What are the stages of the purchase process?

The purchase process typically involves three core stages: Discovery, Consideration, and Purchase. In the Discovery stage, a consumer becomes aware of a need or a product/service that could fulfill it. During the Consideration stage, the consumer actively researches options, compares alternatives, and evaluates potential solutions. Finally, the Purchase stage is when the consumer makes the decision and completes the transaction. "Branding, performance, and brandformance" are not standard stages of a purchase process; "brandformance" is a portmanteau related to brand performance metrics. "Discovery, consideration, and performance" incorrectly substitutes "performance" for the actual act of purchasing. "Branding, consideration, and performance" similarly misidentifies branding as a stage of the consumer's purchase journey, rather than an ongoing strategic activity by the company, and again replaces purchase with performance.