This document discusses research methods for explaining consumer behavior. It covers three main areas: (1) determining which consumers to research, through segmentation, positioning and targeting; (2) methodological approaches including quantitative and qualitative data from primary and secondary sources using techniques like surveys, interviews and experiments; (3) research instruments like questionnaires with closed and open-ended questions in various scaling formats to collect data. The goal is to help marketers understand consumer motivations, opinions and decision-making to better meet their needs.

1. RESEARCH METHODS FOR
EXPLAINING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Prof. SAVICA

2. I. WHAT CONSUMERS ARE TO BE
RESEARCHED?
All consumers?
Some consumers?
Only selected
profitable
consumers?
Segmentation
Positioning
Targeting

3. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
Data Sources
Secondary data Primary data
Existing data, collected for other
purposes
Collected for specified purpose
QUANTITATIVE
QUALITATIVE
 Observation
 Examination
 Experiment
 Depth interview
 Focus groups
 Projective techniques

4. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
Quantitative data Qualitative data
 Facts, numbers, estimations, relations,
forecasts
 Structured questions
 Example: Your favorite marketing
subject in summer semester is :
 Consumer behavior
 Price strategies
 Methods of distribution
 Ideas, opinions, feelings, attitudes
 Unstructured, open-ended questions
 Example: Indicate which is your
favorite marketing subject in summer
semester. Explain why!

5. АЗА 3 – ИЗВОРИ НА ПОДАТОЦИ

6. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
Primary or secondary data?
1. In order to establish and promote Starbucks in Skopje, marketers
examined the required information on the Internet (investment, operations,
sales, suppliers, raw materials). What kind of research is this one?
2. In order to organize a concert of Rihanna in Skopje, marketers made a direct
interview with her, examining all her needs (accommodation, food, travel route,
script organization, etc.). What kind of research is this one?
3. In order to make the
taste of Nestle chocolate
perfect, Nestle
marketers made a
survey with consumers.
What kind of research is
this one?

7. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
Quantitative or qualitative data?
1. Primary quantitative data are obtained through observation, examination
and experimentation.
А. True
Б. False
2. The answer of one respondent of T-Mobile survey was: "I am not satisfied
with the services of the company due to the high roaming costs" What kind of
data is obtained?
3. Circle one of the options for the following statement, “Consumer behavior
professor is trying to explain the learning material"
А. Strongly agree
Б. Agree
В. No opinion
Г. Disagree
Д. Strongly disagree

8. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
А. Methods for collecting primary quantitative data
Observation
Observing and recording the behavior of consumers in different situations
(in natural or artificially created environment)
Natural
Placement of billboards, bus-stations
Artificial, controlled
Tasting wine in supermarkets
Masked, hidden
Mystery shopper
Unmasked, open
Store windows
Structured
Already prepared questionnaire
Unstructured
Questions according to situation
Direct
Researching websites
Indirect
Research after the event
Human
vision, hearing, touch, smell
Mechanic
Psychogalvanometer (palms),
pupilometer (eyes), cameras, scanners

9. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
А. Methods for collecting primary quantitative data
Observation
In a mall On a street At home

10. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
А. Methods for collecting primary quantitative data
Examination
Collecting data by asking questions, mostly through questionnaires
Direct communication Communication by post Panel discussion
 Personal interview
Ex. Do you use a washing
detergent Gong?
 Telephone interview
Ex. Are you satisfied with
our telecommunications
services?
 Mail, fax, newspaper,
magazine, hotel, shop,
restaurant
Ex. Do you want an annual
subscription to our
magazine?
Ex. Are you satisfied with
our hotel services?
 Consumer panel
 Shops panel
 TV-viewers panel
 Households
panel

11. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
А. Methods for collecting primary quantitative data
Experiment
Measuring the impact of one variable on another,
measuring the influence of independent variables on dependent variables
STEPS:
 Problem definition (has soup a good taste)
 Setting a hypothesis (soup has a natural taste)
 Defining independent variables (ads for soup)
 Defining dependent variables (consumer reactions)
 Controlling the experiment (other factors under control)
 Statistical analysis and interpretation of results
(acceptance or rejection of the hypothesis)

12. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
B. Methods for collecting primary qualitative data
Depth interview
Through questionnaires, marketers are examining motives, hidden feelings,
behaviors of the respondents (unstructured questions)
Travel agency wants to find out
what consumers want to visit in
Paris:
А. What would you like to visit in
Paris? Describe in detail!
B. In which season you want to visit
Paris? Explain your choice!
C. How long would you like to stay
in Paris during the 10-day trip
through Europe?

13. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
B. Methods for collecting primary qualitative data
Focus groups
A small group of respondents (8-12 people) discuss with a trained facilitator on a
particular topic (new product, existing product, concept, etc.)
Main features
 Trained facilitator (1.5 – 2 hours)
 Homogeneous groups (200 – 800 €/ session)
 Atmosphere (audio-video recording)

14. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
B. Methods for collecting primary qualitative data
Projective techniques
Explanation of a insufficient, unstructured or unclear material for respondent
Word Association Test
Ex. The word INDIA associates to----------------
Ex. The word MILKA associates to-------------
Test of Sentence Completion
Ex. People buy chocolates because ------------
Ex. For me, traveling by boat is ----------------
Rorschach test

15. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
B. Methods for collecting primary qualitative data
Projective techniques
Explanation of a insufficient, unstructured or unclear material for respondent
Thematic Apperception Test

16. II. METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES
B. Methods for collecting primary qualitative data
Projective techniques
Explanation of a insufficient, unstructured or unclear material for respondent
Visualization Test (Role play)
I didn’t do
it!

17. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
A list or more lists with questions that are asked to the respondent
Closed questions Open questions
 Multiple choice  Replying with their own words
(expressing ideas, opinions, views)
Example: Questionnaire for performance of schools of the Ministry of
Education and Science
In how many shifts the classes are
organized?
А. One
B. Two
C. Three
What is your opinion about organizing
classes in shifts?
--------------------------------------------------

18. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Multiply choice
How often do you attend the classes
on Consumer behavior?
А. Regularly
B. Sometimes
C. Never
 Dichotomous questions
I plan to buy a laptop in the next 12
months.
А. Yes
B. No
Note your age.
А. Up to 18 years old
B. From 19 to 30 years old
C. From 31 to 50 years old
D. Above 51 years old
Mathematics for Business is a tough
subject at the Faculty of Economics.
А. True
B. False

19. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Likert scale
Mark with Х as how strong you agree/disagree with the following statements about your working place:
Strongly
disagree Disagree
Neither agree, nor
disagree Agree
Strongly
agree
1. I like my job
2. I have good cooperation with my
colleagues
3. I know how to manage stress at work
4. I have very difficult working tasks
5. I have good working conditions
6. My work is well-paid

20. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Semantic differential
What do you think of the packaging of Marlboro cigarettes?
-3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
Bad quality High quality
Economical Luxurious
Masculine Feminine
Serious Fun
Standard Unusual
Expensive Cheap
Modern Old-fashioned
Regular Formal
Worthy Worthless
Boring Attractive
Encouraging Obsolete

21. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Stapel scale
No bipolarity
Points are presented as
numbers
No zero, only description
Rate the European university
+5 +5 +5 +5
+4 +4 +4 +4
+3 +3 +3 +3
+2 +2 +2 +2
+1 +1 +1 +1
Equipment
Quality of teaching
staff Image Location
-1 -1 -1 -1
-2 -2 -2 -2
-3 -3 -3 -3
-4 -4 -4 -4
-5 -5 -5 -5

22. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Thurstone scale
Cards with statements
from negative to positive
attitudes
Jury assigns the statements into
3 categories
Favorable attitudes
Unfavorable attitudes
Neutral attitudes
Summing attitudes
You can get AIDS from toilet seats
you can get AIDS from heterosexual sex
AIDS is a death sentence
people with AIDS are bad
AIDS will never happen to me
People with AIDS deserve what they got
AIDS is a cure, not a disease
If you get AIDS you will die within a year
AIDS costs the public too much
Jury distributes the statements
into 11 subcategories
1 2 3 4 5
6 7 8 9
10 11
1 – least favorable to the concept
11- most favorable to the concept
 AIDS is a dangerous disease
 Aids affects us all
 If you have AIDS, you can still lead a normal
life
 People with AIDS are real people
 AIDS is a death sentence
 Children cannot catch AIDS
 People infected with AIDS did not have safe
sex
 People with AIDS should be treated just like
everybody else.
 A cure for AIDS is on the horizon
 ---------------------
 ---------------------

23. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Q sorting
talkative sociable serious indifferent permissiveeducation
1 2 3 4 5 6
Example: what features a professor should have?

24. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Types of closed questions – scaling methods
 Paired comparison scale
With √ mark the sport two-seated car that you prefer in the corresponding pair
----------- BMW Z4 M Coupe ----------- Chevrolet Courvette ZO6
----------- Porsche Cayman S ----------- Porsche Cayman S
----------- Chevrolet Courvette ZO6 ----------- Porsche Cayman S
----------- BMW Z4 M Coupe ----------- Dogde Viper SRT10
----------- Chevrolet Courvette ZO6 ----------- Dogde Viper SRT10
----------- Dogde Viper SRT10 ----------- BMW Z4 M Coupe

25. III. RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
Questionnaire
Procedures for the preparation of a questionnaire
 What information should be collected?
 How to collect information? (mail, in person ..)
 Choosing the type of questionnaire (open /closed questions)
 Logical sequence of questions (easy to difficult)
 Layout of the questionnaire
 Testing the questionnaire
 Clear, short, precise, simple questions
 One question – one answer!
 No confusing questions, or questions that suggest a
response!
 No insulting questions!
 Symbolic rewards (free book, membership, subscription)
Rules in the preparation of a questionnaire

26. MINI TEST
Explain the following terms:
• Qualitative data : --------------------
• Pupil meter: ------------------------------------------
• Panel of households:-------
• Rorshahov test:------------------------------
• Dichotomous questions: -----------------------------------
• Semantic differential :----------------
• Q sort:---------------------------
• Stapel scale:-------------------------------------------
• Word association:-----------------------------------