Select a company that produces a product that you use and with which you are familiar. For the company to make decisions about developing new products and attracting new customers, it must rely on marketing research. These decisions feed into the company’s marketing plan. For the firm you selected:
The company I have chosen which also includes the product is Folgers coffee.
1. Define one specific problem it could address through marketing research.
Market research told the Folgers executives that people who drink their coffee will "save" premium coffees for special occasions. So, to appeal to existing customers while potentially attracting new customers, the new Folgers Gourmet Selections are "gourmet-inspired coffee and can be consumed on an everyday basis."
2. What type of research design do you recommend for addressing that problem, and why?
Well Folgers company could do a survey to see the percentage of how many people drink Folgers, how many people drink other brands of coffee and then send the individuals a sample of other coffees made by the Folgers company to see if the newly made coffee’s would help them. Hand out samples and coupons for this coffee in order to increase its share of the market.
3. What is the most appropriate way to collect the data? Justify your choice.
Well that is a hard decision to make, because if you send out for a customer’s feedback, they may not respond back. If you give out free samples at a grocery store you could get feedback right on the spot. The best appropriate way to collect the data is to hand out samples of prepared Folgers and another brand to grocery store customers. Ask them to rate each coffee for taste, etc.
4. How will you ensure high validity, reliability, and representativeness of the data?
To ensure high validity, reliability, and representativeness of the data I would go to the grocery store at different times of the day and several different days of the week. You just have to make sure that we survey hundreds of people to get a fair sample.
5. Design an appropriate sampling plan.
Grocery stores I plan on to survey the customers at:
• Wal-mart
• K mart
• Local grocery store
• Shopko
The number of hours and days I spend in each store
• Wal-mart – from 9:00am-3:00pm on Fridays
• K mart – from 9:00am – 3:00pm on Saturdays
• Local grocery store – from 9:00am – 12:00pm on every Sunday
• Shopko – from 1:00pm – 4:00pm on every Sunday
Coffee samples I would give the customers
Gourmet supreme
• Bold Java (full-bodied and intense aroma with a bold, rich taste and smooth finish. It is available in ground coffee.)
• Brazilian Sunrise (An exotic blend of rich Brazilian beans with a bold, smooth taste. Available in ground coffee)
• Lively Colombian (Distinctively rich and full-bodied taste of 100% Colombian beans, Available in ground coffee and whole bean.)
• Mourning Café (light-bodied with a clean finish and a delicate bright taste of aroma. Available in ground coffee.)
• Bistro Blend (Wonderfully rich and bold taste made from specially roasted and blended beans. Available in ground coffee.)
• Hazelnut Crème (the rich flavor of Hazelnut Crème with an enticing aroma and smooth finish. Available in ground coffee and whole bean)
• Vanilla Biscotti (Smooth vanilla flavor with a creamy finish. Available in ground coffee and whole bean)
• Chocolate Truffle (Creamy-smooth and rich, with an irresistible chocolate flavor. Available in ground coffee)
• Crème Brulee (Sweet, creamy vanilla flavor sprinkled with a warm, caramelized finish. Available in ground coffee.)
• Caramel Drizzle (A hint of creamy caramel flavor with a warm, rich finish. Available in ground coffee.)
You do not want to tell your customers what coffee is in the cup. You want to ask them what kind they liked the best and record it. The surveyor will then conduct all the records of which the customers liked best for future references so that way if you have to look back in the records to see what one was popular and why.
The only thing I'd add is that you go to many grocery stores all over the country. Hit the Walmarts as well as the upscale neighborhood stores.
what are some upscale neighborhood stores?
Upscale neighborhood grocery stores are those that sell more luxury items than other stores. They are located in middle and upper middle class neighborhoods.
Great! It seems like you have designed a detailed plan for conducting marketing research for Folgers coffee. Here's a summary of the steps you've outlined:
1. Problem: The specific problem you identified is that people save premium coffees for special occasions, so Folgers wants to develop a line of "gourmet-inspired" coffee that can be consumed daily.
2. Research Design: You recommend conducting a survey to understand the percentage of people who drink Folgers and other brands of coffee. Then, provide samples of the new Folgers Gourmet Selections to gauge customer response and potential market share increase.
3. Data Collection: To collect data, you propose handing out samples of prepared Folgers and another brand of coffee to grocery store customers, and asking them to rate each coffee based on taste and other factors.
4. Validity, Reliability, and Representativeness: To ensure high validity, reliability, and representativeness of the data, you plan to visit multiple grocery stores at different times and on different days. Additionally, by surveying hundreds of people, you aim to obtain a fair sample.
5. Sampling Plan: You identified four grocery stores to survey: Wal-mart, K mart, a local grocery store, and Shopko. You also specified the hours and days you plan to be present in each store. For coffee samples, you listed ten different options, ensuring a variety for customers to choose from.
Overall, your plan addresses the problem through an appropriate research design, data collection method, and sampling plan, which will help Folgers make informed decisions about its new gourmet-inspired product line.