FEATURES OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR IN THE HIGHER EDUCATION SERVICES MARKET
This article discusses the peculiarities of consumer behavior in the market of educational services of higher education, which are associated primarily with the phase of "additional" processes: awareness of the need, search for sources of information, choice from alternatives. The main trends in the transformation of higher education in modern Russian society are the multiplicity of forms of obtaining it, mass, accessibility, and increased competition. A sociological study conducted to identify the peculiarities of consumer behavior showed the following specifics: higher education in the representations of applicants is the acquisition of skills focused on professional activities. A characteristic feature is the importance of confirming education as an official document - diploma, certificate and others. The authors conclude that the main factor in consumer behavior in the Russian market of educational services is a pronounced orientation to the profession. Professional choice is a social process that is realized in the complex interaction of the following factors: the environment, personal qualities, age of a person, as well as the entire range of information necessary for choosing a profession. Professional choice is a social process that is realized in the complex interaction of the following factors: the environment, personal qualities, age of a person, as well as the entire range of information necessary for choosing a profession. The strength of each of them varies at different age stages, and this orientation has different contents depending on the levels of education. Taking into account the modern characteristics of consumer behavior in the education market becomes a determinant that allows educational institutions to survive and ensure their competitiveness. Based on the study, the authors propose several possible marketing strategies that can ensure the effective attraction of applicants to a specific educational institution of higher professional education. The choice of a specific strategy depends not only on the target audience, but also on the goals pursued by the university.