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Last minute decision making

A discussion in the room with a few friends from travel industry and automotive industry got me really splitting my hair. They were agonising that why people walk in the car shoroom asking for a car for same/next day delivery invariable with a demand whose stock is not available or asking for a last minute airline booking and cribbing about rates.

Why do we decide to act at the last minute?

I have written about it earlier than Indian and Chinese are great value hunters - possibly or rather definitely looking for discounts on a Breguet or a few greenbucks off on a Four Seasons just as much as getting extra chutney in a restaurant...

However, it's importance in business was not understood as much in gravity as I understand now.

Everyone knows that booking seats in advance on a flight get better prices and getting the right choice of a car (colour, variant, model etc) can be guaranteed once the decision is made well in advance.

However, it is observed that Indians love to go to many car showrooms, make a choice in the morning, bargain hunt on the phone with the 10 dealers they have met and another 10 from the web needing the car NEXT MORNING. A similar is the case with booking a holiday package. This friend of mine from a tier II town said that on an average, 40% of bookings are made in under a fortnight of arrival.

This is just in contrast to what I have observed with many of people I know in Europe and US where they would have not only chalked out travel plans a year in advance but looking for the following year as well.

How deep is this in our behaviour :

It starts right from the start. Maximum preparation for the exams is in the week before they start to deciding on what to make at home the same day to whom to recruit in a job only after the existing person is serving the last week of notice period.

I think this behaviour is once again the deep rooted belief that we need the most appropriate thing (or anything else) and as time changes requirements change.

How would I know the weather much in advance? If there is rain or thunderstorm or extra hot weather!
Its only towards the end I get to know the important questions that are released by school/experts/websites and I need to maximise by returns on efforts put in.

Is it the reason that impulse purchase is a big thing in India? Is it because of this that the word "Sale" is more effective here?

Is this also the reason that a housewife gets into kitchen when guests arrive so rather than spending time with guests she is busy making most appropriate dishes....

I am getting too many questions in my mind.

Thanks Indian consumer for keeping me thinking and guessing....

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