Vol 22 | Issue 3 | 47-62 | September 2026
Dr Sam A F February*
Nelson Mandela University
februasa@gmail.com
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7738-4589
*Corresponding author
Abstract
The rise of Big Data Analytics (BDA) has transformed how organisations engage with consumers, yet its integration into established consumer decision-making frameworks remains underdeveloped, particularly in emerging markets. Traditional models of the consumer buying process outline five stages; need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase behaviour. While foundational, these models were conceived in an era with limited digital data and do not fully capture the role of analytics in shaping consumer behaviour today.
This study proposes a reframed model The Consumer Buying Process: A Big Data Analytics Perspective that embeds BDA across five redefined stages: Predictive Need Identification, Guided Discovery, Evidence-Based Evaluation, Conversion Optimisation, and Retention & Advocacy. A qualitative, constructivist grounded theory approach was employed, drawing on semi-structured interviews with thirty-two marketing and data professionals across South Africa’s banking, financial services, telecommunications, and media sectors. Thematic analysis revealed how BDA enables predictive insights at the need stage, personalisation during discovery, sentiment-driven comparative evaluation, optimisation of purchase outcomes through recommender systems and dynamic pricing, and post-purchase lifecycle management using churn prediction and loyalty analytics.
The findings demonstrate a shift from reactive to proactive consumer engagement strategies, positioning BDA not as supplementary but as a strategic enabler across the consumer lifecycle. The study contributes theoretically by extending consumer behaviour frameworks in the age of Marketing 5.0 and practically by offering guidance for firms in South Africa and other emerging markets seeking to embed analytics into decision-making processes.
Keywords: Big Data Analytics, Consumer Decision-Making, Marketing 5.0, Customer Experience, Data-Driven Marketing, Emerging Markets, South Africa
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