Consumer Behaviour MKT00102
End of Session 1 Examination 2020
UNIT: MKT00102 – Consumer Behaviour
TIME ALLOWED: 24 hours in total. The Exam is to be completed and uploaded no later than Thursday 11th June 2020 at 9am (AEST)
Instructions :
Only one submission is permitted to the TurnItIn link.
You must complete your exam on the Exam Questions document in the spaces provided under each question. You can expand the space under each question if needed.
This is an OPEN BOOK exam where the use of study resources such as textbooks and tutorial materials are permitted.
When complete, upload your Exam document to Exam link in the Assessment Tasks and Submission menu on the unit MySCU learning site. As your completed Word document is submitted through Turnitin, academic standards of referencing and originality are mandatory.
Action required if you have download or upload issues.
1. If you experience internet connection problems and are unable to download the Exam file you must take a photo or screenshot of the error message and email Joanne Phythian at joanne.phythian@scu.edu.au immediately (through your phone if your computer is not working). Ensure you attach a photo of the error message as evidence.
2. If you experience delays in uploading your completed exam document, you are required to email a copy of the exam to your Unit Assessor. However, you will need to complete a successful upload before your exam can be accepted for marking.
Exam format:
Section A – worth 30 marks. You need to answer all questions.
Section B – worth 30 marks. You need to answer all questions.
Marks will be allocated for demonstrating your knowledge and application of concepts from the Consumer Behaviour unit.
The exam is worth 30% of your total assessment so your exam mark out of 60 will be halved to provide a mark out of 30.
Consumer Behaviour MKT00102
Section A (30 marks): You must answer ALL questions in this section
Question A1 (10 marks)
You want to form positive attitudes towards reducing consumers footprint on the environment through encouraging less use of plastics, and plastic products and encouraging the use of non-plastic bags when purchasing at supermarkets and stores.
Which attitude component would you target and why? (4 marks)
The most effective attitude component to target would be the behavioural aspect. It targets and alters a person’s purchase or consumption behaviour, after which the person’s beliefs are adjusted (Topic 5). In this case, using this target will help convince the person to change their view of the environmental care to a positive one, so that they may be further encouraged to reduce use of plastic. The trustworthiness of this truth can be based on the motive assessment, so that the good of a green environment is seen. 86
What type of appeal would you use, and why? (2 marks)
Fear can be used to identify the consequences that can come from little or no consideration of the environment. Once the person sees this, they will be more moved to work on improving their environment through elimination of plastic use. An emotional message can also be used to help the person realize that this step will be positively impactful. Emotions can best be used to show the person that there is good in caring for the environment for others too. 80
Do you think social media is suited to attitudinal change in this case? Why or why not? (4 marks)
Social media is suited to this attitudinal change since pictures and videos showing the effect of plastic on the environment can be used to reach out to people’s emotions. The moving messages in such pictures or videos can be tweaked to bring out the fear and emotions linked to the environmental misuse and carelessness, thus showing the good that comes out of providing care instead (Topic 5). With a good understanding of those who are being targeted, the message can be adjusted to be appealing to them for change. 87
Question A2 (10 marks)
What is the main determinant of the type of learning approach used, and why? (2 mark)
The situational needs of the consumer are the main determinant of the type of learning approach used. These are the determining factors of the motivation that the consumer will have towards their learning (Topic 6). This will then determine how much effort will be put into the marketing of the product to the consumer.
For each of the following products, which learning theory would you use to ensure the consumer learns a favourable positioning for the product, and why? (8 marks)
Chanel perfume
Vicarious learning under cognitive learning would be used in this case since the public gets to borrow their purchase ideas from celebrities who are mostly used to market such products. They observe the behaviour of celebrities and adopt it as their own.
iPhone
Classical conditioning stands out in this case. Consumers are usually attracted to iPhones due to the branding that Apple took on. This is attractive to consumers, thus encouraging them to purchase the iPhone. This is where classical effectively works (Topic 6). On top of this, seeing the glamour that others hold on to in line with this product, people are motivated to buy.
Harley Davidson motorcycles
Operant conditioning is the learning theory effective in this case. Marketing is done in a manner that encourages product trial. Once the consumer enjoys the experience, they are then motivated to respond to the stimulus through motorcycle purchase.
Cadbury chocolate
This one too falls under operant conditioning since the consumer engages in product trial so that it becomes a reward. Samples may be given to test how the market responds to the stimulus. The consumer market then slowly grows as they find out their liking (or lack of it) towards the product.
Question A3 (10 marks)
What impact has technology had on consumer behaviour and the decision making process? Discuss and demonstrate your understanding by applying your knowledge of concepts from consumer behaviour.
Technology is variously impactful on consumer behavior. On this note, it aids in the recognition of a problem with an identification of the desired state against the actual state of the consumer. This triggers an information search, with the external search bringing to affect the use of technology. This is effective in identifying the solution to the problem earlier identified (Topic 3). From the search, the consumer evaluates the alternatives that work best for them and then selects them. The costs and benefits of each alternative are measured in the process.
The consumer is then able to search and identify the most suitable store to purchase their product from, based on the options and costs. All this can be done from the internet. After purchase, the consumer can either make a complaint, use the product with no repeat purchase, or be encouraged to take on repeat purchases leading to brand loyalty (Topic 4). These processes are possible over the internet where the consumer engages with the company or decides to reach out to other providers.
Section B (30 marks): Marketing high performance, designer active wear
This question contains 5 parts. You must answer ALL questions in this section.
You have been employed as a marketing consultant by a boutique Sydney athletic wear company to develop a marketing campaign for a new line of high performance, luxury designer active wear (gym and exercise clothing) made from organic and recycled fabrics and materials. The range is designed for women and men and is available online and instore.
B1. Identify two potential target market segments for the active wear. Explain and support your answer. (4 marks)
Target Market 1: Upper class/Upper middle class people with active lifestyles.
This is a good target group since they are able to afford the active wear that meets their high performance needs while keeping fit. At the same time, it meets their high quality needs.
Target Market 2: Upper class/upper middle class people with active lifestyles and motivated to care for the environment.
This target market segment works since it is able to afford the active wear which also meets its quality and high performance needs. At the same time, people within this segment are able to keep fit while caring for the environment by making well-thought-out purchases
B2. For one of the target markets you have identified above in question B1, describe how the consumer would proceed through the decision making process for purchasing an active wear outfit from the new activewear line. Explain your answer. (10 marks)
The decision making process for the upper class group with an active lifestyle would be detailed in such a manner as recognizing the problem of needing luxury designer active wear, of high quality, and of high performance. This is the consumer’s greatest need. Their actual state is the absence of such active wear with their desired state being the gap that is to be filled by the purchase of active wear that meets their needs. With this awareness, the consumer conducts an information search through external sources and in this case, marketing sources which help them identify the active wear by various companies including the Sydney Active Wear Company (Topic 3). With various options arrived at during their internet information search, they now have several alternatives to consider. With the evaluations at hand, conducting an evaluation is the next important step. This helps them identify the Sydney Active Wear Company as having met their needs of high performance and luxury designer active wear, thus selecting them as their supplier. After identifying this as the store of choice, the consumer purchases the active wear from the company’s retail store or online store (Topic 4). The store meets the consumer’s requirements and then brand loyalty is born, making the consumer a repeat customer.
B3 Explain two different internal influences that would impact the decision making process for the chosen target market and support your choice (4 marks)
Personal experiences and past searches by the consumer are two important internal influences that are highly impactful on the consumer’s decision making processes. Personal experiences are stored in the consumer’s memory, either positively or negatively (Topic 3). If the consumer has had a good experience before from active wear companies selling luxury designer active wear, then they are hopeful and trusting of the Sydney-based company. Negative experiences would, however, affect this decision for them and they might be reluctant. Past searches may encourage them to try out something that they have been eyeing for a while.
B4 Explain two different external influences that would impact the decision making process for the chosen target market and support your choice (4 marks)
Marketing sources and personal sources are highly impacting on the consumer’s decision making process. This is especially true when advertisements and active wear company websites depict the true state of the active wear experiences of other consumers as well as honest thoughts of the active wear by the company (Topic 3). Personal sources such as friends and family may encourage the consumer to purchase active wear from the Sydney-based company due to positive experiences that they have had, thus prompting the consumer to conduct a purchase and become a repeat customer.
B5 Based on your answers above, recommend and discuss two marketing strategies that you think could ensure success of the new active wear line for the chosen target market. (8 marks)
The new active wear line can have a successful marketing impact when approach-approach and approach-avoidance motivation conflicts are applied as marketing strategies for the campaign. The approach-approach motivation conflict would be such that the consumer can purchase their active wear from the retail store with the advantage of getting a smart watch as a bonus for the luxury purchase, running for the next one month (Topic 7). At the same time, they have the option of purchasing their choice of active wear online, where the company is selling the active wear at 10% off, seeing that the company just went online, on top of the presence of its retail store.
Looking at the approach-avoidance motivation conflict case, the consumer can pick one of two options. They can either opt for the in-store purchase that comes with no discount and is available for only one week, at which point it will be phased out for a new design. They can also opt for the online purchase that comes with a smart watch as a bonus but the active wear available here is not for high performance use.
References
Topic 3
Topic 4
Topic 5
Topic 6
Topic 7
