A buying center includes all organization members who have a role in selecting,
purchasing, and using a product. Members of a buying center include:
- Initiators - People in the organization who identify a problem or need that can be resolved with a purchase.
- Users - People in the organization who actually use the product.
Influencers - People who affect the buying decision, usually by helping to develop specifications for the product.
- Buyers - People with the authority and responsibility to select or approve the selection of a supplier.
- Deciders - People with the formal or informal power to select or approve the selection of the supplier.
- Gatekeepers - People who control the flow of information into the buying center.
Marketers to organizations need to know which individuals play each role in the buying center. It is necessary to identify and meet the needs of all its members. Marketers also need to understand the interactions in the buying center in terms of how various people and departments relate to each other. Finally, marketers need to understand the relative importance of buying center members for different types of products.
