Chapter 2What Is Consumer Research?Understanding The ConsumerSources of InformationMethods of Gathering Primary DataCurrent Issues in Consumer ResearchStation BreakEthical Issues in Consumer ResearchEthical Issues: Protecting ParticipantsEthical Issues: Avoiding DeceptionSlide 11Motivation ResearchRevealing Respondents’ Hidden MotivesForms of Projective TechniquesForms of Association TestsOther Motivation Research TechniquesConsumer ResearchConsumer ResearchChapter 2Consumer ResearchWhat Is Consumer Research? The systematic methods used by marketers to study consumer decisions and exchange processes.Understanding The ConsumerInformation about the purchase situationInformation about the buyersInformation about product useInformation about customer loyaltyInformation about market segmentsInformation about customer satisfactionSources of InformationSecondary data Information or statistics not gathered for the immediate study at hand.Primary data Information or statistics originated by the researcher for the purpose of the investigation at hand.Methods of Gathering Primary DataObservation of consumersVia human observers vs. mechanical methodsDisguised vs. undisguised observationNatural vs. contrived observationConsumer Surveys: Personal; intercept; telephone; mail; on-lineFocus groupsExperiments: Lab; fieldTest marketsConsumer panels: True vs. omnibus panelsCurrent Issues in Consumer ResearchUsing the InternetTracking Internet visitorsOn-line surveysData acquisitionReceiving adviceDatabase marketingMaintaining specific information on prospectsData miningSifting through mounds of data for meaningful relationshipsStation BreakFirms today are increasingly developing profiles of their customers in their databases.Learn more about database marketing by visiting www.db-marketing.com and www.neovista.comWhat do you think about the privacy issue associated with database marketing?Ethical Issues in Consumer ResearchProtecting participantsAvoiding deceptionInforming participantsHonoring promises of confidentialityEthical Issues: Protecting Participants Researchers have the obligation of protecting participants from any physical or psychological harm.Ethical Issues: Avoiding Deception Consumers are often victims of deceit practiced by some unscrupulous marketers and fund-raisers who, under the guise of conducting research, attempt to sell them something or solicit donations to some cause.Station BreakMany companies conduct focus groups which involve children.Visit the web site of FocusVision at www.focusvision.com It is a company that employs children to moderate focus group sessions.Discuss the ethical issues you feel are associated with such practice.Do you approve of kid-moderated focus groups? Why or why not?Motivation Research Explores the why aspects of human behavior with qualitative rather than quantitative research approaches.Revealing Respondents’ Hidden MotivesProjective TechniquesSubjects project themselves in a scene to interpret it hence reveal their own feelings.Association TestsThe immediacy of subjects’ responses to stimulus words or phrases works to curtail their self-censorship.Other TechniquesSubjects’ picture choices reveal their stereotypical perceptions.Forms of Projective TechniquesThematic Apperception Test (TAT)Subjects interpret a photograph depicting a consumer-related activityCartoonsSubjects interpret a drawing or provide a missing portion of a dialog between its charactersVerbal ProjectivesSubjects interpret, explain, or complete a situation described verbally to themForms of Association TestsFree Word AssociationsSeeks immediate word responses that a subject utters after hearing a stimulusControlled and Chain Word AssociationsSeeks to discover subjects’ specific consumption habits or associated thought patternsSentence CompletionsIncomplete sentences are completed with first thought that comes to a subject’s mindOther Motivation Research TechniquesPicture-sorting TechniqueSubjects’ stereotyping is revealed as they sort out a stack of specially designed picturesShopping List TechniqueSubjects surmise the type of person who buys items appearing on a shopping listZaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (ZMET)Subjects provide pictures that express their feelings about a topic or
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