Search results

It is important to remain creative when conducting segmentation research, as many different ways to segment a market can exist. Five main bases are discussed: geographic, demographic, psychographic, behaviouristic and image. This is followed by an overview of the main techniques used to establish and verify segments, including automatic interaction detector, conjoint analysis, multidimensional scaling and canonical analysis.

The marketing literature has emphasised the importance of marketing orientation as a means of achieving organisational objectives. A number of studies that have examined the marketing orientation and business performance relationship have found mixed results culminating in inconclusive evidence. This paper examines the marketing practices and investigates the marketing strategy‐business performance relationship across logistics companies in the Asia‐Pacific region. The exploratory analysis suggests a positive relationship between market segmentation and performance. Differentiation and market orientation do not seem to be significantly associated with improved performance, although cross‐functional customer focus shows a significant relationship. Further discriminant analysis of the significant predictor variables suggests that two variables, viz. market segmentation and positioning, and cross‐functional customer focus are useful in differentiating between high and low performers. Managerial and further research implications for this increasingly important industry in the Asia‐Pacific region are discussed.

Uses benefit needs to segment the online marketing market. Employs focus groups and a random sampling survey to search for consumer benefit needs and then segments the market by these benefits sought by customers. Shows that the various segments display significant differences in the benefits sought, lifestyles and demographics etc. Suggests that this work can assist marketing managers to focus on one or more segments that show salient consumer preferences for the benefits provided by their products or services.

Reviews the current transition in French retail banking from oligopolistic power and strict state control towards a greater marketing orientation and competitive challenges. Drawing on research including interviews with French marketing practitioners, identifies a number of trends in marketing practice – the expansion and targeting of products and distribution channels, packaging products and “personalizing” services. Illustrates the centrality of market segmentation to these practices by the use of a case study company, Credit Agricole. Focusing on the organization′s use of a psychographic study on European lifestyles, shows segmentation to be a core strategic tool in a changing society and competitive marketplace. Concludes by noting the parallels between developments in France and elsewhere, but also highlighting the application of marketing in particular economic and cultural contexts. In addition, identifies some possible dangers with targeting and “courting” particular consumer segments with a “personalized” service.

Consumer motivation is often quite idiosyncratic in its structure, not just in its position within a response space common to all customers. The sensitivity to sensory and conceptual influences of an individual′s brand choices can be used to measure the strengths and interactions of those influences on that person′s choice in the type of situation tested. Aggregation of the resulting personal response spaces provides greater operationalisation and definition of marketing opportunities than other modelling methods. Examples are given for drinks sweetened with sugar or low‐calorie sweetener.

The purpose of this paper is to explore the use of ambivalence in benefit‐based segmentation of convenience food in Norway.

Building on the attitude‐ambivalence literature and research about food convenience, a hierarchic cluster analysis is performed based on a nation‐wide representative survey of 1,154 Norwegian consumers.

The study's effort to use attitudinal ambivalence as a basis for benefit or attitude segmentation proved to be useful in finding segments with different profiles in the area of convenience food. The results reveal three consumer segments based on evaluation of quality, value, ambivalence and perceived morals towards convenience food: the “Convenient”, the “Ambivalent”, and the “Dissatisfied” consumer. While the Convenient have positive feelings and the Dissatisfied negative feelings toward convenience food, the Ambivalent have mixed feelings and feel guilt when eating ready meals. The ambivalent consumers share beliefs, attitudes, values and behaviour at a position somewhere between the “Convenient” and the “Dissatisfied” on most variables. However, in some areas they are close to the “Dissatisfied”, e.g. on variables such as perceived nutritional value, serving/buying ready meals, time used for making dinner or planning their meals. In a few areas they are closer to the “Convenient”, e.g. appeal to children, consuming, soups and pasta, and age above 60.

Future research on benefit or attitudinal segmentation should consider including a measure of perceived ambivalence associated with the investigated products or services.

The practical implications are addressing a potential for the convenience food industry and subsequently suggesting a positioning strategy to adopt ambivalent consumers.

The paper presents new insights into consumer benefit segmentation and in empirical research on convenience food with a particular focus on ambivalence and moral attitudes.

The aim of this study is to profile types of gifters via a set of psychographic consumption traits (frugality, gratitude, market mavenism and novelty seeking) and identify differences among the groups regarding their gift-purchasing behavior.

Based on the data from 193 participants, the authors seek to identify and profile unique consumer segments (gifters) generated from the four psychographic consumption traits. Second, once the segments are established, the authors analyze how the segments differ across 16 unique gift-purchasing behaviors.

The data generated four distinct consumer segments: experiential gifters, considerate gifters, convenience gifters and astute gifters. Across the segments, there were differences in their gift consumption behavior (e.g. time/effort spent, desire for customization, gift presentation, derived joy, purchasing frequency, eco-friendliness, seeking assistance, regifting and more).

US-based sample was collected via an online panel in January; this may restrict the generalizability of the research, given that gift consumption customs may vary across different countries. Thus, future research should include participants from other geographic regions to increase the external validity of the research.

Retail managers can use this knowledge to devise marketing strategies focused on the gift-purchasing behaviors of each group.

Segmenting clusters based on differences in consumption traits provides insights to retailers looking to build a competitive advantage, particularly in a gift purchasing context.

The purpose of this paper is to classify live chat service users in the banking industry and provide relevant descriptive information on each group to be able to suggest appropriate strategies to managers.

A total of 682 panelists from a large Canadian polling firm self-administer a web-based questionnaire. Respondents are users of financial sector live chat services. Two-step cluster analysis was performed.

Four groups emerge from the analysis. Young frequent users (Group 1) attach dominant importance to speed of service, whereas computer users (Group 3) and conservative users (Group 4) who avail themselves of live chat services via computer focus on ease of use.

This study, which details four groups of live chat service users in the banking industry, enables managers to better adapt their strategies to the different market segments with a view to providing customers with better quality service and enhancing their experience.

The study presents the first live chat service classification to detail user profiles and examine differences at the before, during and after phases of the user experience. Findings enrich the body of academic literature in the service sector, in particular literature focusing on customer service in the banking industry. The paper also provides an interesting managerial framework for the implementation of successful, segment-specific strategies.

This study aims to report the results of a survey of diners’ behavior during production and consumption of dining services with three objectives. The first objective is to create customer segments that represent distinct patterns of customer participation in hospitality service encounters. The second objective is to profile these identified customer segments in terms of demographics, attitudes and behaviors. The third objective is to evaluate the relationship between customer participation segments and service outcomes.

Data were collected through an online survey of American casual dining customers. The data were analyzed using principal components factor analysis, cluster analysis on the factor scores, discriminant analysis that validated the group differences among clusters and multivariate analysis of variance on the cluster variables to determine the source of differences between groups.

The evidence showed that restaurant customers can be segmented into meaningful groups according to their reported behaviors and that level of participation is related to perceived service outcomes.

The findings suggest that service providers can use customer participation segments to understand those customers’ service needs and wants. They can then design service strategies tailored to the needs of target customer groups.

This study is the first to identify distinct segments based on hospitality customers’ roles and behaviors in service delivery. This study makes a significant contribution to the hospitality marketing literature by advancing the trend to improve service quality through a non-traditional approach, that is, by building partnerships with customers.

The concept of grit has been receiving increased attention in recent years. Grit is a trait that enables individuals to persevere while facing challenges and obstacles in life, sometimes “winning at any cost”. The purpose of the study is to understand how ethical views may vary among different groups of people segmented on grittiness. Our key argument is that grittier segment is more inclined towards Machiavellian factors (amorality, desire for control, desire for status, distrust of others) and materialism.

Data derived from self-administered questionnaires completed by convenience samples of Indonesians living in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY), a region commonly considered as the miniature of Indonesia. Turning to market segmentation tools (n = 467), we first segment people based on their level of grittiness and, subsequently, investigate each segment's perception towards various Machiavellian factors (amorality, desire for control, distrust of others) and materialistic attitudes.

The study identified three segments of grittiness: The Least Gritty (the Good), The More Gritty (the Bad) and The Most Gritty (the Ugly). The results of this study showed the dark side of grit. Individuals with higher grit traits are more likely to behave unethically which could be referred to as “bad” and “ugly”. To help them succeed, cheating and lying are more likely considered acceptable by gritty individuals compared to less gritty “good” individuals.

Merely focussing on grit–be it grit promotion or training–may produce individuals who achieve success at all costs and disregard ethical values. An implication from the study is not to discourage developing grit in individuals but instead to add and emphasise ethical components. This implication is especially critical for educators and managers developing grit as a part of their activities.

The results of this study will have important theoretical implications and managerial implications educators balancing the consequences of teaching grit, but also for managers interested in understanding employees' level of grit within their workplaces along with ethical considerations.