Consumer Behaviour Consumer Research and the Research Process

Consumer Behaviour Consumer Research and the Research Process HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Consumer Research seeks to answer the: • • • Who? What? How? Why? Where? When? questions HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Logical Process HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Research and Action • • • Who? What? How? Where? When? Why? Customer and Market Profile Marketing Management Marketing Strategy and Operations HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Types of Consumer Research • Exploratory Research • Descriptive Research • Causal Research…relates to Uncertainty • Motivational Research HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Exploratory Research Initial research to clarify a problem or opportunity Basis for further research e. g. identifying consumer segments HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Exploratory Research Quantitative Secondary Research Basis for further research e. g. identifying consumer segments HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Exploratory Research Quantitative • Secondary Research – Census Data • Observation Qualitative • Interviews • Focus Groups HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Descriptive Research Describes the nature and characteristics of a market or situation e. g. Customer Profile HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Motivational Research Designed to probe consumer’s hidden and subconscious motivations. What are the REAL reasons people are buying/behaving towards products today? Dichter 1954 HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Causal Research Describes the nature of variables and cause and effect relationships e. g. effect of advertising on Consumers HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour The Research Process A logical set of stages that research goes through o produce ROBUST and RELEVANT Marketing Intelligence HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Consumer Research Secondary Data Sources HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Generating Data is generated in 2 basic ways: Secondary data: Primary data: Data already existing – may have been collected for other purposes Original data – collected for a specific purpose +/- HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Secondary Data Secondary data is information that has been previously gathered for some purpose other than the current research project Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Example Consumer Behaviour HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Uses of secondary data • Helps to clarify research requirements • Answers some of the research needs • Enables more insightful interpretation of primary data • Provides comparative data • Provides information that cannot be obtained through primary research Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Benefits of secondary data • Faster • Less expensive to collect • Internet can be used, increasing speed further Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Limitations of secondary data • Availability • Applicability • Accuracy • Comparability Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Evaluation of secondary data • • Is relevant data available? Is the cost of data acquisition acceptable? Is the data in an appropriate format? Does the data apply to the time period of interest? If ‘Yes’, go to original source if possible – • • • Is the data likely to be unbiased? Can the accuracy of the data be verified? Can it be obtained within the timescale of the project? If ‘Yes’, then use the data If ‘No’, then undertake primary research Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Internal Secondary Research Sources Sales figures Operational data – stock levels, etc. Customer satisfaction results Advertising spend Customer complaints records Effectiveness data from promotional campaigns • Marketing research reports from past studies • • • Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour External Secondary Research Sources • • • Internet – single search engines, and multiple search engines Directories Country information Published marketing research reports News sources Newsgroups and discussion lists Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour The management information system (MIS) “A system within an organisation that supplies information and communication services and resources to meet organisation needs. ” (CIM) Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour The marketing information system (Mk. IS) “People, equipment and procedures to gather, sort, analyse, evaluate and distribute needed, timely and accurate information to marketing decision makers” (Kotler et al) Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour The structure of an information system Technology infrastructure • Hardware • Systems software • Applications software • Communications Data infrastructure • Databases • Database management • Archiving Personnel • Technology developers • Systems operators • Systems maintainers • User support Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour The marketing information system (Mk. IS) Marketing environment • Target markets • Marketing channels • Competitors • Publics • Macroenvironment forces Marketing information system Developing information Marketing intelligence Internal records Assessing information needs Marketing research Information analysis Distributing information Marketing managers • Analysis • Planning • Implementation • Organisation • Control Marketing decisions and communications Bangor Transfer Abroad Programme

Consumer Behaviour Today’s Task Carry out - Explanatory/Descriptive Research on theme park market in China Define terms and parameters…… HAUT Transfer Abroad Programme