Definition: A buying Centre is a group of individuals involed in a purchasing, using and terminating a product or service.
Buying Centres commonly occur in organisational buying. But products og services to be used in a group or family also can also be purchased by a buying centre.
Roles in a Buying Centre could be:
Gate Keeper: An individual doing research for new products and services and who is acting on behalf of the other participants in the buying centre.
Power Sponsor: The individual making the final purchase decision.
User: The individual using the product or services.
Transactional manager: The individual responsible who after the purcahse will bring the product or service into use. This role could be a project manager.
Financial manager: The individual handling the financial transaction.
Contact: The individual who coordinates the communition between the buying centre and the business.
Influencer: An individual who’s opinion can influence the Buying Centre’s perception of the business, products or services.