Definition and significance of 1. consumer research

Consumer research refers to the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting consumer-related information to understand consumer needs, preferences, behavior and satisfaction, so as to provide a basis for marketing decisions. The purpose of consumer research is to better meet the needs of consumers, improve consumer loyalty, increase market share, improve brand image, optimize products and services, reduce costs and risks.

The significance of consumer research is that it can help companies understand the current situation and trends of the market, discover the potential needs and problems of consumers, evaluate consumers' attitudes and feedback on products and services, test and improve marketing strategies and effects, and create And maintain good relationships with consumers. Consumer research is the foundation and core of marketing. Without consumer research, marketing will lose its direction and basis, and it is difficult to achieve the expected goals and effects.

Five methods and techniques of 2. consumer research

Consumer research methods can be divided into two categories: quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative research refers to the study of measuring and analyzing the number, proportion, frequency and difference of consumers through mathematical and statistical methods, which can provide objective, accurate and comparable data and is suitable for the study of describing and inferring the overall characteristics and laws of consumers. Qualitative research refers to the research that explores and understands consumers' motivations, attitudes, feelings, opinions, etc. through non-mathematical and non-statistical methods.

Shangpu Consulting has rich experience and professional team in consumer research, which can select and design appropriate consumer research methods according to different research purposes and conditions, ensure the quality and effectiveness of data, and provide valuable insights and suggestions. The following are the five consumer research methods commonly used by Champ Consulting, as well as the corresponding techniques and cases:

1. Questionnaire survey

Questionnaire survey is a common quantitative research method, which refers to the process of designing a series of questions, issuing or sending questionnaires to a certain number and range of consumers, collecting consumers' answers, and then conducting statistics and analysis. The advantages of the questionnaire survey are: it can collect a large amount of data, cover a wide range of consumer groups, facilitate comparison and induction, lower cost, simpler operation, and easier quantification and presentation of results. The disadvantages of the questionnaire are: there may be sampling error, response bias, measurement error and other factors that affect the accuracy and credibility of the data, it is difficult to understand the motivation and feelings of consumers, lack of flexibility and interaction, subject to the length and form of the questionnaire.

The skills of questionnaire survey include: clarifying the research purpose and hypothesis, determining the sampling method and sample size, designing reasonable questions and options, using appropriate scales and indicators, considering the structure and order of the questionnaire, testing and modifying the questionnaire, choosing the appropriate way to issue or send, improving the recovery rate, testing the validity and reliability of the data, using appropriate statistical methods and software, interpreting and presenting the data.

Case of questionnaire survey: Shangpu Consulting once conducted a consumer satisfaction survey for a fast-food company to understand consumers' evaluations and suggestions on the company's products and services, as well as consumers' loyalty and repeat Purchase intention. Through the Internet and telephone, Shangpu Consulting distributed questionnaires to 1000 consumers in the company's target market. The questionnaires included questions about product quality, price, packaging, function, innovation, etc., as well as questions about service attitude, speed, effect, after-sales, etc., as well as basic information and purchasing behavior of consumers. Shangpu Consulting collected 800 effective answers, using SPSS software for descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, etc., to draw the following main.Conclusion：

Overall consumer satisfaction with the company's products and services was 3.8 (out of 5), higher than the industry average, but there is still room for improvement.

Consumers pay the most attention to the quality, function and innovation of products, and are most dissatisfied with the price, packaging and advertising of products.

Consumers pay the most attention to the attitude, effect and after-sales service, and are most dissatisfied with the speed and channels of service.

Consumer satisfaction is positively correlated with loyalty and willingness to repeat purchases, but the correlation coefficient is not high, indicating that consumer loyalty and willingness to repeat purchases are also affected by other factors, such as competitors' strategies and consumers' personal preferences.

Consumers can be divided into four categories based on their satisfaction with products and services and their willingness to repeat purchases: loyalists, pickers, potential and churners. Loyalists have the highest percentage, at 35%, who are satisfied with the product and service and are willing to buy it again. The number of picky people is 25%. They are not satisfied with the products and services, and they are not willing to buy again. Potential people account for 20%. They are generally satisfied with products and services, but have a higher willingness to repeat purchases. The proportion of churn is 20%. They have low satisfaction with products and services and have no intention to buy them repeatedly.

Champ Consulting based on theseConclusionThe following recommendations were made for the company:

For loyal people, it is necessary to maintain the high quality and stability of products and services, increase communication and interaction with consumers, provide more discounts and rewards, cultivate consumers' brand recognition and trust, and encourage consumers to spread and recommend by word of mouth.

For the picky, it is necessary to improve the price, packaging and advertising of products, improve the cost performance and attractiveness of products, optimize the speed and channels of services, improve the convenience and accessibility of services, and increase consumer satisfaction and loyalty.

For potential people, it is necessary to improve the function and innovation of products, increase the differentiation and competitiveness of products, strengthen the effect and after-sales service, increase the added value and guarantee of services, and improve consumers' satisfaction and willingness to repeat purchases.

For those who lose, it is necessary to analyze the reasons for the loss of consumers and the advantages of competitors, redesign the characteristics and advantages of products and services, and formulate effective recovery and retention strategies to re-attract and activate consumers.

2. In-depth interviews

In-depth interview is a common qualitative research method. It refers to the process of asking open questions in a semi-structured or unstructured way through one-on-one face-to-face or remote conversation with consumers, guiding consumers to express their views, feelings, experiences, etc. freely, and then recording and analyzing them. The advantages of in-depth interviews are: it can deeply understand consumers' motives, attitudes, feelings, etc., discover consumers' potential needs and problems, explore the internal factors and mechanisms of consumers' psychology and behavior, and provide rich, detailed, and multi-level data. It has high flexibility and interactivity, and can establish good communication and trust with consumers. The disadvantages of in-depth interviews are: it takes more time and energy, it is difficult to collect a large amount of data, it covers a small number of consumer groups, it is difficult to compare and summarize, the cost is higher, the operation is more complicated, and the results are more difficult to quantify and present.

The skills of in-depth interviews include: defining the research objectives and questions, determining the number of interviewees and the number of interviewees, designing appropriate interview guidelines, choosing appropriate interview methods and environments, establishing good relationships with consumers, using appropriate questioning and guidance skills, recording and organizing interview content, and using appropriate analysis methods and software to explain and present data.

Case of in-depth interview: Shangpu Consulting once conducted a consumer demand survey for an automobile company to understand consumers' needs and expectations for the company's new electric vehicles, as well as consumers' cognition and attitude towards electric vehicles, so as to provide reference for the company's product development and marketing. Shangpu Consulting conducted in-depth interviews with 50 consumers in the company's target market through the Internet and telephone. The interviews included personal information about consumers, car purchase behavior, car purchase motivation, car purchase standards, car purchase obstacles, and car purchase channels. And other issues, as well as questions about the advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicles, cognitive level, acceptance, willingness to buy, etc. Champ Consulting recorded the audio and text of the interview, and used NVivo software to conduct content analysis, thematic analysis, and emotional analysis, resulting in the following mainConclusion：

Consumer demand and expectations for the company's new electric vehicles are mainly focused on the following aspects: performance, safety, environmental protection, comfort, intelligence, price, battery life, charging, maintenance, etc.

Consumers' cognition and attitude towards electric vehicles show the following characteristics: they have a certain understanding and recognition of the advantages of electric vehicles, such as energy saving, emission reduction, low noise, high efficiency, advanced, etc.; they have certain shortcomings of electric vehicles. Worries and doubts, such as battery life, charging, maintenance, safety, cost, etc.; the acceptance of electric vehicles and willingness to buy are affected by many factors, such as personal preferences, social environment, policy support, market competition, brand reputation, etc.

Champ Consulting based on theseConclusionThe following recommendations were made for the company:

In response to the needs and expectations of consumers, it is necessary to fully demonstrate the advantages and characteristics of the company's new electric vehicles, highlight their superiority and differentiation in terms of performance, safety, environmental protection, comfort, and intelligence, and improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of products. force.

In response to consumers' concerns and doubts, it is necessary to actively solve the problems and shortcomings of the company's new electric vehicles, improve their performance and services in terms of battery life, charging, and maintenance, reduce product risks and costs, and improve product reliability and reliability. Feasibility.

In view of the influencing factors of consumers, it is necessary to effectively use favorable factors such as personal preferences, social environment, and policy support to increase consumers' awareness and recognition of electric vehicles, and improve consumers' acceptance and purchase willingness; it is necessary to effectively respond to market competition, Brand reputation and other unfavorable factors, enhance consumer trust and preference for the company's new electric vehicles, and improve consumer loyalty and recommend.

3. Focus Groups

Focus group is a common qualitative research method. It refers to the process of inviting a certain number and type of consumers to form a group, and a moderator guides them to discuss one or several topics, observe and record the words and behaviors of consumers, and then analyze them. The advantages of focus groups are: it can collect the views, feelings, experiences, etc. of multiple consumers, discover the common and different needs and problems of consumers, explore the social and cultural effects of consumers' psychology and behavior, and provide diverse and dynamic, Interactive data, with high flexibility and creativity, can stimulate and promote consumers' thinking and expression. The disadvantages of focus groups are: it takes more time and energy, it is difficult to collect a large amount of data, it covers a small number of consumer groups, it is difficult to compare and summarize, the cost is higher, the operation is more complex, the results are more difficult to quantify and present, there may be the influence and bias of the host and group members.

Focus group techniques include: defining the purpose and topic of the study, determining the type and number of group members, designing appropriate discussion guides, selecting appropriate group methods and environments, establishing good relationships with group members, using appropriate guidance and motivational techniques, recording and organizing group discussions, using appropriate analytical methods and software, and interpreting and presenting data.

Focus group case: Champ Consulting conducted a consumer preference survey for a catering company to understand consumers' preferences and feedback on the company's newly launched healthy meals, as well as consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards healthy meals, to provide reference for the company's product improvement and marketing. Through the Internet and on-the-spot approach, Shangpu Consulting invited 40 consumers in the company's target market to be divided into four groups of 10 people each. A professional moderator of Shangpu Consulting led them to discuss the following topics: the definition and characteristics of healthy meals, the needs and motivations of healthy meals, the selection and evaluation of healthy meals, the advantages and disadvantages and suggestions of healthy meals, the consumption behavior and influencing factors of healthy meals, etc. Champ Consulting observed and recorded the video and text of the group discussion, and used Atlas.ti software to carry out content analysis, thematic analysis, emotional analysis, etc., and concluded the following mainConclusion：

Consumers' definition and characteristics of healthy meals mainly include the following aspects: balanced nutrition, low calorie, low fat, low salt and sugar, high fiber, high protein, fresh, natural, organic and so on.

Consumers' demand and motivation for healthy meals mainly come from the following aspects: keeping fit, preventing diseases, improving immunity, enhancing physical fitness, improving mood, pursuing quality, following the trend, etc.

Consumers' choice and evaluation of healthy meals are mainly based on the following aspects: taste, price, weight, appearance, ingredients, labels, word of mouth, recommend, etc.

The advantages and disadvantages and suggestions of consumers on healthy meals mainly involve the following aspects: the advantages of healthy meals are good for health, in line with the trend of the times, improving self-image, increasing self-confidence, etc.; the disadvantages of healthy meals are monotonous taste, High price, insufficient weight, unattractive appearance, unclear ingredients, inaccurate labels, poor reputation, few recommend, etc; consumers' suggestions for healthy meals are to improve taste, reduce prices, increase weight, improve appearance, clarify ingredients, standardize labels, enhance word of mouth, increase recommend, etc.

Consumers' consumption behavior and influencing factors of healthy meals are mainly shown in the following aspects: consumers' consumption frequency and amount of healthy meals are relatively low, mainly in specific occasions and time, such as festivals, weekends, breakfast, etc.; consumers' consumption channels and ways of healthy meals are more, including online and offline ordering, take-out, self-service, hall food, etc; consumers' consumption decisions and evaluations of healthy meals are influenced by many factors, such as personal preferences, health status, living habits, social environment, cultural background, media promotion, expert advice, etc.

Champ Consulting based on theseConclusionThe following recommendations were made for the company:

In view of the definition and characteristics of consumers, it is necessary to fully demonstrate the health and characteristics of the company's newly launched healthy meals, highlight its advantages and differentiation in nutrition, calories, oil, salt, sugar, fiber, protein, etc., and improve the attractiveness and competitiveness of products.

According to the needs and motivations of consumers, it is necessary to fully meet the diversified and personalized needs of consumers for healthy meals, provide different types and styles of healthy meals, adapt to different consumer health goals and preferences, and improve product adaptability and satisfaction.

According to the choice and evaluation of consumers, it is necessary to fully optimize the taste, price, weight and appearance of the company's newly launched healthy food products, improve the cost performance and aesthetics of the products, provide clear ingredients and labels, improve the transparency and credibility of the products, and enhance the reputation and recommend of the products.

In view of the advantages and disadvantages and suggestions of consumers, we should fully improve the problems and shortcomings of the company's newly launched healthy meals, improve the quality and service of products, listen to the feedback and opinions of consumers, provide more concessions and rewards, and improve the loyalty and willingness of repeated purchases of products.

In view of consumers' consumption behavior and influencing factors, we should make full use of consumers' consumption frequency and amount potential, provide more choices of consumption occasions and time, such as working days, lunch, dinner, etc.; provide more choices of consumption channels and methods, such as online and offline reservation, self-collection, distribution, etc.; effectively deal with the influencing factors of consumers' consumption decision-making and evaluation, such as personal preferences, health status, living habits, etc., to increase consumers' awareness and recognition of healthy meals, and improve consumers' acceptance and willingness to buy.

4. Observation method

Observation is a common qualitative research method, which refers to the process of recording and analyzing consumers' actions, expressions, language, environment, etc. by directly or indirectly observing consumers' behaviors and situations, and then analyzing them. The advantages of observation method are: it can directly understand the behavior and situation of consumers, discover the actual needs and problems of consumers, explore the motivation and influence of consumers' psychology and behavior, provide real, objective and intuitive data, and are not affected by consumers. The interference of subjective factors can discover consumers' subconscious and non-verbal information, which has high credibility and effectiveness. The disadvantages of the observation method are: it takes more time and effort, it is difficult to collect large amounts of data, it covers a small number of consumer groups, it is difficult to compare and summarize, it is costly, it is more complex to operate, it is more difficult to quantify and present the results, and there may be influence and bias of the observer and the observed.

The skills of observation method include: clear research purpose and problem, determine observation object and quantity, design appropriate observation index and method, select appropriate observation mode and environment, establish good relationship with the observed person, use appropriate recording and coding skills, record and organize observation content, use appropriate analysis method and software, interpret and present data.

Case of observation: Champu Consulting conducted a consumer behavior survey for an e-commerce company to understand consumers' browsing and purchasing behavior on the company's website, as well as consumers' comments and suggestions on the company's website, so as to provide reference for the company's website optimization and marketing strategy. Champ Consulting observed 30 consumers in the company's target market through the Internet and on-site methods, divided into two groups of 15 people, one group using the company's website, and the other group using the competitor's website. The same shopping tasks, such as searching, browsing, comparing, selecting, placing orders, paying, etc. Shangpu Consulting observed and recorded the time, number, frequency, sequence, path, click, jump, etc. of consumers' website use, as well as consumers' expressions, language, emotions, etc. Using Google Analytics and FaceReader software, Champ Consulting conducted behavioral analysis, path analysis, and sentiment analysis, and came up with the following mainConclusion：

The browsing and purchasing behavior of consumers on the company's website shows the following characteristics: the consumer's website is used for a long time, more times, higher frequency, more complex sequence, deeper path, more clicks, and less jumps. It shows that consumers have higher interest and participation in the company's website, but they also have more hesitation and confusion.

Consumers' browsing and purchasing behavior on competitors' websites shows the following characteristics: consumers' websites use shorter time, fewer times, lower frequency, simpler order, shallower path, fewer clicks and more jumps, indicating that consumers have lower interest and participation in competitors' websites, but also have less hesitation and confusion.

Consumers' evaluation and suggestions on the company's website mainly involve the following aspects: the advantages of the company's website are rich products and information, a variety of search and screening functions, clear pages and navigation, convenient order placing and payment process, good user experience and service, etc. The disadvantage of the company's website is that there are too many advertisements and pop-up windows, there are too complicated registration and login steps, too cumbersome filling and confirmation links, too slow loading and response speed, too simple design and style, etc.; consumers' suggestions for the company's website are to reduce advertisements and pop-ups, Simplify the registration and login steps, optimize the filling and confirmation links, increase the loading and response speed, improve the design and style, etc.

Champ Consulting based on theseConclusionThe following recommendations were made for the company:

In view of consumers' browsing and purchasing behavior, we should make full use of consumers' interest and participation, provide more guidance and help, reduce consumers' hesitation and confusion, and improve consumers' conversion rate and turnover rate.

In view of competitors' browsing and purchasing behavior, we should fully analyze the advantages and disadvantages of competitors' websites, learn from the advantages of competitors' websites, avoid and improve the disadvantages of competitors' websites, and improve the competitiveness and advantages of our websites.

According to the evaluation and suggestion of consumers, we should fully improve the problems and deficiencies of the company's website, improve the quality and efficiency of the website, listen to the feedback and opinions of consumers, provide more concessions and rewards, and improve the loyalty and willingness of repeated visits of the website.

5. Experimental method

The experimental method is a common quantitative research method, which refers to the process of observing and measuring its effect on another or several variables by artificially controlling and changing one or several variables under certain conditions, and then performing statistics and analysis. The advantages of the experimental method are: it can directly understand the behavior and results of consumers, discover the actual needs and problems of consumers, explore the causal relationship between consumers' psychology and behavior, provide scientific, rigorous and verifiable data, and have high internal validity and generalisability. The shortcomings of the experimental method are: it takes more time and energy, it is difficult to collect a large amount of data, it covers less consumer groups, it is difficult to compare and summarize, the cost is higher, the operation is more complicated, and the results are more difficult to quantify and present. There may be factors that affect the accuracy and credibility of the data, such as experimental design, experimental operation, experimental environment, and experimental effects and experimental deviations.

The skills of experimental method include: clear research purpose and hypothesis, determine experimental variables and types, design appropriate experimental scheme and method, select appropriate experimental objects and quantity, select appropriate experimental methods and environment, establish good relationship with experimental objects, use appropriate measurement and control skills, record and organize experimental data, use appropriate statistical methods and software, interpret and present data.

100 consumers in the company's target market were invited and divided into two groups of 50 people. One group used the company's personalized customization service, and the other group used the company's ordinary purchase service to perform the same shopping tasks, such as selection, customization, order placement, payment, receipt, fitting, etc. Shangpu Consulting observed and measured consumers' shopping time, number of times, amount, satisfaction, loyalty, etc., as well as consumers' expressions, language, emotions, etc. Champ Consulting used SPSS and FaceReader software to carry out anova analysis, covariance analysis, sentiment analysis, etc., and came up with the following main.Conclusion：

The shopping time, number, amount, satisfaction and loyalty of consumers using the company's personalized customization service are significantly higher than those of consumers using the company's ordinary purchase service, which shows that consumers have higher interest and participation in the company's personalized customization service, higher conversion rate and transaction rate, and higher satisfaction and loyalty.

The expressions, language, and emotions of consumers using the company's personalized customized services are significantly positive, indicating that consumers have high recognition and trust in the company's personalized customized services, as well as high self-confidence and pride. Higher happiness and satisfaction.

The response and evaluation of consumers to the company's personalized customization service mainly involves the following aspects: the advantage of the company's personalized customization service is that it can provide exclusive design and production according to consumers' personal preferences, figures, occasions, etc., improve the fit and uniqueness of products, enhance consumers' personality and taste, and increase consumers' sense of belonging and loyalty; the disadvantages of the company's personalized customization service are that it takes more time and energy, higher price, less quantity, fewer choices, more difficult after-sales, and higher risks; consumers' suggestions for the company's personalized customization service are to shorten the customization time and process, reduce the customization price and threshold, increase the number and selection of customization, and improve the customized after-sales and guarantee, reduce the risk and uncertainty of customization, etc.

Champ Consulting based on theseConclusionThe following recommendations were made for the company:

In response to consumer responses and evaluations, it is necessary to make full use of consumer interest and participation, provide more guidance and help, reduce consumer hesitation and confusion, improve consumer conversion and turnover rates, and improve consumer satisfaction And loyalty.

For consumers' expressions, language, and emotions, it is necessary to fully satisfy consumers' recognition and trust, provide more communication and interaction, increase consumers' confidence and pride, and improve consumers' happiness and satisfaction.

In view of the advantages and disadvantages and suggestions of consumers, we should fully improve the problems and deficiencies of the company's personalized customized service, improve the quality and efficiency of the service, listen to the feedback and opinions of consumers, provide more concessions and rewards, and improve the loyalty of the service and the willingness to repeat the purchase.