The marketing strategies are getting sophisticated and fine-tuned, to suit the market, consumer and competition. Consumers play a very important role in the economy. They are the largest economic group in any country. All present day activities are because of consumer only.Consumers are the pillars of the economy. They are free to buy goods of the kind they like and the producers have to ascertain the tastes and preferences of this group and produce only those goods that will help them to satisfy their needs and desires.The heart of a marketing strategy revolves around the consumer. The critical inputs required for the design of a consumer based marketing strategy should invariable flow from a systematic study of consumer behavior.CONSUMER OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOURConsumer is the central point of all marketing activities. The consumer behaviour differs from person to person. Consumer behaviour may be defined ad people exhibit that in planning, purchasing and using economic goods and services. The consumer behaviour is an integral part of human behaviour and cannot be separated from it. In the specific sense, consumer behaviour is tins act of consuming or using goods or services. Buyer behaviour on the other hand, leads to an end in the process of purchasing. Consumer behaviour is the process by which individuals decide whether, what, when, where, how and from whom to purchase goods and services. The whole process of buying takes place in the mind of the buyer. To understand these attitudes of mind, marketing had drawn concept and ideas heavily from other disciplines like sociology, psychology, leading theory and others. According to Webster, "Buyer behaviour is all psychological, social and physical behaviour of potential customers as they become aware of, evaluate, purchase, consume and tell other people about products and services". Buyer behaviour emphasizes that this behaviour is both individual (Psychological) process and group (social) process. It follows the buyer from awareness through to post purchase evaluation. It includes communication, purchasing and consumption behaviours. It is broad enough for both cOnsumer (individual or home held) and industrial (organization) buyer behaviour.a) The psychological needs, which includes needs for satisfying, hunger, * thirst, sleep shelter and sex gratification. These are the most basic needs and until they are satisfied, other needs are of little importance.b) The safety needs are related to economic and social security, such as economic security, protection and family stability.c) The belongingness and love needs are to be satisfied to avoid frustration and make adjustments in life. These relate to affection and belongingness to a group, love and acceptance by some one. d) The esteem needs comprise self-esteem, a high evaluation of self-respect, prestige and status in the esteatl of others in society. Fulfillment of these needs provide feeling of self-confidence and usefulness to a group Failure to fulfill these needs produces feeling of inferiority and helplessness.e) The need for self-actualization is the desire to achieve the maximum of one's capabilities. Fulfillment of these needs depend upon the prior fulfillment of the more basic needs.f) The desire to know and understand refers to the process of searching for meaning in things around as.g) The aesthetic needs may not appear to be present among many individuals because of their failure to satisfy more basic needs but among others the need for beauty is important.The marketing management successful in making good business his products has the ability to satisfy several needs of an individual.CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR THEORIESAll social sciences have contributed separate theories and tried to find mis phenomenon. These theories for convenience may be grouped as undera) Economic theoriesb) Psychological theoriesc) Psycho-analytical theoriesd) Socio-cultural theoriesA) Economic TheoriesI) Marginal utility TheoryClassical Economists developed this theory. According to them a consumer will continue to buy such products that will deliver him the most utility or maximum satisfaction at relative prices. In this view that, man is rational in all his activities and purchasing decisions are the results of economic calculation. Marketers however do not accept this theory.2) Income and savings TheoryThis theory is based on the fact that purchasing power is the real determinant of buying. Purchasing power on the other hand is dependent on disposable income. To facilitate how people allocate changes in their total income between spending and savings, there two concepts given by economists.Marginal propensity to consume and(i) Marginal propensity to save.B) Psychological TheoriesThese theories are also called as learning theories. This importance of brand and repeat purchase makes learning theory more relevant in the field of marketing.1) Stimulus- Response TheoryAccording to Kotler and others "Learning occurs as a person responds to some stimulus and is rewarded with need satisfaction for a correct response'.2) Cognitive TheoryAccording to it, stimulation of want is conditional by a customers knowledge, his perception beliefs and attitudes. 3) Gestalt and field TheoriesAccording to this theory, learning and consequent behaviour is not dependent but is a total process. Behaviour should be explained in terms of all the factors that are operating when an event happens. Thus buying is not motivated by a single element, but is the sum-total of many elements. Field theory is a useful refinement of Gestalt psychology, formulated by Kurt Lewin. The essence of this theory is that buyer a behaviour is the result of one's "psychological field" existing at the time of taking buying decisions. Thus according to this theory a person makes the decision to buy, taking into consideration product, quality, price, advertising, retails etc., all combined into a particular pattern consistent with buyer's expectations.4) Social groupsPsychologists are of opinion that behaviour has influence on individual behavior. Groups may be formal or informal. Groups may be organised on friendship, age, common interest etc,MASLOWS VIEW FOR INTERPRETING BUYER BEHAVIOUR ON THE BASIS OF NEEDSa) Psychological NeedsThese are considered to be basis needs and have the first priority. Need for food, drink, sex etc., come under this group.b) Safety NeedsThe need consists of economic and social securityc) Esteem NeedsNeeds are arising out of the desire to achieve self respect and prestige in society.d) Social NeedsIt is also termed as belongingness and love needs. The act of purchasing gifts is the result of such needs.e) Self- ActualisationThis is perhaps the final type of need and depends more on prior fulfillment of basic needs, such needs are the result of one's capabilities.C) Psycho-Analytical TheoriesSigmud Frend developed this theory. He postulated that the personality has three basis dimensions, the id, the ego and Super ego. The id refers to the free mechanism that leads to strong drivers. Ego refers to the act of weighing consequences and tries to reconcile with reality. Super ego is a person's conscience. It is highly rational and tries to keep the activities morally right. In essence, the id urges an enjoyed act, the super ego present's the moral issues involved and the ego is the arbitrator in determining whether to produce or not.D) Socio- Cultural TheoriesThis theory is also known as "Vebelenian model". Man is primarily a social animal and the group of which he is a member largely influences his wants and behaviour. Most of the luxury goods are bought primarily because one's neighbour or friend of the states bought it. Culture, sub culture, social classes, reference groups, family are the different factor groups that influence buyer behaviour.The present day marketing is consumer oriented and consumer's psychology, their social and economic characteristics etc., therefore form the corner stone for marketing decisions.Further "Man is a perpetual wanting animal", and therefore when one need is satisfied a new need at a high lead emerges. It is then the marketers try to discern the nature of these wants and attempt to satisfy them.