Chapter-4

Fashion Marketing Research

 What is marketing research?
• Kotler (2000) defines marketing research as ‘the systematic design,
analysis and reporting of data and findings relevant to a specific
marketing situation facing the company’.
 Comparison of market research & marketing
research

Areas covered by market research

Consumer Market Segmentatio

Market size competition Market share
profiles potential n studies
 Comparison of market research & marketing
research

Areas covered by marketing research

Promotion
and Pricing Distribution Competitor Trade Product Consumer Market
creative research research analysis analysis research research research
research
 Why is information necessary?
• Aggressive competitors pose serious threats for both large and small
businesses in the constant fight to maintain and increase their market
share.
• To maximize opportunities the successful business person must make the
right decisions at the right time.
• The consequence of making the wrong decision can be financial ruin.
 Marketing research as part of a marketing
information system (MIS)
• Successful companies operate marketing information systems to gather
accurate, up-to-date information, analyze it and disseminate the results to
appropriate decision-makers in time to allow the company to maximize its
opportunities and to avoid potential threats.
 The scope of marketing research
• Marketing research can provide information on the size and structure of a
specific market as well as information about current trends, consumer
preferences, a competitor’s activities, advertising effectiveness,
distribution methods and pricing research.
• Marketing research can also play a vital role in the development of new
products and new advertising and promotion strategies.
 Types of Research
• Qualitative research uses techniques such as group discussions,
individual depth interviews, projective techniques and observation. The
information obtained attempts to find out the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of a
situation, rather than ‘how many’. Qualitative research is invaluable for
basic exploratory studies, new product development and creative
development studies.
• Quantitative research provides information to which numbers can be
applied. Quantitative research is best-known face of marketing research
and its main survey method is what most people recognize as marketing
research.
 Stages in the research process
1. Define the research problem and set the research objectives
2. Design the research. It includes-
a) Data sources
b) Select the sampling method
c) Select the data collection method
d) Design the data collection form (questionnaire)
3. Test the research design (pilot)
4. Collect the data
5. Analyze the data and interpret the result
6. Present the findings
 Research design
• Exploratory research- most useful in the early stages of research,
particularly if the research is not familiar with the subject area.
• Descriptive research- it provides an accurate description of the variables
uncovered by the exploratory stage. This could be used to investigate the
market share of a company’s products or the demographic characteristics
of the target market.
• Causal research- is used to determine the relationship between variables.
Ex- the relationship between advertising and repeat purchases.
 Data sources
• Secondary sources
• Primary sources
 Practical sampling methods

• Deciding sample size

 Choice of a sampling method

Sampling
Method

Non-
Probability
Probability

Simple Systematic Convenienc

Stratified Cluster Judgment Quota
random random e
 Systematic random sampling
• For example, the researcher has a population total of 100 individuals and
need 12 subjects. He first picks his starting number, 5.
• Then the researcher picks his interval, 8. The members of his sample will
be individuals 5, 13, 21, 29, 37, 45, 53, 61, 69, 77, 85, 93.
• “Quasi-random” method
 Primary data collection methods

• Observation • Personal interview

• Personal observation • Telephone interviewing
• Mechanical observation
• Mail (postal) questionnaire
• Focus group
• Experimentation
• Surveys
 Attitude measurement and rating scales
• Nominal scales
• Ordinal scales
• Interval scales
• Ration scales
• The Likert scale
• The semantic differential scale