Consumer Research

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Prof. Aparna Kanchan

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Quantitative Research
Descriptive in nature.
Enables marketers to predict consumer
behavior.
Research methods include experiments,
survey techniques, and observation.
Findings are descriptive, empirical and
generalizable.
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Positivism

A consumer behavior research approach

that regards the consumer behavior
discipline as an applied marketing
science.

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Qualitative Research
Consists of depth interviews, focus groups,
metaphor analysis, collage research, and
projective techniques.
Administered by highly trained intervieweranalysts.
Findings tend to be subjective.
Small sample sizes.

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Interpretivism

A postmodernist approach to the study of

consumer behavior that focuses on the act
of consuming rather than on the act of
buying.

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Comparisons between Positivism and

Interpretivism
PURPOSE
Positivism
Prediction of consumer
actions

Interpretivism
Understanding consumption
practices

METHODOLOGY
Positivism
Quantitative

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Interpretivism
Quantitative

continued
ASSUMPTIONS

Positivism

Interpretivism

Rationality; consumers make

decisions after weighing
alternatives
The causes and effects of
behavior can be identified
Individuals are problem
solvers
A single reality exists
Events can be objectively
measured

No single, objective truth

Reality is subjective
Cause and effect cannot be
isolated
Each consumption experience
is unique
Researcher/respondent
interactions affect research
findings

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The Consumer Research Process

Six steps
defining the objectives of the research
collecting and evaluating secondary data
designing a primary research study
collecting primary data
analyzing the data
preparing a report on the findings
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The Consumer Research Process

Develop Objectives
Collect Secondary Data
Design Qualitative Research
Method
Screener questionnaire
Discussion guide

Design Quantitative Research

Method
Sample design
Data collection instrument

Conduct Research
(Using highly trained
interviewers)

Collect Primary Data

(Usually by field staff)

Analyze Data
(Subjective)
Prepare Report
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Exploratory
Study

Analyze Data
(Objective)
Prepare report

Developing Research Objectives

Defining purposes and objectives helps

ensure an appropriate research design.
A statement of objectives helps to define
the type and level of information needed.

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Secondary Versus Primary Data

Secondary data:
data that has been
collected for
reasons other than
the specific
research project at
hand

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Primary data: data

collected by the
researcher for the
purpose of meeting
specific objectives

Major Sources of Secondary Data

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Government
Publications

Periodicals
&
Books

Internal
Sources

Commercial
Data

Data Collection Methods

Observation
Experimentation

Surveys
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Observational Research
Helps marketers gain an in-depth
understanding of the relationship between
people and products by watching them buying
and using products.
Helps researchers gain a better understanding
of what the product symbolizes.
Widely used by interpretivist
researchers.
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Observational Research
Mechanical Observation Uses a Mechanical or
electronic device to record customer behaviour or
response to a particular marketing stimulus
Physiological Observation Uses devices that
monitor respondents pattern of information
processing
Eg: Electronic eye camera electronic sensors
placed on subjects heads

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Experimentation
Can be used to test the relative sales appeal of
many types of variables.
Only one variable is manipulated at a time,
keeping other elements constant.
Can be conducted in laboratories (Controlled
Experimentation) or
In the field (test marketing)
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Survey Data Collection Methods

Personal Interview
Mail
Telephone
Online

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Personal Interview
Most often take place in the home or
retail shopping areas- Mall Intercepts
Mall Intercepts advantage- Useful
interview not-at-home working women
the reluctance of many people today
allow strangers at home

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in
to
&
to

Telephone Surveys
Used to collect consumer data- however
evenings & weekends are often the only
times to reach telephone respondents
Less Responsive
Hostile

Difficulty of reaching people with unlisted

numbers
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Mail Surveys
Conducted by sending questionnaires directly to
individuals at their homes
Disadvantage
Low response rates

Researchers have developed new techniques for

higher return rate
Stamped Self-addressed envelope
Provocative questionnaire
Pre-notification as well as follow-up letters

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Online Surveys
Conducted on the internet
Samples respondents are self-elected hence
results cannot be projected to a large population
Researchers have mixed feeling about the method
Wide reach, affordable
Internet encourages to be more forthright
Data collected may be a suspect

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Comparative Advantages
Cost
Speed
Response
rate
Geographic
flexibility
Interviewer
bias
Interviewer
supervision
Quality of
response

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MAIL

TELEPHONE

Low
Slow

Moderate
Immediate

PERSONAL
INTERVIEW
High
Slow

Low

Moderate

High

Excellent

Good

Difficult

Excellent

N/A

Moderate

Problematic

N/A

N/A

Easy

Difficult

N/A

Limited

Limited

Excellent

Excellent

ONLINE
Low
Fast
Selfselection

Quantitative Research Data Collection

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Data Collection Instruments

Include questionnaires, personal inventories
& attitude scales
DC instruments usually pretested &
debugged to ensure the validity and the
reliability of the research study

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Validity

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The degree to which

a measurement
instrument
accurately reflects
what it is designed to
measure.

Reliability

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The degree to which a

measurement
instrument is
consistent in what it
measures.

Questionnaires

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Guidelines for wording questions

Avoid Leading questions
Eg: Do you often shop at such cost saving stores as Hypercity?
Avoid two questions in one
Eg: In your view did you save money and receive good service
when you last visited D Mart?
Questions must be clear
Eg: Where do you usually shop for your home supplies?
Use words that consumers routinely use
Rectify or Correct
Respondents must be able to answer the question
Eg: How many newspaper or TV ads of Hypercity did you see
in this month?
Respondents must be willing to answer the question
Eg: Questions about money, health issues, personal hygiene or
sexual preferences can embarrass respondents

Attitude Scales
Likert scales: Most popular, easy for researchers
to prepare and interpret, and simple for consumers
to answer.
Semantic differential scales: relatively easy to
construct and administer, bipolar adjectives (
good/bad, expensive/inexpensive etc.)
Behaviour Intention Scale: Measures the
likelihood that the consumers will act in a certain
way in the future
Rank-order scales: subjects rank items in order of
preference in terms of some criteria.
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Example of a Likert Scale

Please place the number that best indicates how strongly you
agree or disagree with each of the following statements about
shopping online in the space to the left of the statement.
1 = Agree Strongly
2 = Agree
3 = Neither Agree or Disagree
4 = Disagree
5 = Disagree Strongly
_____ a. It is fun to shop online.
_____ b. Products often cost more online.
_____ c. It is a good way to find out about new products.

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Rank-Order Scales
Rank the following computer manufacturers in
terms of hotline help by placing a 1 next to the one
who provides the best telephone help, a 2 next to
the second best, until you have ranked all six.
_____ IBM
_____ Dell
_____ Compaq

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_____Hewlett Packard
_____ Gateway
_____ NEC

Qualitative Data Collection Methods

Depth Interviews

Focus
Groups

Projective
Techniques

Metaphor
Analysis

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Depth
Interviews

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Structured vs.
unstructured interviews
Generalizing to other
consumers
Biases
Subtle, inadvertent
feedback

Focus Group

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A qualitative research
method in which eight
to ten persons
participate in an
unstructured group
interview about a
product or service
concept.

Selected Portions of a Discussion

Guide
1. Why

did you decide to use your current cellular

company? (Probe)
2. How long have you used you current cellular
company? (Probe)
3. Have you ever switched services? When? What
caused the change? (Probe)
4. What do you think of the overall quality of your
current service? (Probe)
5. What are the important criteria in electing a cellular
service? (Probe)

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Projective
Techniques

Research procedures
designed to identify
consumers subconscious
feelings and motivations.
Disguised tests that
contain ambiguous stimuli
incomplete sentences,
untitled pictures or cartoons,
ink blots, word- association
tests, & other person
characterization

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Metaphor Analysis
Based on belief that metaphors are the most
basic method of thought and
communication.
Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique
(ZMET) combines collage research and
metaphor analysis to bring to the surface the
mental models and the major themes or
constructs that drive consumer thinking and
behavior.
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Customer Satisfaction Data Collection

Instruments
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Gap Analysis of Expectations versus
Experience
Mystery Shoppers
Critical Incident Technique
Customer Complaint Analysis
Analysis of Customer Defections
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Sampling Plan Decisions

Whom to survey?
How many?
How to
select them?
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Probability Sampling Designs

Simple random
sample

Every member of the population has a known and

equal chance of being selected.

Systematic random
sample

A member of the population is selected at random

and then every nth person is selected.

Stratified random
sample

The population is divided into mutually exclusive

groups (such as age groups), and random samples
are drawn from each group.

Cluster (area)
sample

The population is divided into mutually exclusive

groups (such as blocks), and the researcher draws a
sample of the groups to interview.

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Nonprobability Sampling Designs

Convenience
sample

The researcher selects the most accessible

population members from whom to obtain
information (e.g., students in a classroom)

Judgment sample

The researcher uses his or her judgment to select

population members who are good sources for
accurate information (e.g., experts in the relevant
field of study).

Quota sample

The researcher interviews a prescribed number of

people in each of several categories (e.g., 50 men
and 5 women).

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Data Analysis

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Appropriate analytical tools must be used to interpret data

Most elementary method is the arithmetic analysis using percentile and
ratios
Statistical analysis like mean, median, mode, percentages, standard
deviation and coefficient & correlation should be used wherever
applicable
Advanced statistical tools like tests of significance, factor analysis,
discriminant analysis, regression analysis, cluster analysis, conjoint
analysis & multidimensional scaling techniques can also be used
Increasing use of MDSS ( Marketing decision support system) to help
managers make better decision
MDSS is a system that consists of data collection & tools & techniques
for analysis with supporting software & hardware

Report & Presentation

It is important that the report has a summary- executive summary
, giving a birds eye view of the research and the major
recommendation
The report should be structured and pages chronologically
numbered
Structure of a good report :
Intro to problem, the environment context, objectives, sample size,
stratification, sampling procedure adopted , tools for data collection,
sources of data, and data analysis tools
Presentation of marketing research findings and survey findings
Interpretation of Research findings
Policy Implication

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THANK- YOU

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