manifesting their difficulties in choosing in the face of the abysmal amount of information and products on offer. It is imperative for researchers to adjust their market studies to the cognitive issues that underlie the individual's brain. The study developed here intended to point to this path, that is, to understand the behaviour of the individual through the emphasis on their feelings.

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