Research Concerning Consumer Behaviour Regarding The Laptop Market, Laptop Preferences And Related Variables

"Research concerning consumer behaviour regarding the

laptop market, laptop preferences and related variables"

Course: Marketing Research

Tutor: Dr. Carlos J.S. LourenÐ*o

Institution: Tilburg University

Location: Tilburg

Date: 2007

1

Introduction

In light of the premaster Marketing Management, I have written this statistical analysis rapport. After a

period of extensive research, analysis and evaluation, I have been able to map out the conclusions,

which Ire requested of us in light of understanding practical marketing research related issues.

This rapport has been written as a result of the course "marketing research". This course is given in

order to learn how to judiciously use (multivariate) statistical methods to support strategic and tactical

marketing decisions.

A major PC retailer in Tilburg needs help defining and implementing a new strategy to stimulate sales

and increase profit. In order to cope with frequent new product introductions in the portable PC

segment the retailer has already gathered information on which attributes consumers consider more

valuable when choosing to buy a laptop. These attributes, as Ill as psychographic variables are taken

into account when conducting the analyses. These analyses are concentrated on multiple marketing

research techniques. These include: logistic regression, conjoint analysis, cluster analysis and factor

analysis.

This rapport contains six chapters. Chapter one will describe the profiles of the current laptop owners

using logistic regression. Chapter two will analyze the ratings of the laptop profiles made by

consumers with the help of a conjoint analysis. The number and composition of market segments will

be explained via a cluster analysis in chapter three. The question of how the segments differ from one

another will be answered in chapter four using a factor analysis. Chapter five will be a description of

ideal laptops based on the results of the conjoint analysis. Finally, chapter six will elaborate on how to

improve the current conjoint analysis. Please note that, unless stated otherwise, all the tables refer to

the tables in the appendices.

Last but not least I want to thank Mr. C.J.S. LourenÐ*o for his assistance and overall guidance that has

led to the production of this rapport.

Tilburg, 07 May 2007

Jonathan M. Vandorien

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Table of contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................ 1

Table of contents.................................................................................................................................. 2

Chapter 1 - Laptop owner's profile ..................................................................................................... 3

1.1 Design .......................................................................................................................................... 3

1.2 Logistic Regression Model ............................................................................................................ 3

1.3 Goodness-of-fit............................................................................................................................. 3

1.3 Validation...................................................................................................................................... 4

1.4 Interpretation ................................................................................................................................ 4

Chapter 2 - Laptop ratings assessment ............................................................................................. 5

2.1 General design............................................................................................................................. 5

2.2 Correlations.................................................................................................................................. 5

2.3 Utility scores................................................................................................................................. 5

2.4 Relative importance ...................................................................................................................... 5

Chapter 3 - Market heterogeneity........................................................................................................ 6

3.1 Clustering method ......................................................................................................................... 6

3.2 Number of clusters ........................................................................................................................ 6

3.3 Validation...................................................................................................................................... 6

3.4 Interpretation ................................................................................................................................ 6

Chapter 4 - Differences between segments.......................................................................................