Market Survey Report: Analyzing Consumer Behavior in Car Selection

This report analyzes consumer behavior in car selection based on a market survey of three respondents, applying the compensatory decision rule to understand their choices among six different car models. The analysis considers factors like engine size, safety features, seat capacity, and price, alongside demographic characteristics such as age, gender, ethnicity, income, and lifestyle. The report identifies the expected car choices based on the compensatory analysis and compares them with the actual choices, explaining any differences through theoretical analysis and other influencing factors. Ultimately, the report offers recommendations for marketers to effectively position car brands by aligning them with specific customer characteristics, leveraging insights from memory and learning theories to enhance marketing strategies.

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
Consumer Behavior
Student:
Institution:

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
2
Executive summary
The process of selecting a vehicle for personal or business use is based on several factors.
Different people will make various decisions when they are confronted with the question of
buying a car. Given a similar company that produces cars, people will chose different models
based on what suits them. This essay is a report of a market survey conducted to collect data on
what informs consumer choices in car selection. It provides analysis of three respondents who
were given six cars with different features to choose. The analysis applies the compensatory
decision rule in analyzing the behaviors of the three consumers. Also, it uses some other theories
and features such are age, gender, ethnicity, as well as lifestyles to analyze how different people
make car purchasing decisions. From the compensatory analysis, the report provides the
expected cars that the clients may buy. However, the theoretical analysis and other factors
provide the exact cars the customers could actually buy. From these report, there are some of the
recommendations that will help marketers to position a brand car with the respective customer
characteristics. The recommendations are made from the analysis of the consumer behavior by
the use of memory and learning theories.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
3
Table of Contents
Executive summary.........................................................................................................................2
Introduction......................................................................................................................................4
Compensatory Decision Rule..........................................................................................................4
Theoretical analysis.........................................................................................................................6
Recommendations............................................................................................................................7
Conclusion.......................................................................................................................................7
References........................................................................................................................................8

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
4
Introduction
Different cars have different features. Thus, customers will also behave differently in
making their purchase decisions (Evans et al. 2006). The existence of various vehicle
manufactures justified by the technical and engineering variations incorporated in the cars. In
assessing consumer behavior, the compensatory decision rule requires a customer to assign
weights to different features. Some car choice decisions are based on engine capacity, smart
features, speed, lifespan, warrant, and unique features for automation in checking any fault
(Ozaki and Sevastyanova, 2011). Also, consumers will make decisions based on their income
levels, lifestyles, as well as the nature of roads in their countries. Highly priced cars are always
associated with excellent quality.
Compensatory Decision Rule
From the first respondent, it is evident that the choices of engine size and type, as well as
systems that alert the driver to road conditions are necessary for car selection. The respondent
gave same weights for these factors as the most important in making a purchase decision. From
this criterion, it is expected that the client will go for a Toyota Prius or a Toyota Camry Ascent
Sport.
Decision matrix
Evaluative Criteria Importance Score
Choice of petrol/diesel/hybrid
engine
10
Number of seats available 30

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
5
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-Collision
Safety System, Lane
Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
10
Smart start and entry system 30
Engine capacity 5
Size of touchscreen display 5
Storage inside the car 10
Total 100
Decision matrix
Evaluative Criteria Toyota
Hilux SR
4x2 Hi-
Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris ZR
Choice of
petrol/diesel/hybrid engine
1 3 5 1 1 1
Number of seats available 2 4 4 4 5 4

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
6
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-
Collision Safety System,
Lane Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
1 2 3 5 2 3
Smart start and entry
system
1 1 5 1 5 1
Engine capacity 5 1 3 1 1 2
Size of touchscreen
display
3 1 5 1 1 3
Storage inside the car 4 4 4 5 4 1
Choice of car
The respondent chose a Toyota Camry Ascent Sport. It has a higher engine capacity and
relatively secure systems that alert the driver on the road and the conditions of the car
Toyota
Hilux
SR 4x2
Hi-Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris ZR

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
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Rank 5 2 1 3 4 6
Some of the reasons why the respondent chose a Camry and not a Hilux or Prius include
cost. Among the vehicles with the highest engine capacity, this car is a bit cheap. Also, it is fit
for personal use due to its size and seat capacity.
For the second respondent, it is clear that the best criteria for choosing the best car are the
multiple systems that alert driver on road and vehicle condition, out of 100, this criterion
attracted a score of 50 percent. From this response, it is expected that this respondent will go for
a Toyota C-HR AWD. This car has all these features with safety sensory that provides useful
information on the condition of the vehicle and that of the road. Also, the client has the option of
selecting a Toyota Yaris ZR even though its sensitivity to safety system is not as high as that of
the Toyota C-HR AWD.
Evaluative Criteria Importance Score
Choice of petrol/diesel/hybrid
engine
5
Number of seats available 10
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-Collision
Safety System, Lane
Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
50

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
8
Smart start and entry system 5
Engine capacity 10
Size of touchscreen display 10
Storage inside the car 10
Total 100
Decision matrix
Evaluative Criteria Toyota
Hilux SR
4x2 Hi-
Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris ZR
Choice of
petrol/diesel/hybrid engine
2 1 5 2 1 1
Number of seats available 3 5 5 3 5 5
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-
Collision Safety System,
Lane Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
2 2 1 5 1 5
Smart start and entry 1 3 5 1 5 1

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
9
system
Engine capacity 4 1 4 1 1 1
Size of touchscreen
display
4 1 1 1 1 3
Storage inside the car 1 3 4 3 3 2
Choice of car
This resident finally chose the Toyota Yaris ZR since it has some of the features
considered to be the best.
Toyota
Hilux
SR 4x2
Hi-Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris ZR
Rank 6 2 3 4 5 1
Some of the reason why the client made this choice includes the pricing of the two cars.
Even if there are the same features regarding what the client prefers, the Yaris is cheaper. Thus,
this client made a decision to buy this car based on other conditions even though her selection
criteria indicated that she could have purchased the C-HR AWD.

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
10
The third respondent based considers the number of seats as well as smart entry and start
systems as the necessary conditions in making a purchase consideration. Based on these two
aspects, it is expected that the respondent will buy a Toyota Kluger AWD GXL.
Evaluative Criteria Importance Score
Choice of petrol/diesel/hybrid
engine
30
Number of seats available 5
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-Collision
Safety System, Lane
Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
30
Smart start and entry system 10
Engine capacity 5
Size of touchscreen display 5
Storage inside the car 15
Total 100
Decision matrix
Evaluative Criteria Toyota
Hilux SR
4x2 Hi-
Rider
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris ZR

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
11
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Choice of
petrol/diesel/hybrid engine
1 5 5 1 1 1
Number of seats available 3 5 3 3 5 3
Multiple systems to alert
driver such as Pre-
Collision Safety System,
Lane Departure Alert and
Automatic High Beam
1 3 3 5 2 5
Smart start and entry
system
1 3 5 1 5 1
Engine capacity 3 3 3 2 2 1
Size of touchscreen
display
5 1 5 1 1 2
Storage inside the car 1 4 5 4 3 2
Choice of car
However, the respondent preferred a Toyota Camry.
Toyota
Hilux
SR 4x2
Toyota
Prius vi-
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Toyota
C-HR
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
Toyota
Yaris ZR

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR
12
Hi-Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-Up
Tech Sport AWD GXL
Rank 6 1 2 4 5 3
It met the smart feature and seating capacity qualification and added some more other
characteristics suitable for the respondent. Some of the other reasons such as income level and
profession might have contributed to her decision (Egbue and Long, 2012).
Comparison table
Toyot
a
Hilux
SR
4x2
Hi-
Rider
Extra-
Cab
Pick-
Up
Toyota
Prius vi-
Tech
Toyota
Camry
Ascent
Sport
Toyota
C-HR
AWD
Toyota
Kluger
AWD
GXL
Toyota
Yaris
ZR