Consumer Behavior
Chapter 16
Consumer Research
Learning Objectives
16.1 To understand how to conduct exploratory research and review secondary data.
16.2 To understand the purpose and tools of qualitative research.
16.3 To understand the purpose and tools of quantitative research.
16.4 To understand how to combine qualitative and quantitative research, sampling, and
data analysis.
Consumer
Research Process
Learning Objective 16.1
16.1 To understand how to conduct exploratory research and review secondary data.
Exploratory
An examination of resources and materials
Research
that had already been collected and can be of
value to the research at hand and consists
mostly of reviewing secondary data.
Secondary Data
Information that was gathered previously and (1 of 3)
not in the course of the study presently
undertaken.
Secondary Data (2 of 3)
• Internal secondary data • External secondary data
o Government secondary data
o Periodicals
o Syndicated market research
o Consumer panels
Discussion Question: What are the advantages and limitations of secondary data?
Secondary Data (3 of 3)
Advantages Limitations
• May provide solution • Categorization of units may
not match what researcher
• Helps clarify and redefine
seeks
objectives of the primary
study • It may not be accurate; errors
may have been made in data
• Helps identify difficulties
collection and/or analysis
that are likely to occur in
full-scale study • Data could be out of date
• Cheaper and quicker than
primary data
Learning Objective 16.2b
16.2 To understand the purpose and tools of qualitative research.
Qualitative v s. Quantitative Research
ersu
• Purpose: New ideas for products or Purpose: Count number of consumers who
promotional themes → qualitative research match demographics or psychographics
(focus groups, depth interviews) of target market → quantitative research
(surveys, observational studies)
• Rejects idea that consumers are rational decision
makers Qualitative
• Motivational researchers – consumers either Research
unaware/unable to express motives
• Small sample sizes – not generalizable to population
• Ideal for initial ideas (promotional campaigns, products,
positioning)
A “term of art” that refers to
Motivational
qualitative studies conducted by Dr. Research
Ernest Dichter in the 1950s and 1960,
which were designed to uncover
consumers’ subconscious or hidden
motivations in the context of buying
and consumption.
Key Methods
Depth interview Projective techniques Focus groups
Depth
• Also called one-on-one interview
• Usually 20 minutes to 1 hour
Interviews
• Nonstructured
• Interviewer will often probe to get more feedback (see following slide for probing)
• Session is usually recorded
Discussion
A step-by-step outline that sets out the line of Guide
questioning the researcher needs to cover with the
respondent in a depth interview, or a group of
respondents in the case of a focus
Focus Groups
• 8-10 participants
• Respondents are recruited through a screener questionnaire
• Lasts about 2 hours
• Always taped or videotaped to assist analysis
• Often held in front of two-way mirrors
• Online focus groups are growing
Projective Techniques
• Unconscious associations
• Ambiguous stimuli
• Underlying motives
projected onto stimuli
Learning Objective 16.3
16.3 To understand the purpose and tools of quantitative research.
Quantitative Research
• Acceptance of products, brands, promotional messages
• Capture satisfaction/unmet needs
• Predict future needs or behavior
• Experimentation, surveys, observation
• Descriptive and empirical; can be generalized if appropriate
sample
A measure has validity if it
Validity
does, in fact, collect appropriate
data needed to answer the
questions or objectives stated in
the first (objectives) stage of the
research process.
A measure has reliability if the same Reliability
questions, asked of a similar sample, produce
the same findings.
Observational Research
• Human observation
• Mechanical
observation
• Physiological
observation
Causal Research
• Relative sales of many types of variables
• Test marketing
• Lab experiments
Discussion Questions
• What might direct marketers test in
experiments?
• How can they use the results?
Surveys
• Personal interview surveys
• Telephone surveys
• Mail surveys
• Email surveys
• Internet surveys
Contacting Respondents
Table 16.1 Contacting Respondents
Blank Mail Telephone Personal Online
Interview
Cost Low Moderate High Low
Speed Slow Immediate Slow Fast
Response Rate Low Moderate High Self-selected
Geographic Flexibility Excellent Good Difficult Excellent
Interviewer Bias N/A Moderate Problematic N/A
Interviewer Supervision N/A Easy Difficult N/A
• Open-ended questions
• Closed-ended questions
Questionnaires
• Considerations
– Avoid leading questions
– Avoid two questions in one
– Questions must be clear
– Use words that consumers routinely use
– Ensure respondents can answer the question
– Ensure respondents are willing to answer the question
– Questions’ sequence
• Likert scales
• Semantic differential
scales
• Behavior intention
scale
• Rank order scales Attitude Measures
Customer Satisfaction
Customer
satisfaction Mystery shoppers Complaint analysis
surveys
Learning Objective 16.4
16.4 To understand how to combine qualitative and quantitative research, sampling, and
data analysis.
A presumably
representative subset of the Sample
population under study that
is used to estimate the
entire population’s
characteristics.
• Probability sample
– Simple Random Sample Sampling
– Systematic Random Sample
– Stratified Random Sample
– Cluster (Area) Sample
• Nonprobability sample
– Convenience Sample
– Judgment Sample
– Quota Sample
A plan that specifies whom to
survey (the sampling unit), how
many to survey (the sample size),
and how to select them (the
sampling procedure).
Sampling Plan
Quantitative and Qualitative
• Example: New online dating service
– Secondary data: population statistics
– Sampling unit defined
– Focus groups undertaken
– Quantitative study to attach numbers to findings
from focus group
• Research report
