At this stage, the consumer forms an intention to buy. However, two factors can still intervene before the actual purchase:
may lead to cognitive dissonance (buyer's remorse), where the consumer feels discomfort over the drawbacks of their chosen product versus the benefits of the ones they passed up.
The process doesn't end at the checkout. After buying, the consumer evaluates whether the product met their expectations.
leads to brand loyalty and positive word-of-mouth.