This document provides an overview of quantitative and qualitative consumer research methods. It discusses developing research objectives, types of secondary and primary data collection. Quantitative methods covered include surveys, experiments, and observational research. Qualitative methods discussed include depth interviews, focus groups, projective techniques, and metaphor analysis. The document also addresses research validity and reliability, questionnaire design, sampling, and reporting findings. The overall content provides a comprehensive introduction to the consumer research process.

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Session 3
Consumer Research

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Chapter Outline
• Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative
Research
• Overview of the Consumer Decision Process
• Quantitative Research
• Qualitative Research

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The Consumer Research Process

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Developing Research Objectives
• First & most difficult step in CRP is to define
Objective
• Defining purposes and objectives helps ensure an
appropriate research design.
• A statement of objectives helps to define the type
and level of information needed.

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Quantitative Research
• How many consumers are there in population who
use Santoor soap?
• Enables marketers to “predict” consumer behavior.
• Research methods include experiments, survey
techniques, and observation.
• Findings are descriptive and can be generalized to
larger populations.

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Qualitative Research
• Study come up with new ideas for product extension
or concept for future promotion
• Consists of depth interviews, focus groups,
metaphor analysis, collage research, and projective
techniques.
• Administered by highly trained interviewer-analysts.
• Findings tend to be subjective.

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Discussion Questions
Assume you are planning to open a new
Chinese 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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Secondary Data
• It is already existing information that was
originally gathered for research purpose
other than the present research.
• Includes internal and external data

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Types of Secondary Data
Internal Data
• Data generated in-house
• May include analysis of
customer files
• Useful for calculating
Customer lifetime value
which include customer
acquisition cost , profit
generated from individual
sale
External Data
• Data collected by an outside
organization
• Includes government,
newspapers, books, search
engines
• Commercial data is also
available from market
research firms

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U.S. Census Data

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Discussion Question
Personal Privacy
Many people do not like the fact that their personal
data are used for marketing.
• How can marketer’s 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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Depth Interview
• Usually duration of 20 to 60 Minutes between single
respondent and highly trained researcher
• Establish atmosphere that encourages the
consumer respondent
• It provide marketers with valuable idea about
product design or re design
• Listen to words as well as observe “body language”

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Focus Group
• 8-10 participants who meet research analyst to
focus on
• Take about 2 hours to complete
• Greater number of new ideas come about than
depth interview
• Often held in front of two-way mirrors

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Online Focus Groups Are
Gaining in Popularity

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Discussion Guide
It is kind of agenda of topics and issues that need to be covered over the
course of depth interview and focus group.
1. Why did you decide to use your current cellular company?
2. How long have you used your current cellular company?
3. Have you ever switched services? When? What caused the change?
4. What are the important criteria in selecting a cellular service?
Ex. Creating vegetable Soups (Book Example)

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Projective Techniques
• Research procedures designed to identify consumers’
subconscious feelings and motivations
• Consist of a variety of hidden “tests”.
• It is design to make it easier for consumer to express themselves.
– Word Association
– Sentence completion
– Photo / visual for story telling
– Role play

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Research Uses a Variety of Projective
Techniques

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Metaphor Analysis
• It is important to use a set of engaging tasks
and exercises to get consumer participants to
get in touch with their own feelings.
• Based on belief that metaphors are the most
basic method of thought and communication

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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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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
• Product audits which monitor sales are heavily used
by companies

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Foxwoods Casino
Uses Mechanical Observational
Research

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Mechanical Observation

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Experimentation
(Student Presentation)
• 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
• Can be conducted in laboratories or in the field

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Surveys Research
Personal Interview
Mail
Telephone
Online

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Online Surveys Are Growing in
Popularity

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MAIL TELEPHONE
PERSONAL
INTERVIEW
ONLINE
Cost Low Moderate High Low
Speed Slow Immediate Slow Fast
Response
rate
Low Moderate High
Self-
selection
Geographic
flexibility
Excellent Good Difficult Excellent
Interviewer
bias
N/A Moderate Problematic N/A
Interviewer
supervision
N/A Easy Difficult N/A
Quality of
response
Limited Limited Excellent Excellent
Table 2.2 Comparative Advantages

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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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Quantitative Research
Data Collection Instrument
I. Questionnaires
II. Attitude Scale
III. Customer Satisfaction Measurement
IV. Sampling and Data Collection

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Questionnaires

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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
• Behavior intention scales: also easy to construct
and administer
• Rank-order scales: subjects rank items in order of
preference in terms of some criteria

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Customer Satisfaction Survey

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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

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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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End of Session
“In order to succeed,
we must first believe that
we can.”