This document summarizes a study on customer behavior in retail stores. It discusses how such studies aim to identify customers and understand their buying patterns in terms of who buys what products, where, when, and how. It also examines customer responses to sales promotions. The document outlines key aspects of customer behavior studies, including identifying customers, analyzing their composition and origins, and understanding their buying patterns in terms of place, items, time/frequency of purchases, purchase methods, and responses to promotions. Understanding customer behavior provides useful insights for solving marketing problems.
1. The document discusses consumer buying behavior toward shopping malls. It examines factors like motivation, personality, learning, and attitudes that influence consumer behavior.
2. The objectives of the study are to understand how customer behavior toward shopping malls has changed and what motivates them to visit and purchase items.
3. The research methodology involved a survey approach using questionnaires distributed at various shopping malls to collect primary data from a random sample of 28 consumers.
Trader Joe's mission is to provide customers with high quality, healthy food and beverage options at low prices. They target educated, well-traveled consumers interested in unique global products. Trader Joe's offers a limited selection of high quality private label goods, focusing on fresh, organic, and gluten-free items. While their small store format and minimal technology adoption present weaknesses, Trader Joe's strong brand, low prices, and dedication to new products position it well for continued growth in the healthy grocery market.
Trader Joe's was founded in 1958 as Pronto convenience stores and opened its first location in 1967 in Pasadena, CA. It now has over 300 stores across 25 states. Trader Joe's aims to give customers high quality products at low prices in a unique shopping experience. Stores curate a laidback atmosphere through Hawaiian-shirt clad employees, nautical decorations, and new product discoveries. The company focuses on customer service through personal recommendations rather than discounts. This cultivates loyal customers who enjoy the adventurous shopping experience.
Trader Joe's - Case Study presents information about the grocery store Trader Joe's. It discusses the company's background starting in the 1950s, its focus on customers through low prices and unique products. It also describes Trader Joe's branding strategy of creating a neighborhood feel and guaranteeing products. The document outlines Trader Joe's performance results of annual profits of $8 billion in 2009 and high customer service ratings. It identifies critical success factors as the relaxed atmosphere and reasonably priced, locally sourced items. Finally, it analyzes opportunities and weaknesses for Trader Joe's potential expansion to Thailand.
Group and situational effects can influence customer behavior in stores. Shopping can be a social experience where people share common interests or feel interpersonal attraction. It can also be a pride-inducing hunt for deals and status symbols. As connectivity increases, shopping is becoming omnipresent, deconstructed, collaborative, contextual, real-time aware, and experiential. Customers can now shop seamlessly across channels, engage with retailers, receive personalized service, and enjoy converged physical and digital experiences.
1. The document discusses consumer buying behavior toward shopping malls. It examines factors like motivation, personality, learning, and attitudes that influence consumer behavior.
2. The objectives of the study are to understand how customer behavior toward shopping malls has changed and what motivates them to visit and purchase items.
3. The research methodology involved a survey approach using questionnaires distributed at various shopping malls to collect primary data from a random sample of 28 consumers.
Trader Joe's mission is to provide customers with high quality, healthy food and beverage options at low prices. They target educated, well-traveled consumers interested in unique global products. Trader Joe's offers a limited selection of high quality private label goods, focusing on fresh, organic, and gluten-free items. While their small store format and minimal technology adoption present weaknesses, Trader Joe's strong brand, low prices, and dedication to new products position it well for continued growth in the healthy grocery market.
Trader Joe's was founded in 1958 as Pronto convenience stores and opened its first location in 1967 in Pasadena, CA. It now has over 300 stores across 25 states. Trader Joe's aims to give customers high quality products at low prices in a unique shopping experience. Stores curate a laidback atmosphere through Hawaiian-shirt clad employees, nautical decorations, and new product discoveries. The company focuses on customer service through personal recommendations rather than discounts. This cultivates loyal customers who enjoy the adventurous shopping experience.
Trader Joe's - Case Study presents information about the grocery store Trader Joe's. It discusses the company's background starting in the 1950s, its focus on customers through low prices and unique products. It also describes Trader Joe's branding strategy of creating a neighborhood feel and guaranteeing products. The document outlines Trader Joe's performance results of annual profits of $8 billion in 2009 and high customer service ratings. It identifies critical success factors as the relaxed atmosphere and reasonably priced, locally sourced items. Finally, it analyzes opportunities and weaknesses for Trader Joe's potential expansion to Thailand.
Group and situational effects can influence customer behavior in stores. Shopping can be a social experience where people share common interests or feel interpersonal attraction. It can also be a pride-inducing hunt for deals and status symbols. As connectivity increases, shopping is becoming omnipresent, deconstructed, collaborative, contextual, real-time aware, and experiential. Customers can now shop seamlessly across channels, engage with retailers, receive personalized service, and enjoy converged physical and digital experiences.
This research report pits Whole Foods against Trader Joe's. It details consumers' perceptions around the two grocers and the value proposition and how well they deliver on it. The report also takes a look at how consumers feel about the idea of Whole Foods new 365 stores.
This document provides an analysis of Trader Joe's competitive strategy in the supermarket industry. It discusses how Trader Joe's achieves competitive advantages through various aspects of its business model, including maintaining low prices through private label products and bulk purchasing, keeping operations simple with few SKUs and small store formats, investing in employee training and benefits, and relying on word-of-mouth marketing rather than traditional advertising. The analysis examines Trader Joe's strategy using Porter's Five Forces and a value chain framework to illustrate how Trader Joe's unique approach has allowed it to carve out a profitable niche and maintain sustainability in the highly competitive grocery market.
The document summarizes a brand audit of Trader Joe's. It outlines Trader Joe's brand hierarchy, positioning as a neighborhood grocery store providing organic, healthy products at great prices through direct sourcing. It analyzes the brand name, essence, identity, touch points like website and circulars, and in-store experience. Suggested improvements include focusing less on "Trader" and more on "Joe's" in the name, expanding the positioning to compete with regular grocers, making the website more interactive, and offering delivery in large city markets.
This document provides a business plan for expanding the Trader Joe's grocery store brand into cafes located within existing stores (TJ's Cafe). The plan is to establish TJ's Cafe in 200 Trader Joe's locations by year 1, all 418 locations by year 3, and open the first three standalone TJ's Cafe restaurants in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco by year 5. TJ's Cafe will showcase recipes made using Trader Joe's products to attract customers and boost sales. The cafes will leverage the popular Trader Joe's brand to demonstrate simple, seasonal meals that can be easily recreated at home.
Sprouts Farmers Market Digital Campaign StrategySummer Borowski
This digital campaign brief outlines a proposed loyalty program called "Sprouts Club" for Sprouts Farmers Market. The goals are to increase customer loyalty and grow the customer base. Tactics include creating a mobile app for the loyalty program, promoting program signups in stores, and implementing a referral program. A project plan, media schedule, and budget are presented. Key stakeholders will be communicated with regularly about the program. Potential risks like lack of perceived exclusivity are addressed.
Trader Joe's is a neighborhood grocery store chain with over 300 locations that provides a unique shopping experience. It offers high-quality products at low prices in stores smaller than conventional supermarkets. While aware of Trader Joe's, some low-income and international customers perceive it as expensive and not meeting family needs due to limited exposure. To expand, Trader Joe's could increase advertising targeting cultural products, ready-made meals, and store hours to overcome perceptions while reinforcing its value proposition of quality, price and shopping experience.
This document summarizes a study conducted on shopping mall visits in Patna, India. Some key findings include:
1) Merchandising and entertainment options are important factors for attracting visitors, along with quality products and variety of stores.
2) Location and accessibility also influence visits - malls should be situated in good environments that are easy to access.
3) Different demographic groups visit malls for various reasons and have differing purchasing behaviors.
4) Promotional schemes like sales, discounts, and buy-one-get-one offers influence consumer purchases at malls.
This digital strategy document outlines Trader Joe's plan to target millennial customers ages 20-27 by strengthening their social media presence, updating their website, increasing online and mobile advertising, and improving inbound marketing. The key tactics include creating official social media accounts, developing a mobile app, adding more engaging content, and allocating $21 million annually to digital marketing with $15 million towards online channels. The goals are to increase brand awareness, grow mobile interactions, and choose Trader Joe's over competitors through community building and rewards.
Trader Joe's lures customers with novel and intriguing grocery items rather than trying to offer all items customers may need. The document suggests Trader Joe's focuses on unique products to attract shoppers rather than having a broad selection of more common grocery products.
Understanding retail consumer by maya and aishwaryaAish100
Consumer behavior refers to how people purchase, use, and dispose of products and services. Understanding consumer behavior is important for retailers. There are several factors that influence retail shoppers, including the range of merchandise, convenience, travel time, socioeconomic factors, and life stage. The consumer decision making process involves need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase, and post-purchase behavior. Market research helps retailers understand demographic data, consumer spending patterns, and evaluate customer satisfaction. Common market research methods used by retailers are focus groups, observation, and customer profiling.
Digital marketing strategy for Trader Joe's. Created for ADV 420 New Media Driver's License class at Michigan State University in the Fall of 2011. Presentation showcases how Trader Joe
Mohart Sweet Treats is launching a new candy bar called the Action Pack Bar, which is shaped like a toy soldier, in Wausau, Wisconsin. The document provides details on the target market, competitors, production and marketing plans, and strategies for promoting the new candy bar to consumers and retailers. The goal is to distribute the uniquely shaped candy bar through various retail outlets, including an online confectionery store, to gain market share in the local area.
Cobbs PGN Trader Joe's Case CompetitionHenry Cobbs
This document proposes recommendations to improve Trader Joe's business by focusing on community engagement, technology, and store design. It recommends (1) transforming stores into community hubs with event space and local art; (2) developing a mobile app called "Snap!" for instant self-checkout to reduce lines; and (3) launching a recipe-sharing app and social media presence to foster customer loyalty and discovery. Financial projections estimate these changes could increase annual profits by $2 million within 2 years and raise total sales to $12 billion over 10 years by strengthening the brand in the community.
Meaning of Consumer Behaviour, Features and Importance
• Types of Consumer (Institutional & Retail), Diversity of consumers and their behaviour- Types Of Consumer Behaviour
• Profiling the consumer and understanding their needs
• Consumer Involvement
• Application of Consumer Behaviour knowledge in Marketing
• Consumer Decision Making Process and Determinants of Buyer
• Behaviour, factors affecting each stage, and Need recognition.
This document summarizes a study on store choice behavior of women consumers in Mumbai when purchasing groceries. The study found that:
1) Satisfaction levels of men and women were similar across factors like durability, size, after-sales service, and colors/shades when buying jeans.
2) Around 33% of people purchase jeans every 6 months in addition to other occasions.
3) Jeans are purchased more on average by customers under age 23.
The document presents research findings from a proposed online grocery delivery service pilot by Trader Joe's. Market research found millennials are more likely than other generations to shop online for groceries. Favorability towards brands was found to influence purchase probability. Trader Joe's received higher favorability ratings than Whole Foods in some attributes like value and cost. The recommendations are to launch a pilot Shop @ Trader Joe's online grocery delivery service to capture market share and position the company for future online grocery success.
This is a quick snapshot of a very comprehensive study conducted by GMA, Shespeaks & Booz & Co. titled Shopper Marketing: Unleashing the next wave of value. It is a pretty insightful study. Hope this quick snapshot version helps
PAPER BOAT- Presentation on Marketing Mix & Promotion Mix.Mimansha Bahadur
The document provides information on Paper Boat drinks, an Indian beverage brand. It discusses the brand's product strategy, differentiation, mix, map, packaging, pricing, distribution channels, and promotional activities. Some key points include:
- Paper Boat targets urban Indian customers aged above 20 with nostalgia-focused drinks in 9 flavors.
- It differentiates with natural ingredients and unique flavors not found in competitors' products.
- Promotional activities include advertising, digital marketing, sponsorships, and initial sales through airlines and hotels.
- Recommendations include expanding availability, introducing winter drinks, and gift packs containing multiple flavors.
This document provides an overview of Trader Joe's history and business model. It discusses how Trader Joe's was founded in 1958 and focused on specialty and organic products. Trader Joe's targets middle-class health-conscious customers between 19-49 years old. The document also outlines Trader Joe's competitive advantages compared to Whole Foods, describes their branding using red and brown colors, and proposes a marketing campaign centered around the tagline "It's What's for Dinner".
This document summarizes studies of customer behavior in retail stores. The key points are:
1. Such studies aim to identify who customers are, where they shop, what they buy, when and how they buy, and how they respond to sales promotions.
2. Identifying customers involves determining their characteristics like gender, age, income, and place of origin to understand how these influence buying behavior.
3. Customer buying behavior patterns can be analyzed based on place of purchase, items purchased, time and frequency of shopping, purchase method, and response to promotions. Understanding these patterns helps solve marketing problems.
The document discusses key aspects of consumer behavior including the meaning of consumer behavior, types of consumers, factors that influence consumer behavior from various disciplines like psychology, sociology, economics, and applications of consumer behavior knowledge in marketing. It defines consumer behavior as how individuals select, purchase, use, and dispose of products and services. It also outlines the consumer decision making process and different types of consumer buying behaviors.
This research report pits Whole Foods against Trader Joe's. It details consumers' perceptions around the two grocers and the value proposition and how well they deliver on it. The report also takes a look at how consumers feel about the idea of Whole Foods new 365 stores.
This document provides an analysis of Trader Joe's competitive strategy in the supermarket industry. It discusses how Trader Joe's achieves competitive advantages through various aspects of its business model, including maintaining low prices through private label products and bulk purchasing, keeping operations simple with few SKUs and small store formats, investing in employee training and benefits, and relying on word-of-mouth marketing rather than traditional advertising. The analysis examines Trader Joe's strategy using Porter's Five Forces and a value chain framework to illustrate how Trader Joe's unique approach has allowed it to carve out a profitable niche and maintain sustainability in the highly competitive grocery market.
The document summarizes a brand audit of Trader Joe's. It outlines Trader Joe's brand hierarchy, positioning as a neighborhood grocery store providing organic, healthy products at great prices through direct sourcing. It analyzes the brand name, essence, identity, touch points like website and circulars, and in-store experience. Suggested improvements include focusing less on "Trader" and more on "Joe's" in the name, expanding the positioning to compete with regular grocers, making the website more interactive, and offering delivery in large city markets.
This document provides a business plan for expanding the Trader Joe's grocery store brand into cafes located within existing stores (TJ's Cafe). The plan is to establish TJ's Cafe in 200 Trader Joe's locations by year 1, all 418 locations by year 3, and open the first three standalone TJ's Cafe restaurants in Seattle, Portland, and San Francisco by year 5. TJ's Cafe will showcase recipes made using Trader Joe's products to attract customers and boost sales. The cafes will leverage the popular Trader Joe's brand to demonstrate simple, seasonal meals that can be easily recreated at home.
Sprouts Farmers Market Digital Campaign StrategySummer Borowski
This digital campaign brief outlines a proposed loyalty program called "Sprouts Club" for Sprouts Farmers Market. The goals are to increase customer loyalty and grow the customer base. Tactics include creating a mobile app for the loyalty program, promoting program signups in stores, and implementing a referral program. A project plan, media schedule, and budget are presented. Key stakeholders will be communicated with regularly about the program. Potential risks like lack of perceived exclusivity are addressed.
Trader Joe's is a neighborhood grocery store chain with over 300 locations that provides a unique shopping experience. It offers high-quality products at low prices in stores smaller than conventional supermarkets. While aware of Trader Joe's, some low-income and international customers perceive it as expensive and not meeting family needs due to limited exposure. To expand, Trader Joe's could increase advertising targeting cultural products, ready-made meals, and store hours to overcome perceptions while reinforcing its value proposition of quality, price and shopping experience.
This document summarizes a study conducted on shopping mall visits in Patna, India. Some key findings include:
1) Merchandising and entertainment options are important factors for attracting visitors, along with quality products and variety of stores.
2) Location and accessibility also influence visits - malls should be situated in good environments that are easy to access.
3) Different demographic groups visit malls for various reasons and have differing purchasing behaviors.
4) Promotional schemes like sales, discounts, and buy-one-get-one offers influence consumer purchases at malls.
This digital strategy document outlines Trader Joe's plan to target millennial customers ages 20-27 by strengthening their social media presence, updating their website, increasing online and mobile advertising, and improving inbound marketing. The key tactics include creating official social media accounts, developing a mobile app, adding more engaging content, and allocating $21 million annually to digital marketing with $15 million towards online channels. The goals are to increase brand awareness, grow mobile interactions, and choose Trader Joe's over competitors through community building and rewards.
Trader Joe's lures customers with novel and intriguing grocery items rather than trying to offer all items customers may need. The document suggests Trader Joe's focuses on unique products to attract shoppers rather than having a broad selection of more common grocery products.
Understanding retail consumer by maya and aishwaryaAish100
Consumer behavior refers to how people purchase, use, and dispose of products and services. Understanding consumer behavior is important for retailers. There are several factors that influence retail shoppers, including the range of merchandise, convenience, travel time, socioeconomic factors, and life stage. The consumer decision making process involves need recognition, information search, alternative evaluation, purchase, and post-purchase behavior. Market research helps retailers understand demographic data, consumer spending patterns, and evaluate customer satisfaction. Common market research methods used by retailers are focus groups, observation, and customer profiling.
Digital marketing strategy for Trader Joe's. Created for ADV 420 New Media Driver's License class at Michigan State University in the Fall of 2011. Presentation showcases how Trader Joe
Mohart Sweet Treats is launching a new candy bar called the Action Pack Bar, which is shaped like a toy soldier, in Wausau, Wisconsin. The document provides details on the target market, competitors, production and marketing plans, and strategies for promoting the new candy bar to consumers and retailers. The goal is to distribute the uniquely shaped candy bar through various retail outlets, including an online confectionery store, to gain market share in the local area.
Cobbs PGN Trader Joe's Case CompetitionHenry Cobbs
This document proposes recommendations to improve Trader Joe's business by focusing on community engagement, technology, and store design. It recommends (1) transforming stores into community hubs with event space and local art; (2) developing a mobile app called "Snap!" for instant self-checkout to reduce lines; and (3) launching a recipe-sharing app and social media presence to foster customer loyalty and discovery. Financial projections estimate these changes could increase annual profits by $2 million within 2 years and raise total sales to $12 billion over 10 years by strengthening the brand in the community.
Meaning of Consumer Behaviour, Features and Importance
• Types of Consumer (Institutional & Retail), Diversity of consumers and their behaviour- Types Of Consumer Behaviour
• Profiling the consumer and understanding their needs
• Consumer Involvement
• Application of Consumer Behaviour knowledge in Marketing
• Consumer Decision Making Process and Determinants of Buyer
• Behaviour, factors affecting each stage, and Need recognition.
This document summarizes a study on store choice behavior of women consumers in Mumbai when purchasing groceries. The study found that:
1) Satisfaction levels of men and women were similar across factors like durability, size, after-sales service, and colors/shades when buying jeans.
2) Around 33% of people purchase jeans every 6 months in addition to other occasions.
3) Jeans are purchased more on average by customers under age 23.
The document presents research findings from a proposed online grocery delivery service pilot by Trader Joe's. Market research found millennials are more likely than other generations to shop online for groceries. Favorability towards brands was found to influence purchase probability. Trader Joe's received higher favorability ratings than Whole Foods in some attributes like value and cost. The recommendations are to launch a pilot Shop @ Trader Joe's online grocery delivery service to capture market share and position the company for future online grocery success.
This is a quick snapshot of a very comprehensive study conducted by GMA, Shespeaks & Booz & Co. titled Shopper Marketing: Unleashing the next wave of value. It is a pretty insightful study. Hope this quick snapshot version helps
PAPER BOAT- Presentation on Marketing Mix & Promotion Mix.Mimansha Bahadur
The document provides information on Paper Boat drinks, an Indian beverage brand. It discusses the brand's product strategy, differentiation, mix, map, packaging, pricing, distribution channels, and promotional activities. Some key points include:
- Paper Boat targets urban Indian customers aged above 20 with nostalgia-focused drinks in 9 flavors.
- It differentiates with natural ingredients and unique flavors not found in competitors' products.
- Promotional activities include advertising, digital marketing, sponsorships, and initial sales through airlines and hotels.
- Recommendations include expanding availability, introducing winter drinks, and gift packs containing multiple flavors.
This document provides an overview of Trader Joe's history and business model. It discusses how Trader Joe's was founded in 1958 and focused on specialty and organic products. Trader Joe's targets middle-class health-conscious customers between 19-49 years old. The document also outlines Trader Joe's competitive advantages compared to Whole Foods, describes their branding using red and brown colors, and proposes a marketing campaign centered around the tagline "It's What's for Dinner".
This document summarizes studies of customer behavior in retail stores. The key points are:
1. Such studies aim to identify who customers are, where they shop, what they buy, when and how they buy, and how they respond to sales promotions.
2. Identifying customers involves determining their characteristics like gender, age, income, and place of origin to understand how these influence buying behavior.
3. Customer buying behavior patterns can be analyzed based on place of purchase, items purchased, time and frequency of shopping, purchase method, and response to promotions. Understanding these patterns helps solve marketing problems.
The document discusses key aspects of consumer behavior including the meaning of consumer behavior, types of consumers, factors that influence consumer behavior from various disciplines like psychology, sociology, economics, and applications of consumer behavior knowledge in marketing. It defines consumer behavior as how individuals select, purchase, use, and dispose of products and services. It also outlines the consumer decision making process and different types of consumer buying behaviors.
The document discusses key aspects of consumer behavior including definitions, important disciplines involved like psychology and economics, consumer involvement, types of consumers and consumer buying behavior. It explains how understanding consumer behavior can help with identifying market opportunities, selecting target markets, and informing marketing mix decisions related to product, price, distribution and promotion.
This document provides an introduction to consumer behavior. It defines consumer behavior as the actions and decision-making processes of individuals who purchase goods and services for personal use. It also defines a customer as someone who purchases products, while a consumer is the end user of goods and services. The document discusses the nature and characteristics of Indian consumers, noting they are a heterogeneous group with a young demographic, aspirational nature, value consciousness, and diversity in religion, dress, food, and more. It also outlines factors that influence consumer behavior like personality, motivation, family, culture and advertising.
understanding the buyer before selling.pptxGuhan S
The document discusses understanding buyers before selling. It defines the buyer's journey as having 3 stages - awareness, consideration, and decision. It explains each stage from the buyer's perspective. It also discusses who buyers are, buyer behavior types including complex, variety seeking, habitual, and dissonance behavior. Methods for understanding buyers like knowing their needs, demographics, purchase behaviors are presented. Buyer behavior analysis techniques including using software and customer reviews are also summarized.
MARKETING SEGMENTATION AND BUYER BEHAVIOR MODEL.pptxSanthoshJ50
There are four main types of buyer behavior: complex buying behavior which involves extensive research for high-cost purchases; dissonance reducing behavior which also involves research but with less careful consideration for mid-cost items; habitual behavior with little research for everyday low-cost items; and variety seeking behavior where customers switch brands regularly for novelty rather than dissatisfaction. Buyer behavior is also influenced by patterns like loyalty to certain purchase locations and tendencies to buy necessities in bulk versus luxury items in smaller quantities less often. Understanding buyer behavior is essential for marketing success.
The document discusses retail marketing and shopping behavior. It explains that retail marketing aims to attract and retain customers by understanding shopping behaviors. Shopping behavior is influenced by factors like related product categories, variety-seeking tendencies, consumption rates, and reactions to promotions over time. Understanding these behaviors helps retailers design effective marketing strategies and promotions. Loyalty programs can also strengthen customer relationships and retention by satisfying social and economic needs.
Consumer buying behavior refers to the processes consumers use to make purchase decisions. There are five stages in the consumer buying process: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision, and post-purchase evaluation. Consumer behavior can vary based on level of involvement and perceived differences between brands. Marketers must understand the factors influencing consumer decisions in order to develop effective marketing strategies.
The document provides an overview of retailing, including key definitions and concepts. It discusses the main sectors of retailing like department stores, specialty stores, discount stores, and warehouse clubs. Some of the main challenges faced by the retail sector are changes in consumer behavior, legal and security issues, and technological changes. Retail growth can be analyzed using different theories such as the wheel of retailing, retail accordion theory, theory of natural selection, and retail lifecycle theory. Understanding retail consumers involves comprehending their shopping habits, purchasing patterns, and reactions to promotions based on factors like demographics, culture, income, and psychology.
The document outlines the typical 5-stage customer decision making process for purchases, noting that for routine purchases like food, some stages may be skipped or reversed. It then provides details on each stage, focusing on how customers recognize needs internally or externally, search for information from various sources, evaluate alternatives based on price, quality and availability, make purchases while checking for expiration dates and tampering, and finally evaluate their post-purchase experience.
Pitfalls of Impulse Purchase Behavior (A Case Study in Saudi Arabian Context)inventionjournals
The present study about pitfalls of impulse purchase behavior has been carried out from customers‘ stand point of view. The study intends to educate and to create awareness among those class and category of customers who surreptitiously fall prey of lucrative packages and offers of products marketed and merchandised in super/hypermarket and malls. The present research intends to create awareness among customers who hardly give priority to the inherent worth and durability of goods and services provided by the dazzling and mind blowing slogans. There are certain class and category of buyers identified and located by the expert or analysts and managerial apparatus of impulse purchase - offer lucrative products and slogans in order to give boost and fulfill their sales target. Furthermore, the promises mentioned in products‘ features are just a violation of the basic agreement either partially: in quality or in other characteristics.There are certain economists and humanists as well who have exposed pitfalls of impulse purchase practiced in various forms of lucrative offer marketed and merchandised to a certain class of buyers like women, house-wives, adolescent and customers in general who are ignorant and unaware of the pitfalls of impulse purchase. The scholars like Mosa Al Omran, Director, Al Marai Operation, KSA & Mishal Al Kadeeb, Director Operation Aujan Soft Drink, KSA have particularly argued and shown their concern from the buyers stand point that buyers - buying certain commodities or services- are having every right to receive and get whatever consumers are promised in lucrative offer. Furthermore, the organization of consumer‘s protection association of KSA emphasized the consumer have rights That every person with a natural and legal status obtains a commodity or services paid or granted gratis in fulfilling personal need or the needs of others. Hopefully this research paper will be helpful for various types‘ retail stores, marketing managers and marketing graduates of kingdom of Saudi Arabia to understand the implementation of impulse purchasing
The document discusses ethical behavior in various aspects of retail business, including buying and selling merchandise, employee relationships, and interactions with customers. It provides guidance on sourcing merchandise from reputable suppliers, treating employees and customers with respect, and avoiding deceptive sales practices or commercial bribery. Overall, the document emphasizes the importance of integrity, quality, and fairness in retail operations.
customer attitude and demand pattern of midas treadsKannan T S
This document discusses customer attitudes and demand patterns. It begins by introducing the topic and objectives of studying customer attitudes towards Midas Treads, a manufacturer of pre-cured tread rubber. It then defines consumer attitudes as consisting of beliefs about a product, feelings towards it, and behavioral intentions. Customer attitudes are influenced by groups and society. The document discusses how analyzing customer relationship management databases can provide insights into customer behavior, segmentation, and developing targeted marketing strategies. It outlines the components of consumer attitudes - beliefs, affect, and behavioral intentions - and strategies for changing attitudes, such as changing affect, behavior, or beliefs.
Ethical behaviour in buying and selling in retailLena Argosino
The document discusses ethical behavior in various aspects of retail merchandise buying and selling. It addresses ethical sourcing of merchandise, selling practices, and relationships between retailers and employees. Specifically, it discusses sourcing from reputable suppliers, treating customers respectfully, avoiding commercial bribery, selecting products customers want to buy, using company assets appropriately, and handling job switching ethically. The overall message is that retailers must conduct business honestly and prioritize strong relationships with partners and customers.
Retailers use several techniques to segment consumer markets, including demographic, geographic, psychographic (lifestyle), and benefit segmentation. Demographic segmentation divides consumers by easily measured variables like age, gender, income and education. Psychographic segmentation uses variables like personality, values, attitudes, interests and lifestyles to identify target segments. Benefit segmentation groups consumers seeking similar benefits from products. Effective segmentation identifies groups that are identifiable, reachable, substantial and actionable.
3 module Marketing Management university of Mysore Dr UMA K
This document provides an overview of Module 3 which covers buyer behavior and influencing factors. It begins with definitions of key concepts like consumer, buyer behavior, and factors that influence consumer decisions. Cultural factors like values, beliefs and customs shape needs and wants. Social factors such as reference groups, family, and roles/status also impact consumer behavior. Understanding these internal and external factors is important for marketers to satisfy consumer needs through effective product offerings and marketing strategies. The document then discusses types of consumer behavior and the need to study consumer behavior to aid in business success.
The document discusses various topics related to consumer behavior including the difference between consumer and organizational buying, factors that influence consumer behavior, and the importance of understanding consumer behavior for marketing and public policy decisions. It provides definitions of key terms, describes the consumer decision making process, and explains how knowledge of consumer behavior can benefit companies, regulators, and social marketing programs.
Kavya Gupta BBA 1st Sem of JIMSVKII has given a brief description of Retail Consumer Behavior in the slide share.
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CONSUMER PREFERENCE TOWARDS NESTLE AND CADBURY CHOCOLATESAnupama singh
This document is a project report submitted by a student named Anupama Singh for their Bachelor of Business Administration degree. The report studies consumer preferences between Nestle and Cadbury chocolates in India. It provides background on chocolate consumption in India, profiles the Nestle and Cadbury companies and their product offerings in India, and describes the objectives of the study which are to understand customer satisfaction and preferences to help companies better meet customer needs.
Consumer behavior is the study of how people make decisions regarding products and services. It is influenced by psychological, personal, and social factors. Understanding consumer behavior allows companies to satisfy customer needs, develop effective marketing strategies, identify new opportunities, and select target markets. As technology advances, consumers are more informed, engaged in product design, and concerned with sustainability. They also use multiple devices and have high expectations for the customer experience across online and offline channels. Stages of purchase in electronic markets include researching options before buying, evaluating quality and service during purchase, and needing support after purchase. Challenges include addressing consumer concerns over privacy, quality, and convenience on mobile apps.
Similar to Studyingcustomerbehaviorinretailstores 090623023217-phpapp01-slideshare (20)
Important tips to achieve good score in board examjadeja namrataba
The document provides tips for students to achieve good scores in board exams. It recommends planning one's study by choosing subjects at different times of the day, with hard subjects in the morning and easier ones in the afternoon. It also suggests taking breaks between study sessions, maintaining discipline, improving concentration, getting proper rest, eating healthy food, and being confident. Speaking to parents and teachers can help reduce fear or confusion. The overall goal is to make and follow a study schedule tailored to one's needs.
India has a large and growing population, and will soon need over 250 million tons of grains per year to feed everyone. Currently, crop yields can be increased through improving crop varieties, production methods, and management practices. Some key strategies for improving crop yields discussed in the document include crop variety improvement through selective breeding; improving nutrient, water, and pest management; and utilizing different cropping patterns like mixed cropping, intercropping, and crop rotation to maximize land use and reduce risks.
1. The document discusses various topics related to sustainable management of natural resources including renewable and non-renewable resources, pollution, the Ganges river, water harvesting, forests, wildlife, dams, and peoples' participation in conservation.
2. It provides details on the Ganga Action Plan to improve the quality of the Ganges river, as well as the various groups that are stakeholders in the management of forests.
3. Traditional methods of water harvesting used in India are described, along with the advantages of underground water storage.
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1. STUDYING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IN
RETAIL STORES
WILLIAM APPLEBAUM
Stop 6? Shop, Inc.
STUDIES of customer behavior in re-
tail stores usually deal with (i)
identification of customers and (2) their
buying behavior patterns. The aim of
such studies is to ascertain who buys
where, what, when and how. In addition,
such studies endeavor to learn about
customer response to sales promotion de-
vices. The results of these studies are
useful in the solution of an array of
marketing problems.
These studies are gaining importance
in marketing research. It is safe to pre-
dict that interest in them will increase
greatly in the next decade. This paper
summarizes the writer's experience with
such studies in grocery stores.^ However,
the principles and techniques discussed
here are also applicable to other types of
retail stores.
The "why" of customer behavior is a
separate and very difficult subject; it is
not treated here. A knowledge of cus-
tomer behavior must precede any con-
sideration of the reasons for the behavior.
IDENTIFICATION OF CUSTOMERS
The terms customer and consumer
are not synonymous. A customer is a
purchaser of a product or a service; a
consumer is a user of a product or a
service. Bed-ridden invalids in hospitals
are food consumers but hardly food
store customers. Purchasers of rat poison
are not the consumers of the product.
The buying behavior of the customer
^ In so far as the author himself has developed or le-
fined the ideas and techniques dealt with in this paper,
by far the major part of the pioneer research work was
dene between 1932-38 vriiile IK wai in du: employ a(Tht
Kroger Company.
172
is influenced by the needs and prefer-
ences of the consumers for whom the
products are purchased. As a dog owner
1 can testify that our Cocker influences
her purchasing agents in the choice of
brands of dog food. A devoted house-
wife will buy for her husband his favor-
ite, extra-strong cheese, even though she
prefers not to subject her sensitive nos-
trils to the penetrating, if not over-
powering, bouquet.
Here, however, we are primarily con-
cerned with customers' buying behavior
rather than with consumer preferences.
The strict definition of customer as pur-
chaser, valid as it may be, is sometimes
impractical because it is not always sim-
ple to identify a purchaser in a store.
A husband and wife shopping together
may represent two customers, or one
customer and one bundle carrier, and it
is not always possible to tell which is
which. A boy accompanying his mother
may influence decisions in selection and
purchase of several items, even if the
youngster has no purchasing power of
his own. Therefore practically every
person who enters a store is a potential
purchaser and represents a unit in the
store's customer traffic.
Identification of customers seeks to
ascertain who the customers are. It is not
sufficient to study buying behavior pat-
terns without knowing whose buying
behavior is involved. Hence it is neces-
sary to identify the competition and
origin of customers.
Composition of Customers
This includes many characteristics,
8uch as sex, age group, color, economic
2. STUDYING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IN RETAIL STORES 173
and educational status, occupation, re-
ligion, nationality origin, and so on. Both
consumption and buying behavior are
affected by these characteristics; and
the relative significance of each of these
characteristics varies greatly, depending
on the nature of the problem. The extent
to which any one or all of these customer
characteristics should be studied can be
determined only on consideration of the
purpose for which the data are to be
used. In studying customer behavior in
retail stores it is generally impractical
or unnecessary to ascertain all of the
customer characteristics enumerated
here.
Origin of Customers
Where do a store's customers come
from? What is the geographic distribu-
tion of their homes and how far do they
travel to the store ? The answers to these
questions supply useful data on customer
origin, which in the sense used here is a
composition characteristic. Origin tells
us whether the customer is a large-city
apartment dweller, a suburbanite, a
ruralite, a transient, and so on. The food-
buying behavior pattern of a customer
who lives in a congested apartment area
of a large city is markedly different from
the rural customer who has a large
vegetable garden and a home freezer.
CUSTOMER BUYING BEHAVIOR
PATTERNS
To buy is to purchase. To shop is to
visit business establishments for inspec-
tion or purchase of goods. Therefore
shopping is an element of customer be-
havior in buying. A customer placing an
order over the telephone is buying, not
shopping. For this reason it may be
desirable to standardize on the use of the
term buying rather than shopping when
the totality of customer behavior is un-
der coQsideration.
Similarly a distinction should be made
between buying habits and buying be-
havior patterns. Habit is a tendency
toward an action which by repetition
has become spontaneous. A pattern is a
design or type. Each customer has his
or her own buying habits. Buying be-
havior patterns represent the design of
behavior of a large number of customers.
A run on stores to buy and hoard sugar,
nylon stockings or toilet paper—in re-
sponse to a shortage scare or to proposed
rationing—is not a buying habit; it is a
manifestation of the imperfections in our
education, in our faith, and perhaps even
in our frequently exalted way of life.
To the retailer, such panicky customer
behavior is very annoying.
Customer buying habits or behavior
patterns are not permanently fixed, and
certainly not sacred, even though some
habits tenaciously resist change. Many
factors are operating in combination to
change customer food-buying behavior
patterns. Among these are the automo-
bile, the super market and self-service,
the progress in the development and
merchandising of frozen foods, prepared
flour mixes, brown-and-serve baked
goods and concentrated fresh milk; the
increasing availability of suitable facili-
ties in the customer's home for preserv-
ing these and other highly perishable
raw and prepared foods; and the public's
receptive disposition to easier and less
time-consuming ways of living. Similar
and perhaps even more pronounced
changes are affecting customer buying
behavior patterns of non-food commodi-
ties.
Customer buying behavior patterns
can be grouped in relation to:
1. Place of Purchase
2. Items Purchased
3. Time and Frequency of Purchase
4. Method of Purchase
5. Response to Sales Promotion De-
vices
3. 174 THE JOURNAL OF MARKETING
Place of Purchase
In general, customers divide their pur-
chases among a number of stores. They
shop in more than one department store
and in many specialty stores. Even in
buying food there is a division of pur-
chases. Many customers do not buy their
meats or fresh fruits and vegetables
where they buy their dry groceries, al-
though all these goods may be available
in the same store. The specialty food
store, the milkman, the produce huck-
ster, and the "hole-in-the-wall" are all
getting a share of the total food business.
Where customers have the choice of
purchasing the same goods in a number
of stores, their patronage loyalty to any
one store is by no means permanent.
Witness the grand opening of a new su-
per market! Many of the customers who
flock to the opening are abandoning old
patronage loyalties. Hence, length of
patronage also deserves study.
Studies of customer buying behavior
patterns with respect to place of pur-
chase are useful in selecting store loca-
tions, in choosing distributors for a prod-
uct, and in merchandising.
Items Purchased
Every customer purchase and every
store sale consists of a transfer of one
or more specific commodities. No one
customer purchases all the different items
for sale in a store. Over a period of time
a customer will purchase a substantial
selection of the total items available in
the store, but that selection will vary
somewhat with each customer. There-
fore, in studying customer buying be-
havior patterns it is necessary to ascer-
tain (a) what items and (b) how much
of each item customers purchase.
The purchase of many necessity items
—soap or bread, for example—is com-
mon and ubiquitous. Luxury items, such
as caviar or avocado pears, are pur-
chased by a relatively small group of
customers. The purchase of some items
has a strong regional demarcation—
grits or live lobster, for example.
Rarely does a customer purchase a
single potato or a single carrot. On the
other hand, very seldom does a customer
purchase more than one watermelon at
a time. The amount of each item pur-
chased depends on many factors, of
which the following are probably the
most important: number of consumers
for whom the item is intended; perish-
ability of the item; storage requirements
and facilities available; purchasing power
and ready cash; unit of sale; and price.
The introduction of new products and
changes in dietary habits also affect the
customer's choice of items and the
amount purchased.
As previously pointed out, in so far as
the customer is the purchasing agent for
a family or a number of consumers, the
purchases reflect the characteristics of
all the consumers involved.
From the distributor's, manufacturer's
and producer's point o? view it is es-
sential to study what items and how
much of each the customer buys by
brand or quality, by size or weight, by
price, by type of container, and by sea-
son.
Time and Frequency of Purchase
Store operations must be geared to
mesh with the customers' time of pur-
chase pattern. Store buyers and mer-
chandisers must keep on schedule with
it. Merchandise must be available in the
store in adequate supply if maximum
sales are to be achieved. Woe to him
whose Christmas trees arrive to market
on December twenty-sixth!
In studying time of purchase patterns
it is necessary to relate these to the sea-
sons, weather, and regional differences.
Every retailer knows from experience
4. STUDYING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IN RETAIL STORES 175
that his volume of sales is not uniform
by days of the week, nor by hours of the
day. The variations are very pronounced,
especially in the food business.
Attempts^ by retailers to modify cus-
tomer time of purchase behavior pat-
terns, with the view of improving service
to customers or raising efficiency of
operation, have by no means been en-
tirely successful. The long lines of cus-
tomers waiting impatiently to be checked
out in super markets during peak periods
in contrast to the buying inactivity at
other times illustrate a continuing
troublesome store operations problem
created by the customers' time of pur-
chase pattern.
Frequency of purchase depends pri-
marily upon the type of commodity in-
volved. In the course of a lifetime, a man
rarely purchases more than two wedding
rings—most men try to manage with the
original acquisition, even if it does not
turn out to be quite the bargain ex-
pected. An automobile—which in Ameri-
can life has become indispensable to the
pursuit of happiness—is turned in for a
new model every few years. On the other
hand, the addicted pleasures of ciga-
rettes go up in smoke so rapidly that the
frequency of purchase is generally a daily
performance and, allegedly, men will
walk a mile for their favorite brand.
Frequency of purchase also varies
among customers. Some shop in food
stores daily, others only once a week.
The size of the total purchase, the num-
ber of items and the quantity of each
item bought all vary with frequency of
purchase. The more frequently a cus-
tomer visits a store, the more is that
customer exposed to the impact of sales •
promotional devices used in the store.
Method of Purchase
Whether a customer buys on a cash
and carry or on a charge and delivery
basis, whether a customer shops alone
or is accompanied by someone else, and
whether a customer walks or rides to
the store are some of the elements in
method of purchase.
The importance of providing ade-
quate parking facilities to accommo-
date the customer who shops or who
would like to shop by automobile needs
no elaboration. Even department stores
are building branch units to meet,
among other things, the parking prob-
lem. Size and frequency of purchase in
grocery stores are definitely affected by
the mode of travel to make the pur-
chase.
Couples shopping in super markets
buy more per transaction than does a
woman or man shopping alone. The same
applies in other type stores. Many a
woman will invite her husband to help
her select a purchase; the husband in-
fluences the choice and frequently ap-
proves the acquisition of a more expen-
sive item.
Response to Sales Promotion Devices
Those who have goods to sell use many
devices to induce consumption and to
promote purchase of these goods. The
sales promotional devices used in stores
can be grouped under the following
headings:
a. Displays
b. Pricing
c. Demonstrations
d. Sales Talks
Displays. In so far as possible or prac-
tical, consumer goods are packaged to
create eye appeal when put on display.
Thus the shape, size, label and packag-
ing material of the product all play their
part in sales promotion. The manner
in which an item is arranged on a shelf
or table, in a display case or window,
the space and position given to it, and
5. 176 THE JOURNAL OF MARKETING
the type of point of sale promotional
material (posters, signs, etc.) used for
reinforcement are also influencing fac-
tors.
Pricing. Regular and bargain prices,
combination deals, coupons, prizes, con-
tests, and unit pricing—where the price
quoted is for two or more units of an
item—are all pricing devices to promote
sales.
Demonstrations. This device aims to
influence customer purchases by getting
them to sample a product or to learn
about the uses or other merits of the
product.
Sales Talks. Whether expressed orally
or in writing, in advertisements or by a
sales clerk, the aim of all sales tdks
needs no explanation. Self-service mer-
chandising has somewhat shaken the
retailer's faith in the efficacy of the store
sales clerk. Yet, the magic of a winning
personality, a well-turned phrase, and
even a friendly smile of an attractive
blonde are still potent attributes or de-
vices for causing cash registers to ring.
Study of customer behavior in re-
sponse to sales promotion devices in
retail stores deserves a great deal more
attention than has been given to it
thus far. Much energy and money is
spent on sales promotional devices with-
out factual knowledge of what these
really accomplish. In this terra incognita
every merchandiser remains at liberty
to indulge in his personal pet beliefs,
prejudices, and hunches. Where there
are no fafts, there is much conjecture.
In recent years considerable attention
has been focused on impulse buying—
buying which presumably was not
planned by the customer before entering
a store, but which resulted from a stimu-
lus created by a sales promotional de-
vice in the store. The surveys on im-
pulse buying in food stores which have
come to my attention are too few (and
these suffer from too many defects in
research methodology) to be more than
merely suggestive, preliminary intro-
ductions to this subject. This, however,
does not hamper the courage,of the eager
users of these published data on impulse
buying in their advertising and sales
talks. Perhaps it is another manifesta-
tion of "where to know little is to dare
easily.
RESEARCH TECHNIQUES
The marketing research techniques
used in studying customer behavior in
retail stores are:
1. Analysis of Records
2. Observation
3. Interviewing
4. Controlled Experimentation
Analysis of Records
In a well-run business records are
kept on many operating and merchan-
dising results, but few businesses—and
this applies even to the most progres-
sive—come anywhere near making maxi-
mum use of these records. Many a
sales manager might be inspired with the
by-products which a skilled analyst
could distil from these records.
Records of what was sold, when it was
sold, and at what price it was sold in
a store or group of stores are a general-
ized history of customer buying be-
havior patterns. Stores with credit and
delivery and with itemized individual
sales transaction records are in posses-
sion of data from which a wide array
of customer behavior patterns can be
determined.
The more complete and accurate the
records are and the longer the period
they cover, the more valuable they can
be. Commodity movement records
should show units sold by brand, size,
style of package, and price. Dollar sales
data are desirable by departments, by
6. STUDYING CUSTOMER BEHAVIOR IN RETAIL STORES 177
weeks, by days of the week and by peri-
ods of the day. Customer sales transac-
tion records are desirable by depart-
ments, amount of purchase, and (if ob-
tainable) by items purchased.
Most cash registers can be fixed to
retain an exact duplicate copy of every
sales receipt. Such "register tapes"—
showing the total amount of the pur-
chase and the price of each item by de-
partments—are useful in analyzing cus-
tomer purchases in super markets, even
though only the price but not the name
of an item is listed on the sales receipt.
Where the desired store sales records
do not exist, it is necessary to set up
procedures to obtain them. The research-
er competent to analyze such data will
know how to procure the records.
Observation
The sex, color and age grouping of a
customer can be easily observed either
as the customer enters, leaves, or shops
in the store. By observation it is also
possible to learn what a specific customer
does in the store. A very wide range of
customer activities are observable with-
out the customer knowing that such
observations are being made. This is all
to the good, as nothing should be done
to interfere with "normal" customer be-
havior. In some studies it is necessary
to follow the customer in the store in
order to observe various activities, but
this is generally a troublesome and costly
procedure. The checkout stand is the
meet strat^c spot in a super market
for observing the quantity of specific
items purchased.
Unless the inv^tigator has had ex-
tensive experience with such customer
observation studies in stores, it is neces-
sary to formulate procedures carefully,
to pre-test them, and to make sure that
the observers are thoroughly trained for
the work.
All observed data need to be recorded.
Such records should be made in code
whenever possible. The recording can
be done in a notebook, on a suitable
form, or on a specially designed mark-
sense card. The data are processed manu-
ally or mechanically.
Interviewing
Some information on customer char-
acteristics and buying behavior is most
readily obtainable by interviewing cus-
tomers in the store. Questions on mode
of travel to the store, frequency of visits
and length of patronage are easily asked
and readily answered. Many other simi-
lar direct and simple questions can be
handled successfully in store interviews.
The best time to interrogate store cus-
tomers is at the conclusion of the pur-
chase. Such interviews consume very
little time and are inexpensive. Not to
spoil a good thing, however, one should
avoid asking too many questions at one
time.
When asked tactfully, a customer will
rarely refuse to give his or her home ad-
dress. This important piece of informa-
tion is essential to determine the cus-
tomer's geographic origin and the trad-
ing area of a store.* From this, and with
the aid of other available data (census,
town planning, etc.), it is frequently
possible to ascertain, approximate, or
surmise various other characteristics,
such as income grouping, cultural levels,
and nationality origins.
On occasion it is desirable to follow
up a store interview with another inter-
view in the customer's home, with or
without disclosing for whom the infor-
mation is being obtained. The cus-
tomer's address is indispensable for such
a follow-up interview; nam^ are neces-
' For further details set William Applebaum and
Richard F. Spears, "How to Measme a Trading Area,"
Chain Store Age, January, 1951.
7. 178 THE JOURNAL OF MARKETING
sary where customers live in multi-
family dwelling units.
• Studies of impulse buying depend on
customer interviewing in the store, sup-
plemented by observation. The customer
is interviewed on entering the store and
again after the completion of the pur-
chase. The investigator ascertains
whether the customer has a written
shopping list or a mental list. The items
enumerated on such lists are recorded.
On completion of the purchase, the items
purchased are checked against the listed
items. Omissions, substitutions and ad-
ditions are noted.
The trouble with this technique is
that (i) it depends on spontaneous recall
which at best is incomplete and (2) it is
unable to differentiate between (a) im-
pulse, (b) postponement of decision, and
(c) studied decision at the point of pur-
chase. The housewife who has no shop-
ping list (written or mental) may still
be deliberate in the choice of the items
which she does purchase A more satis-
factory technique remains to be de-
vised for the study of impulse buying.
Controlled Experimentation^
Stores offer a unique laboratory for
conducting controlled experiments to
ascertain the behavior and response of
customers to products, methods and
devices. From the facts discovered by
such small scale experiments it is possible
to reach broad conclusions.
In controlled experimentation two (or
more) groups of comparable stores are
selected. One of these groups is desig-
nated as the control group and the other
as the test group. In the control group
"business as usual" goes on. In the test
' For a fiill presentation of this technique see William
Applebaum and Richard F. Spears, "Controlled Ex-
perimentation in Marketing Research," THE JOURNAL
a, January, 1950.
group one condition is changed. The
changed condition is the element or
variable to be tested. This element can
be a product, a method, or a sales promo-
tion device. The element is exposed to
the store customers and it is anticipated
that their buying behavior will be af-
fected by it. Results are measured in
terms of^ sales produced—not on the
basis of opinions. Differences in results
between the test and control store
groups are interpreted to be due to the
one variable in the experiment.
Where a problem involves more than
one element, it is necessary to select
several comparable store groups and
conduct a number of tests simultaneous-
ly, or to run, in succession, a series of
experiments in two groups of stores,
each experiment testing only one ele-
ment.
The technique of controlled experi-
mentation is very exacting. There can
be no controlled experimentation with-
out stringent controls. It is a compli-
cated, slow and expensive technique,
yet one which merits a prominent place
in the marketing researcher's tool kit.
CONCLUSION
The endeavor has been made here to
show along what lines and with what
techniques studies of customer behavior
can be made in retail stores. Possible
uses of the results for the solution of
marketing problems have been suggested
or indicated. To spell out fully and sys-
tematically the many practical uses to
which such studies can be put by pro-
ducers, manufacturers and distributors
would require a series of articles—per-
haps a book. This article is intended to
stimulate those who can gain the most
from such studies to take advantage of
the opportunities for learning more about
customer behavior in the market-place.