Marketing Research Questionnaire Design Assignment

Introduction

Your assignment is to conduct a product category usage and brand satisfaction study for a low cost consumer product, one typically found in the supermarket. Examples include pasta sauce, toilet paper, garbage bags, salad dressing, shaving cream, paper towels, etc. Each student in the class is to have a different product category, and, as your instructor, I will have to approve your selection. Please have a first, second, and third choice as product categories are approved on a first come, first approved basis. The questionnaire is to be in the range of 15 to 20 questions, designed as an online survey with closed end questions. 

The following outlines the marketing research questionnaire design assignment for this course.

This assignment includes:

 Analyzing and researching a consumer goods product category,

 Questionnaire design,

 Conducting an internet survey using the questionnaire,

 Collecting 50 or more survey responses,

 Analyzing the data collected, and

 Providing marketing recommendations.

Step 1 – Analyze a Product Category

Your assignment is to analyze product usage (volume, occasions, brand preference, form, packing size, etc.) and brand satisfaction for a low cost supermarket product. This begins by identifying a low cost supermarket product, going to two supermarkets where it is sold, and making a detailed list of the brands, package types and sizes, flavors, product forms (e.g., dry versus liquid), prices, and other information that impacts consumer decision making. It is helpful to make an excel spreadsheet for reference during the questionnaire design process. For example laundry detergent brands include Tide, All, Cheer, Bold, and others, the come in liquid, power, and tablet forms, 32oz, 40oz, 50oz, 64oz and other sizes, scent, unscented, with and without stain remover, etc., and at many different price points. It is important to think through the “purchase cycle” for the product category, that is, how often the product is typically purchased by consumers – daily (breath mints, soda), weekly (milk, eggs), bi-weekly (coffee, toilet paper), monthly (laundry detergent, paper towels), etc.

 Step 1 Assignment is to be executed the first week of the course. After you have a product category approval from your professor, visit two stores (Walmart, Target, Kmart, local supermarket, etc.) were your product is sold and develop a spreadsheet analysis including a detailed list of the brands, package types and sizes, flavors, product forms (e.g., dry versus liquid), prices, and other information that impacts consumer decision making. An example that has been developed for the product category of woman’s shampoo is included at the end of this assignment. You need not use the format provided in this example, but my experience suggests a spreadsheet format will be helpful to reference in the questionnaire design process. 

Step 2 – Design a Questionnaire Introduction

Design a short and “crisp” questionnaire introduction that describes the purpose of the study, the source of the survey (you as a student), and flows directly into the screening portion of the questionnaire. The introduction should honestly indicate the time needed for the questionnaire response, but not provide a reason for the respondent to say no and refuse to be interviewed. 

Step 3 – Develop the Screening Portion of the Questionnaire

Develop the screening portion of the questionnaire to identify a purchaser and user of the product category appropriate for the purchase cycle (past day, past week, past two weeks, past month, etc.). Be sure to clarify the consumer is both a purchaser and user of the product category, and if not, terminate the interview politely. 

Step 4 – Develop the Body of the Questionnaire

The instructions and suggestions that follow are relevant for just about any product category for a low cost consumable (typical supermarket products). However, if the student has not done a thorough job in Step 1, Analyzing a Product Category, the body of the questionnaire will be difficult to design. Using your spreadsheet of information you collected is critical to executing the instructions that follow. 

Develop a body of questions that provide the following information for marketing decision making:

1. Identify brands purchased within the “purchase cycle.” Be sure the question includes pre-coding of all brands purchased and used in your geographic area. It is expected the major brands will be pre-coded and it may require research to find out which are the top-selling brands.

2. Identify the brand the respondent uses “most frequently.”

3. Identify the brand the respondent would substitute if the most frequently used brand is not available.

4. For the most frequently used brand, identify as applicable (this will vary by product category):

a. The package size variation purchased last time, and the time before last

b. The form of the product purchased last time

c. The color, scent, texture of other variation of the product purchased last time

d. The purchase price last time

e. The quantity of packages purchased last time

f. The type of retail store, outlet, e-tailer, etc. for the last purchase

5. Develop a series of scaled questions to measure the level of satisfaction the consumer/respondent has relative to key product attributes:

a. Identify about six key product category attributes that reflect the consumer’s primary considerations when purchasing and using a brand.

b. Develop a series of scaled questions to measure the respondent’s intensity regarding each of the attributes. There are a number of different types of scaling approaches that can be used. Part of the questionnaire design process is to select an appropriate scale measuring methodology.

c. In common language, this series of questions is intended to identify the components of satisfaction with the brand most frequently used.

d. Develop a scaled question to measure the overall satisfaction the respondent has with the brand they most frequently use.

Step 5 – Classification / Demographic Questions

The purpose of this section is to classify the respondent using demographic, lifestyle, geographic, media habits, and other descriptive measures. These descriptive measures help target and access the consumer in developing the marketing strategy.

1. Identify four to six questions to classify the respondent that will aid in developing a targeted marketing strategy.

2. Identify one or two lifestyle or media habit questions that will help the marketer better access the consumer when developing a targeted marketing strategy.

3. There may be lifestyle behaviors or other that are relevant to the use and marketing of the product such as being outdoors-oriented or occasions for use of the product (time of day, seasonality, family life cycle, etc.). These questions can be included in the classification section.

Step 6 – The Close

Develop a polite closing statement that thanks the respondent for their time and acknowledges their contribution. More than a simple thank you.