CONSUMER RESEARCH
Anirban Ghatak
Opening Vignette
Why are older Canadians less willing to switch to
online banking?
Think it requires an advanced knowledge of technology
Perceive themselves as lacking in such knowledge
Telephone surveys, 1200 Canadians, 18+ years of age
Interpretivism
• A postmodernist approach to the study of consumer behaviour
that focuses on the act of consuming rather than on the act of
buying
Positivism
• A consumer behaviour research
approach that regards the consumer
behaviour discipline as an applied
marketing science.
Quantitative Research
• Descriptive in nature.
• Enables marketers to “predict” consumer behaviour.
• Research methods include experiments, survey techniques, and
observation.
• Findings are descriptive, empirical and generalizable.
Qualitative Research
• Consists of depth interviews, focus groups, metaphor analysis,
collage research, and projective techniques.
• Administered by highly trained interviewer-analysts.
• Findings tend to be subjective.
• Small sample sizes
Figure 2.1 Comparisons between
Positivism and Interpretivism
PURPOSE
PURPOSE
Positivism
Positivism Interpretivism
Interpretivism
Prediction
Predictionof
ofconsumer
consumer Understanding
Understandingconsumption
consumption
actions
actions practices
practices
METHODOLOGY
METHODOLOGY
Positivism
Positivism Interpretivism
Interpretivism
Quantitative
Quantitative Qualitative
Qualitative
Figure 2.2 continued
ASSUMPTIONS
Positivism Interpretivism
•Rationality •No single, objective truth
•The causes and effects of •Reality is subjective
behaviour can be identified •Cause and effect cannot be
•Individuals are problem isolated
solvers •Each consumption
•A single reality exists experience is unique
•Events can be objectively •Researcher/respondent
measured interactions affect research
•Findings can be generalized findings
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
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.
Secondary Versus Primary Data
• Secondary data: data • Primary data: data
that has been collected by the
collected for reasons researcher for the
other than the specific purpose of meeting
research project at specific objectives
hand
Major Sources of Secondary
Data
Government Periodicals
Publications
&
Books
Internal Commercial
Sources Data
Data Collection Methods
Observation
Experimentation
Surveys
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.
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 or in the field.
Survey Data Collection
Methods
Personal Interview
Mail
Telephone
Online
Validity
• The degree to which a measurement
instrument accurately reflects what it is
designed to measure
Reliability
• The degree to which a measurement
instrument is consistent in what it
measures
Attitude Scales
• Likert scales: easy for researchers to prepare and interpret,
and simple for consumers to answer.
• Semantic differential scales: relatively easy to construct
and administer.
• Rank-order scales: subjects rank items in order of
preference in terms of some criteria
Figure 2.5 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.
Semantic Differential Profiles of Three
Pay-Per-Movie Services
Poor
4
Neutral
3 DVD
Digital
2 Cable
DIVX
Excellent
1
Availability
Number of
Clarity of
Access
Ease of
Cost
Picture
Titles
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 _____Hewlett
Packard
_____ Dell _____ Gateway
_____ Compaq _____ NEC
Qualitative Data Collection
Methods
Focus
Depth Interviews Groups
Projective
Metaphor Analysis
Techniques
Focus Group
• A qualitative research method in which
eight to ten persons participate in an
unstructured group interview about a
product or service concept
Projective Techniques
• Research procedures designed to
identify consumers’ subconscious
feelings and motivations.
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
behaviour.
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
Sampling Plan Decisions
Whom to survey?
How many?
How to
select them?
Figure 2-7: Probability
Sampling Designs
Simple random Every member of the population has a known and
sample equal chance of being selected.
Systematic A member of the population is selected at random
random sample and then every “nth” person is selected.
Stratified random The population is divided into mutually exclusive
sample groups (such as age groups), and random samples
are drawn from each group.
Cluster (area) The population is divided into mutually exclusive
sample groups (such as blocks), and the researcher draws
a sample of the groups to interview.
Figure 2.7 Non-Probability
Sampling Designs
Convenience The researcher selects the most accessible
sample 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).
