Consumer Behaviour,

Schiffman and Kanuk,

Eighth Edition
Contents
Introduction to Quantitative and Qualitative
Research
Overview of the Consumer Research Process
Quantitative Research
Qualitative Research
 Comparisons between
Customer Research and Marketing Research
Customer Research Marketing Research

Study Purpose Data collection and Data collection only.

strengthening Respondents are not
relationship with told the research
customers. Respondents sponsor’s identity.
are told the identity of
the sponsor
Respondents level of Increase respondents The respondents level of
involvement and involvement by involvement is generally
expectations indicating that data low.
collected will be used to
improve company’s
offerings.
Sample Size As many as possible A sufficient number of
respondents are
contacted to achieve
statistical validity
Data Collection and Data collected can be Data are collected and
Analysis linked to specific aggregated. Typically,
respondents and comparisons among
analysed at the sample averages are
respondents level used in the analysis

End Result Appropriate data are Product and Service

identified to fix product problems are identified
and service problems and
to correct individual
participant’s problems

Follow-up surveys Follow-up is encouraged Is not encouraged and

considered unethical.
Quantitative Research
Descriptive in nature.
Enables marketers to “predict” consumer behavior
(positivism).
Research methods include experiments, survey
techniques, and observation.
Findings are descriptive, empirical, and can be
generalized to larger populations.
Qualitative Research
Consists of depth interviews, focus groups, metaphor
analysis, collage research, and projective techniques.
Administered by highly trained interviewer-analysts.
Findings tend to be subjective.
Small sample sizes so the findings cannot be
generalised to larger populations.
Primarily used to obtain new ideas for promotional
campaigns
 Comparison between Qualitative and
Quantitative Research
Quantitative
Qualitative Research
Research
Study • Provide insights • Describe target
Purpose about ideas market
• Exploratory research • Results for
before quantitative strategic
study marketing
decisions
Types of • Open-ended • Close-ended
Questions • Unstructured • Attitude scales
Data • Projective techniques • Observation
Collection • Depth interviews • Experimentation
Methods • Focus groups • Questionnaires
 Continued
Quantitative
Qualitative Research
Research
Sampling • Small • Large
Methods • Nonprobability • Probability
samples samples

Data • Analyzed by • Coded, tabulated,

Analysis researchers who and entered into
collected data database
• Look for “key words” • Use of statistical
• Subjective methods
The Consumer Research Process
Developing Research Objectives
Defining purposes and objectives helps ensure an
appropriate research design.
A statement of objectives helps to define the type and
level of information needed.
Secondary Data
Data that has been collected for reasons other than
the specific research project at hand
Includes internal and external data
Types of Secondary Data
Internal Data External Data
Data generated in-house Data collected by an
May include analysis of outside organization
customer files Includes government,
Useful for calculating periodicals, newspapers,
customer lifetime value books, search engines
Commercial data is also
available from market
research firms
Designing Primary Research
Quantitative Research Designs
Include research design, data collection methods,
instruments to be used, and the sample design
Qualitative Research Designs
Include depth interviews, focus groups, projective
techniques, and metaphor analysis
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
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
Product audits which monitor sales are heavily used
by companies
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
Can be conducted in laboratories or in the field
Surveys
Data Collection Methods

Personal Interview

Mail

Telephone

Online
 PERSONAL
MAIL TELEPHONE ONLINE
INTERVIEW
Cost Low Moderate High Low
Speed Slow Immediate Slow Fast
Response Self-
Low Moderate High
rate selection
Geographic
Excellent Good Difficult Excellent
flexibility
Interviewer
N/A Moderate Problematic N/A
bias
Interviewer
N/A Easy Difficult N/A
supervision
Quality of
Limited Limited Excellent Excellent
response
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.
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
Qualitative Collection Method
Depth Interview
Usually 30 minutes to 1 hour
Nonstructured
Interpreted by trained researcher
Listen to words as well as “body language”
Qualitative Collection Method Focus Group
8-10 participants
Lasts about 2 hours
Always taped or videotaped to assist analysis
Often held in front of two-way mirrors
Focus Group Discussion Guide
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 do you think of the overall quality of your current
service?
5. What are the important criteria in selecting a cellular service?
Examples of Probe questions:
a. Tell me more about that . . .
b. Share your thinking on this . . .
c. Does anyone see it differently . . .
Qualitative Collection Method Projective
Techniques
Research procedures designed to identify consumers’
subconscious feelings and motivations
Consist of a variety of disguised “tests”
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.
Customer Satisfaction
Measurement
Customer Satisfaction Surveys
Gap Analysis of Expectations versus Experience
Mystery Shoppers
Customer Complaint Analysis
Analysis of Customer Defections
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.
 Probability Sampling Designs

Simple random Every member of the population has a known and

sample equal chance of being selected.
Systematic random A member of the population is selected at random
sample and then every “nth” person is selected.
Stratified random The population is divided into mutually exclusive
sample groups (such as age groups), and random samples
are drawn from each group.
Cluster (area) The population is divided into mutually exclusive
sample groups (such as blocks), and the researcher draws
a sample of the groups to interview.
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.
Prepared by:
Jabal Katakiya (13)
Hardik Rajyaguru (31)