CONSUMER SCIENCE | THE CHANGING PARADIGMS

Today, businesses around the world acknowledge that customer is supreme and his sovereignty prevails. The consumer has become the main pivotal point for any business to stay in profit. Though similar, consumers are unique in themselves; they have needs and wants which are varied and diverse from one another, and they have different consumption patterns and consumption behavior.  For a firm to survive, compete and grow, it is essential that the marketer identifies these needs and wants, and provides product offerings more effectively and efficiently than other competitors. Thus, understanding the customer became important and the term Consumer Behaviour comes into play. 

Consumer Behavior may be defined as “the interplay of forces that takes place during a consumption process, within a consumers’ self and his environment.” 

• This interaction takes place between three elements viz. knowledge, affect and behavior; 

• It continues through pre-purchase activity to the post-purchase experience; 

• It includes the stages of evaluating, acquiring, using and disposing of goods and services. 

To impart more knowledge on the subject, Esha Nagar, MD of Nepa India shared her insightful thoughts on the webinar organized by BRATS. The main focus of the webinar was Research and how market research and analysis is an important step in understanding consumer science.

RESEARCH- AN ESSENTIAL

Market research provides relevant data to help solve marketing challenges that a business will most likely face--an integral part of the business planning process. In fact, strategies such as market segmentation (identifying specific groups within a market) and product differentiation (creating an identity for a product or service that separates it from those of the competitors) are impossible to develop without market research.

Market research involves two types of data:

• Primary information - This is research you compile yourself or hire someone to gather for you.

• Secondary information - This type of research is already compiled and organized for you. Examples of secondary information include reports and studies by government agencies, past researches from the internet, or other businesses within your industry. 

RESEARCH PARADIGMS IN CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: 

a) Quantitative Research in Consumer Behavior: It comprises of

(i) research techniques that are used to gather quantitative data over large samples randomly, and (ii) statistical tools and techniques, inclusive of survey techniques, observation and experiments. This type of research is descriptive and empirical in nature. It is primarily used by positivists while studying consumer behavior, with a focus on the prediction of consumer behavior. 

 

b) Qualitative Research in Consumer Behavior: It comprises of 

(i) research techniques that are used to gather qualitative data over small samples randomly and, 

(ii)non-statistical tools and techniques, inclusive of depth interviews, focus group, projective techniques and even observation. 

The type of study is subjective and non-empirical in nature. It emphasizes the holistic “what, where, when, why and how” of human behavior”.  The approach assumes that all marketing situations are unique; and, hence the findings cannot be generalized to marketing situations.

Today, the two approaches are used in combination to study consumer behavior. Qualitative research is very often a prelude to quantitative research; the findings from qualitative research are used to prepare scales for surveys and experiments. In some cases quantitative research may also act as a precursor to qualitative research; the findings from quantitative research are corroborated through case studies and other qualitative measures.  

RESEARCH JOURNEY

"IT STARTS WITH CURIOSITY”

According to Esha, Being curious is a word that forms the core of consumer science. It is all about having the thirst and knack of curiosity and knowing the unknown to master market research. It’s all about surfing the uncharted seas and coming up with unique solutions to accommodate customers better.

 COVID - CHANGING THE PARADIGMS

The prevailing pandemic has changed all the aspects of human life. The companies have been articulate in handling the challenges of consumer buying behavior. The present scenario of Covid-19 is no exception for the brands. Most of the brands are showing the variations in their marketing communication to influence consumer choice. The low demand for non-essential goods and services are transitory owing to consumer’s choice more into the survival goods or services only.

In this crisis of Covid-19, even non-essential services/goods brands must engage with customers by communicating on social media. The social relationship of customers with the brands always have impacted the consumer purchase decisions. The consumer survival mood is temporary and after the lifting of the lockdown, the customers will start their purchases with precautions. The post- lockdown situation may change the scenario of markets. The cycle of the market will gain momentum. The Covid-19 vaccine will act as a life jacket and without a life jacket, the fear of the virus may curtail the shopper’s intensity of shopping to some extent. Online shopping will increase and physical buying will go down. The coronavirus fear has penetrated the consumer’s mind and psychology which may affect his/her ways of buying. The brands have to exploit the new brand communication which minimizes the psychological impact in the consumer’s minds. The positioning strategies will be different. The new technology and strategies may open new avenues to the brands and they may be able to influence consumer behavior.

MORE ABOUT THE SPEAKER:

ESHA NAGAR

Managing Director, Nepa India

She brings vast experience through her earlier association at  Kantar & Nielsen prior to Nepa, she led the West Region  Media and Digital practices, among other roles. Over her career, Nagar has worked in both the research focused consulting side and business development space in the industry. Her work experience has been across multiple verticals like Consumer - Retail panels, Digital focused solutions, Path-to-Purchase Understanding & Media   Effectiveness. Nagar holds an MBA from the Nirma Institute of Management.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/esha-nagar-a8877715/