TRANSFORMING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical and methodological analysis and justification of the marketing principles of the formation of modern models of consumer purchasing behavior in the context of the development of digital technological solutions. A direct relationship has been established between structural changes in consumer behavior and the intensity of the influence of digital tools, in particular, online communications, openness and transparency of business structures, and consumer behavior in the context of social networks. The most relevant environmental factors under the influence of which consumer behavior in target markets is currently being transformed are identified, in particular, the use of mobile applications, social networks, big data, artificial intelligence, and electronic trading platforms. The use of digital tools provides brands with a wide range of opportunities for effective interaction with the target consumer - the formation of consistent online interaction, increasing the level of trust, improving the visual component of branding, creating customized product offers based on individualized orders, and shortening the process of making a purchase decision in offline and online spaces. In the context of substantiating the transformation of consumer behavior in the conditions of market digitalization, marketing factors influencing the sequence of decision-making stages by target consumers are considered and detailed. Given the multi-channel nature of the communication component of marketing activities of enterprises, relevant models of purchasing behavior are identified. The article substantiates that the relevant model of purchasing decision-making, which involves the process of evaluating purchasing alternatives, is currently losing its linearity. The active determinants of changes in the purchasing behavior of the target consumer are the complementarity, mutual influence and synergy of online and offline sales and communication channels. In the context of the system-forming role of predicting behavioral models of the target audience, it is established that the fundamental basis for developing management decisions in the field of consumer behavior is the formation of consumer loyalty. Therefore, the authors substantiated key aspects of post-purchase consumer behavior as a critical stage of the client's life cycle, which determines the prospects for transforming a one-time buyer into a loyal consumer of goods of a certain brand.