CHAPTE

R
TheTWO
Consumer
Research
Process

Learning Objectives
1. To Understand the Importance of
Consumer Research for Firms and Their
Brands, as Well as Consumers.
2. To Understand the Steps in the Consumer
Research Process.
3. To Understand the Importance of
Establishing Specific Research Objectives
as the First Step in the Design of a
Consumer Research Project.
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Learning Objectives
(continued)
4. To Understand the Purposes and Types of
Secondary Consumer Research That Is Available
for Making Decisions or Planning Future
Consumer Research.
5. To Understand Specific Features and Applications
of Different Research Methods to Be Carried Out
in Consumer Research Studies.
6. To Understand Where Data Analysis and
Reporting of Findings Fit in the Research Process.
7. To Understand How Each Element of the
Consumer Research Process Adds to the Overall
Outcome of the Research Study.
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Why Do Marketers Regularly Test

Print Ads Like This One Before
They Are Placed in the Media?

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To Test the Impact of the

Message Before Spending
Large Amounts of Money

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The Importance of the

Consumer Research
Process
Marketers must understand
customers to design effective:
marketing strategies
products
promotional messages

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The Consumer Research

Process
Figure 2.2

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The Consumer Research

Process
Secondary research
Primary research
Qualitative
Quantitative

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Developing Research
Objectives
Defining purposes and objectives
helps ensure an appropriate research
design.
A written statement of objectives
helps to define the type and level of
information needed.

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Chapter Two Slide

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Discussion Questions
Assume you are planning to open a
new pizza restaurant near your
campus.
What might be three objectives of a
research plan for your new business?
How could you gather these data?

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Prentice Hall

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Secondary Data
Data that has been
collected for reasons
other than the
specific research
project at hand
Includes internal
and external data

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Types of Secondary Data

External Data

Internal Data
Data generated inhouse
May include analysis
of customer files
Useful for calculating
customer lifetime
value

Data collected by an
outside organization
Includes federal
government,
periodicals,
newspapers, books,
search engines
Commercial data is
also available from
market research firms

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Discussion Questions
Personal Privacy
Many people do not like the fact that
their personal data are used for
marketing.
How can marketers justify their need
for data?
How can they acquire data and
maintain customer privacy?

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Designing Primary
Research

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Qualitative Collection
Method
Depth Interview

Also called one-on-one interview

Usually 20 minutes to 1 hour
Nonstructured
Interviewer will often probe to get
more feedback (see following slide
for probing)
Session is usually recorded
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Probing Options for

Interviews
Figure 2.3

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Qualitative Collection
Method
Focus Group
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
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Discussion Guides for

Research
Step-by-step
outline for depth
interviews and
focus groups
Interviewers will
often
improvise and
go beyond the
discussion guide
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Focus Group Discussion Guide

- Figure 2.4

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Qualitative Collection
Method
Projective Techniques
Research procedures designed to
identify consumers subconscious
feelings and underlying motivations
Consist of a variety of disguised
tests

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Common Projective
Exercises
Table 2.1 (excerpt)

Description
Word
Associati
ons

The researcher has a list of words, some of them to

be studied and some just as filler. The researcher
asks the respondent(s) to react, one-at-a time, to
each word by stating or (in a focus group setting)
writing on a pad the first word that comes to mind,
and to explain the link.

Sentence
Completi
on

The researcher has a series of incomplete sentences

that the respondent(s) needs to complete with a
word or phrase.

Photo/Vis
ual for
Storytelli
ng

The researcher creates/selects a series of photos of

consumers, different brands or products, range of
print ads, etc., to serve as stimuli. The respondents
are asked to discuss or tell a story based on their
response to a photo or some other visual stimulus.

Role
Is quite similar to storytelling; however, instead of
Copyright
2010 Pearson
Education,
Publishing
as Prentice
Hall
Playing
telling
aInc.
story,
the
participant(s)
will be given
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Two Slide
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Qualitative Collection
Method
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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Qualitative Collection
Method
Looking-In
Look at information from threads and
postings on social media, including
blogs and discussion forums
Methodology to capture consumers
experiences, opinions, forecasts,
needs, and interests

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Designing Primary
Research

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Chapter Two Slide

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Data Collection Methods

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
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Data Collection Methods

Mechanical Observational
Research
Uses mechanical or electronic device
to record consumer behavior or
response
Consumers increased use of highly
convenient technologies will create
more records for marketers
Audits are a type of mechanical
observation which monitor sales
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Data Collection Methods

Experimentation
Can be used to test the relative sales
appeal of many types of variables
An experiment is usually controlled
with only some variables manipulated
at a time while the others are constant
Test markets are conducted on a single
market area
Experimentation can be conducted in
laboratories or in the field
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Discussion Questions
What might direct marketers test in
experiments?
How can they use the results?

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Chapter Two Slide

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Data Collection Methods

Table 2.2
Mail

Telephone

Personal
Interview

Online

Cost

Low

Moderate

High

Low

Speed

Slow

Immediate

Slow

Fast

Response
rate

Low

Moderate

High

Selfselected

Geographic
flexibility

Excellent

Good

Difficult

Excellent

Interviewer
bias

N/A

Moderate

Problematic

N/A

Interviewer
Supervision

N/A

Easy

Difficult

N/A

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Chapter Two Slide

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Validity and Reliability

If a study has validity, it collects the
appropriate data for the study.
A study has reliability if the same
questions, asked of a similar sample,
produce the same findings.

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Attitude Scales

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Customer Satisfaction
Measurement
Customer
Satisfaction
Surveys
Analysis of
Expectations
versus Experience

Mystery Shoppers
Customer
Complaint
Analysis
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Chapter Two Slide

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Sampling and Data

Collection
Samples are a subset of the population
used to estimate characteristics of the
entire population.
A sampling plan addresses:
Whom to survey
How many to survey
How to select them

Researcher must choose probability or

nonprobabililty sample.
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Data Analysis and

Reporting Findings
Open-ended questions are coded and
quantified.
All responses are tabulated and
analyzed.
Final report includes executive
summary, body, tables, and graphs.

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All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be

reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in
any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United
States of America.

Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc.

Publishing as Prentice Hall
Copyright 2010 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall

Chapter Seven Slide

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