Consumer Behavior Research Methods

Understanding customers behaviors can help you achieve success in business

Consumer behavior research can be a powerful tool for businesses that are attempting to understand their customers better.
A company that knows the type of customer it has and the way or ways that customer shops will be able to create effective marketing strategies and will ensure long-term business from satisfied customers.
Because of this fact, many -- if not most -- companies periodically conduct consumer behavior research. Two types of research dominate: primary and secondary research.
To get the best information directly from consumers, though, primary research methods have proven to have the greatest impact.

Surveys

Almost everyone has completed some type of survey at one point in his or her life.
A survey is usually a questionnaire with a select series of possible answers.
For example, a question might read: "How often do you visit the personal care section of the grocery story?" And the list of answers might include "Every time I shop ____. Once a month ____. During advertised sales ____. Once or twice a year ____. Seldom ____. Never ____."
The consumer then is asked to select the answer that best fits his or her shopping habits.
By answering a question such as this, the consumer is providing the grocery store (or other business) with an idea of how consumers view this section of the store and how to prepare sales for the items in it.

Personal Interviews

Personal interviews are one-on-one experiences, in which a company representative or marketing service asks specific questions of an individual regarding his or her shopping habits and purchasing preferences.
The representative or marketing professional will encourage the consumer to answer questions with as much honesty and detail as possible.
On the downside, personal interviews can sometimes make the consumer uncomfortable, and often leave the consumer feeling obligated to answer the question in such as way that makes the interviewer happy.
As a result, companies often try to find a way to combine the survey and the personal interview on a larger scale, resulting in the focus group.

Focus Groups

Focus groups bring a variety of people together for the purpose of considering a product and discussing their opinions about it, while the company representatives review the findings.
The focus group expands on the basic ideas of a survey or a personal interview by having consumers discuss their opinions in more depth and then bounce those opinions off others without the discomfort that might come in a personal interview.
For example, if a company is preparing to launch a new product, it might assemble a focus group to gauge opinions on the product. If many of the consumers in the focus group express concerns about the product, the company will be able to address these concerns in marketing or correct them before launching the product.

Observations

Observation is considered to be one of the greatest tools for consumer behavior researchers, because it allows researchers to watch a consumer in action, rather than asking the consumer to re-create a shopping scenario from the past.
As the company representative or marketing service observes the consumer, they can derive an understanding of consumer behavior that the consumer might not even realize, such as how the consumer is drawn to certain labeling and whether or not displays are effective.

References

• Consumer Psychologist: Research Methods
• Fachak: Consumer Behavior Research Methods