Reference no: EM132360671

A Report to Analyse the Consumer Behaviour Related to the Purchase of Hugo Boss infinite perfume.

Instructions for assessment

The formative and summative assessments are based on an analysis of consumer behaviour for a specified purchase and recommendations for improving the customer experience throughout the consumer journey.

For this instance of the module, the chosen purchase takes place at a shopping mall - e.g. Westfield.

Students should agree with their tutor a choice of purchase and store from the list below:

List of potential purchases (at chosen shopping mall, i.e. Westfield Shepherds Bush West London for Roehampton students)

• A smart grooming/cosmetics product for men or women e.g.Boots
• An item of furniture - e.g. Next Home
• A backpack, handbag or briefcase - e.g. Accessorize
• A baby's pushchair - e.g. Mothercare
• An item of jewellery(excluding watches) - e.g. Ernest Jones
• Hi-Fi/audio equipment - e.g. HMV
• A pair of shoes for work - e.g. Clarks
• Other options are available - but you must agree your choice with your tutor

Formative assessment - group poster presentation including draft reference list

This assessment is based on a purchase that takes place within a shopping centre / mall designated by or agreed with your tutor e.g. Westfield (Shepherd's Bush or Stratford City), Brent Cross, Trafford Centre, Arndale, Bullring, Custard Factory etc.

The Task for the Formative Assessment

Research, describe, and analyse the consumption context as a consumer behaviour researcher of the designated shopping mall. Combine your observations with relevant consumer behaviour theory to develop insights into the consumer behaviour/consumption experiences for your chosen brand.

Things to think about:
You need to plan and undertake a number of trips to the relevant shopping mall e.g. Westfield, in your own time to make and record your observations. During your visits, remember that you are acting as a researcher observer only e.g. you cannot question other visitors or staff.

Consider how and where the brand/store is positioned/located e.g. competitors within shopping mall; staffing and store display; the shopping experience: types of customers/shoppers and their shopping behaviour (implied motivations, attitudes; are they shopping alone or with others etc.?)

Summarise your findings and insights on a poster that will be presented in the seminar in week six. The poster format is up to you. It could be an A1 flipchart sheet or an A3 infographic, for example (ask your tutor for resources). As a team you will talk through your poster. This is a chance for the group to be creative, and obtain feedback from tutors and peers. Feel free to discuss your preparations for your poster with your tutors in seminars.

You also need to provide a list of references that you used. Also, include those you plan to use. Document your sources using the Harvard referencing protocol. These may be listed on a separate sheet of A4 to accompany the poster.

Summative Assessment - written individual assignment

The Task for the Summative Assessment
Using the research you carried out in groups for the formative assessment, as well as theories and ideas from the module, prepare a report which i) analyses the consumer behaviour related to your chosen product/purchase and ii) makes recommendations for improvements in the customer experience throughout the customer journey.

Your work must demonstrate knowledge of:

- Concept(s) - use relevant consumer behaviour academic papers and text books - especially (but not limited to) the ones we use on the module
- Context - use customer insight and market reports (e.g. from your own primary research and secondary sources such as Mintel or Statistica), and other sources including company websites, visit to company office/facilities - the formative assessment should help build this material

Show you know about relevant ideas covered on the module, show you understand them, attempt to critique them and compare them with other ideas, in your own words,to answer the question set

Your report for Consumer Behaviour should have the following structure:

Title Page
Make your report look professional with a title page that tells the reader what the report will cover:

Module: Consumer Behaviour, module code, summative assessment etc.
Suggested title: ‘A Report to Analyse the Consumer Behaviour Related to the Purchase of [insert chosen purchase context] and Recommendations for Improvements in the Customer Experience along the Customer Journey'.

Please do not include your name on your work so that we can mark anonymously - you can, if you wish, include your student ID number (excluding the first three letters).

Part 1
Summary of your purchase at the selected shopping mall i.e. Westfield. This should include:
a) A statement of your purchase - and identify (with reasons) whether your purchase situation is likely to be high or low involvement.
b) Identify the storeto which you later provide your recommendations on the customer experience and journey
c) A profile of your main target market(tip: do not just mention demographics - use theory from Principles of Marketing)
(Guidelines word limit for section 1: approximately 500 words)

Part 2
Your customer journey and experience (use primary and secondary data and apply theory).
Pre-purchase considerations / issues. This will include an analysis of the factorsthat influence your consumer target market including the likely trigger and relevant motivations, personality traits, attitudes, social groups and culture and the pre-purchase process from trigger to search to evaluation of alternatives depending on their level of involvement (tip: refer to relevant theory from the core text, lecture slides and readings).

Purchase considerations / issues focusing on the store environment and customer purchase experience including the interplay between in-store and online customer experiences. Include relevant theory on perceptual process and sensory factors and the impact of who your target market may be shopping with and other people in the store (social processes).

Post-purchase considerations / issues: this may include issues related to cognitive dissonance actual consumption, disposal and (e) word of mouth communication such as online reviews.
(guidelines word limit for section 2: approximately 1250 words)

Part 3
Recommendations for store manageron how to improve customer journey and purchase experience at your store (and how the in-store and online store experience inter-link). Make sure that your recommendations are based on and link to your earlier analysis of the customer journey and experience in section 2. Recommendations are stronger if they are specific, and demonstrate consideration of resource implications.
(guidelines word limit for section 3: approximately 750 words)

References- this must include the core text, important readings from the module (e.g. Tauber's paper Why Do People Shop? - see link on week 1 reading list) sources of secondary and primary data (e.g. Mintel and the Westfield presentation); and any additional sources (e.g. a recent article from Marketing Week).

Appendices this may include, for example, a table of practical details of your observations (primary data) and any supplementary secondary data tables or figures

Students are encouraged to use photographs, charts and diagrams throughout their work. Include visual material at the point where you refer to them in the main body of your report. This will make it easier for the reader to follow your arguments.

Total word count 2500 words +/- 10% excluding charts, diagrams, tables, appendices and bibliography/reference lists.

Marking Scheme divided as follows - please see marking rubric for details

1. Research: Knowledge of organisation, consumer behaviour (CB) and market, to support customer journey (CJ) analysis - should include relevant primary observations and secondary data

2. Customer Journey Evaluation. Evaluation of key stages and considerations of Customer Journey. Application of data & theory in context of your chosen CJ and store

3. Recommendations: Creative insights and specific recommendations for senior store management within the shopping mall to improve customer journey and customer experience

4. Logical structure, clear presentation of ideas, adherence to word count and referencing