CONSUMER SURVEY RESEARCH Collecting Primary Data

Survey Research A method of collecting primary data by communicating with a representative sample of people

Survey Research Design • The way the environment is controlled or organized • Environmental variables to control When the survey is given How the survey is given ▫ The sample size ▫ Number of groups • The more environmental control, the more accurate the results will be

What questions do you have? Selecting a survey research design should be based on the survey question(s) you are trying to answer

“… the best way to find out what consumers think is to ask them.” Based on simple idea: “… the best way to find out what consumers think is to ask them.” (Zikmund)

Properly conducted Surveys can be: Quick Inexpensive Efficient Accurate Flexible

Problems with Surveys come from: Nonresponse error Response bias Administrative error

NonResponse Error The difference between a survey that includes only respondents and a perfect survey that also includes nonrespondents

Response Bias Where respondents answer survey questions with a bias that misrepresents truth

Administrative Error - data processing error - sample selection error - interviewer error - interviewer cheating

Asking Consumers Questions

Major Decisions What to ask How questions are phrased Sequence of questions Layout Pretesting

What Questions? … will be determined by Type of Marketing Decision Problem definition Primary research objectives

Two Main Types of Question: Closed Open

Closed-ended questions can be: Dichotomous Multiple Likert scale Semantic differential Rank order Numeric

Dichotomous Description: Question offering two choices Example: Did you watch television at all yesterday? Yes / No

Multiple Description: Question offering three or more choices Example: Which of these shops do you prefer? Next / River Island / Gap Top Shop/ Top Man

Likert scale Description: Statement with which respondent shows the amount of agreement / disagreement Example: Assessment by course-work is easier than assessment by examination Strongly agree Agree Neither agree nor disagree Disagree  Strongly disagree

Semantic differential Description: Scale is inscribed between two bipolar words and respondent selects the point that most represents the direction and intensity of his / her feelings Example: The course I am taking is............. Interesting :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Boring Useful :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Useless Easy :_____:_____:_____:_____:_____: Difficult

Rank order Description: Respondent is asked to rate or rank each option that applies. This allows the researcher to obtain information on relative preferences, importance etc. Example: Please indicate, in rank order, your preferred chocolate bar, putting 1 next to your favourite through to 5 for your least favourite. Snickers Bar Dove bar Wispa Mars Bar Creme Egg

Numeric Description: Respondent specifies a particular value (can include decimal places) Example: How far (to the nearest kilometre) did you travel today to reach this College? ________km

Advantages of Closed-Ended Questions Quick to answer Easy to code No difference between articulate and inarticulate respondents Disadvantages of Closed-Ended Questions Can draw misleading conclusions because of limited range of options Researcher / interviewer cannot deal with qualifications to responses e.g. "Yes, but….." or "It depends" where only Yes/No are given as options

Open-ended questions Unstructured Word Association Sentence completion Story completion

Unstructured Description: Question that respondents can answer in an unlimited number of ways? Example: Why did you enrol for this course at HAUT? ……………………………………………………………………………… ………………………………….. …………………………………………………………

Word Association Description: Words are presented one at a time and respondents give the first word that comes to mind Example: What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the following? Lecture Interesting  Computer Exciting  Exam Challenge  Tutorial Rewarding

Sentence completion Description: Incomplete sentences are presented, one at a time, and respondents are asked to complete the sentence Example: My worst shopping experience while visiting ZhengZhou happened when……………….

Story completion Description: An incomplete story is presented and respondents asked to complete it Example: I sat down at the kitchen table, picked up a spoon, then looked at the Chicken and Mushroom flavour Instant Noodles in front of me……. NOW COMPLETE THE STORY

Advantages of Open-Ended Questions Greater freedom of expression No bias due to limited response ranges Respondent can qualify their answers Disadvantages of Open-Ended Questions Time consuming to code Researcher / interviewer may misinterpret and therefore misclassify) a response

Questionnaire Layout Always Introduce questionnaire Move from general to specific Use “filter” questions

Checklist for Questionnaires 1. Have you avoided all leading questions? 2. Is the question as specific as possible? . 3. Are the questions going to be understood by all respondents? 4. Is each question applicable to all respondents? 5. Are any of your questions double - barreled?

SAMPLING

Examine a Part of the Whole In most surveys access to the entire population is near impossible, The results from a survey with a carefully selected sample will reflect extremely closely those that would have been obtained had the population provided the data.

Bias The one thing above all to avoid. There is usually no way to fix a biased sample and no way to salvage useful information from it. The best way to avoid bias is to select individuals for the sample at random. The value of deliberately introducing randomness is one of the great insights of Statistics

There are essentiality two types of sampling: probability non-probability sampling.

Probability Sampling Methods Probability or random sampling gives all members of the population a known chance of being selected for inclusion in the sample and this does not depend upon previous events in the selection process. The selection of individuals does not affect the chance of anyone else in the population being selected. Many statistical techniques assume that a sample was selected on a random basis

Randomize Individuals are randomly selected. No one group should be over-represented. Sampling randomly gets rid of bias. Random samples rely on the absolute objectivity of random numbers. There are tables and books of random digits available for random sampling. Statistical software can generate random digits (e.g., Excel)

Four basic types of random sampling techniques: Simple Random Sampling Systematic Sampling Stratified Sampling Cluster or Multi-stage Sampling

Simple Random Sampling This is the ideal choice as it is a ‘perfect’ random method. Using this method, individuals are randomly selected from a list of the population and every single individual has an equal chance of selection.

Simple Random Samples To select a sample at random, we first need to define where the sample will come from. The sampling frame is a list of individuals from which the sample is drawn. E.g., To select a random sample of students from a college, we might obtain a list of all registered full-time students. When defining sampling frame, must deal with details defining the population; are part-time students included? How about current study-abroad students? Once we have our sampling frame, the easiest way to choose an SRS is with random numbers.

Non-probability Sampling Methods Non-probability sampling procedures are much less desirable, as they will almost certainly contain sampling biases. Unfortunately, in some circumstances such methods are unavoidable. In Consumer Research the most frequently-adopted form of non-probability sampling is known as quota sampling.

Quota Sampling Similar to cluster sampling in that it requires the definition of key subgroups. Main difference lies in the fact that quotas (i.e. the amount of people to be surveyed) within subgroups are set beforehand (e.g. 25% 16-24 yr olds, 30% 25-34 yr olds, 20% 35-55 yr olds, and 25% 56+ yr olds) Usually proportions are set to match known population distributions. Interviewers then select respondents according to these criteria rather than at random. The subjective nature of this selection means that only about a proportion of the population has a chance of being selected in a typical quota sampling strategy.

Qualitative Techniques in Consumer Research

"A qualitative observation identifies the presence or absence of something, in contrast to quantitative observation, which involves the degree to which something is present " (MARKETECK, 2009)

Qualitative Research... Is any research conducted using an observational technique or unstructured questioning. Conducted: when structured research is not possible, when true response may not be available [embarrassing “touchy questions”] to explain quantitative research results.

Common Methods in Consumer Research

Classification of Observation techniques Direct vs indirect: Direct > observing behavior as it occurs Indirect > observing the effects of behavior Disguised vs nondisguised Nondisguised >Direct Disguised > Indirect Structured vs unstructured Structured >predetermine what to observe Unstructured>monitor all behavior Human vs Mechanical Human>observation done by human beings Mechanical>observation by machine

Observation Appropriate Conditions The event must occur in a short time interval, Avoid lag affect Must occur in a setting where the researcher can observe the behavior Praying, cooking are not suitable things to observe Necessary under situations of faulty recall Faulty recall - remembering things such as how many times one looked at his wristwatch.

Observation: Advantages and Limitations Greater data accuracy than direct questioning, in natural settings people behave naturally, Problems of refusal, not at home, false response, non-cooperation etc. are absent, No recall error, In some situations, only way Number of customers visiting a store Studying children’s behavior Limitations Time consuming, too many things to observe, may not be representative, difficulty in determining root cause of the behavior.

Focus Group An interview conducted by a trained moderator in a non-structured and natural manner with a small group of respondents. Group size 8 -12 Group composition Homogenous, respondents prescreened Physical setting Relaxed, informal setting Time duration 1 - 3 hours Recording Use of audio and video cassettes Moderator Observational, interpersonal, good communication skills needed.

Focus Groups Objectives: - Generate new product or service ideas Understand consumer vocabulary Useful for ad campaigns Reveal consumer needs, motives, perceptions and attitudes, Generating future research objectives Facilitate understanding of the quantitative studies

Focus Group: Advantages and Disadvantages Major Advantages: Synergism, Snowballing, Stimulation, Security, Spontaneity, Speed and Cost savings. Major Disadvantages: Lack of representativeness, Misuse, Misjudge, Moderation problem, and Difficulty of analysis

Seven advantages of Focus Group I

Seven advantages of Focus Group

Five Disadvantages of Focus Group

Other Qualitative Techniques Depth Interview: An unstructured interview that seeks opinions of respondents on a one-to-one basis. Useful for sensitive issues, politics etc. Protocol Analysis: Involves placing a person in a decision making situation and asking him/her to state everything he/she considers in making a decision. Useful in 1. Purchasing involving a long time frame (car, house) and 2. Where the decision process is too short (greeting card). Projective technique: Involve situations in which participants are placed in simulated activities hoping that they will divulge information about themselves that are unlikely to be revealed under direct questing.

Example: Delphi technique for Retail Food

Projective Techniques These are indirect interviewing methods which enable sampled respondents to project their views, beliefs and feelings onto a third-party or into some task situation. The researcher sets up a situation for the respondents asking them to express their own views, or to complete/ interpret some ambiguous stimulus presented to them. Various types. More common ones are: Free Word Association Sentence Completion Unfinished scenario/story completion Cartoon completion test

FREE WORD ASSOCIATION In this technique, a list of carefully selected stimulus words or phrases related to the topic of research are read out, one at a time, to a respondent. The respondent is asked to respond with the first word or phrase that comes to his/her mind. The list of words should contain a mixture of test words and neutral words.

CARTOON COMPLETION TEST In the cartoon technique, the respondent is shown a comic-strip like cartoon with two characters in a conversation. While the speech of one character is shown in his/her balloon,the other balloon is empty. The respondent is asked to assume the role of the other person and fill the empty balloon with a speech. Where can I get a watch of this quality?

SUMMARY Qualitative research can be used alone or as part of mixed research Main advantage is that is capable generating rich data on WHY? Useful when looking at NEW things Rich data may be difficult to analyse

Technology and Qualitative Research How can technology help in the process of collecting Qualitative research Give examples