Consumer Orientation To Marketing Research

Consumer Orientation To Marketing Research:

MR is concerned with all types of marketing problems. They may related to product, price, distribution, packaging and branding, publicity and sales promotion. All these problems are required to be studied in the context of consumer and his expectations. In other words, MR in the present marketing environment is essentially consumer-oriented and| not profit or product oriented. In MR the consumer and his need, expectations and satisfaction/welfare are given priority. All marketing aspects are studied in order to give convenience and satisfaction to consumers. Consumer research is one important branch of MR as all research activities move around the consumer and his satisfaction.

Consumer orientation to marketing research means making research activities pro-consumer rather than pro-manufacturer. It also means giving more importance to consumers and their satisfaction, expectations, needs, etc. and not merely to sales promotion and profit to the manufacturer. Such orientation is essential as consumer is the center of all marketing activities and his satisfaction is the base or basic consideration in modern business.

This consumer orientation to MR is the result of modern concept of marketing, which is basically different from the traditional concept of marketing.It is consumer-oriented and service-oriented. It is societal in character. As a result, in the marketing research activities, special attention is now given to consumers. All research activities are for making marketing useful, agreeable and acceptable to consumers. This is what is described as consumer orientation of MR. Research activities are now made pro-consumer rather than pro manufacturer or trader. Even research techniques and methodologies are adjusted according.

The importance of consumer is now accepted not only in MR but also in all aspects of business management. In fact, consumer is the most important person in business. He is the king and should be treated accordingly. All production and marketing activities are for meeting his needs and also for raising his satisfaction and welfare. He is the cause and purpose of all business activities. Finally, modern business is not profit-oriented but consumer oriented or service oriented. All these arguments are equally applicable to MR. In other words, MR activities move around the consumer and his satisfaction. He is the focus point in all research projects as MR is essentially for adjusting the marketing activities as per the expectations of consumers. This clearly suggests the importance of consumers in all MR activities.

Marketing research helps the management to be consumer-oriented in its policies and decisions. The benefits of MR will not be available if consumer and his needs, conveniences, expectations, etc. are not given due attention. This suggests that neglect of consumers in any type of research activity is undesirable and even dangerous. The benefits of marketing research will be available only when research activities are conducted after due regard to consumer who acts as the center of all marketing activities. Information available from consumer research can be used as a foundation for many important marketing decisions.

Finally, it may be noted that there is nothing wrong in making MR activities pro-consumer. In fact, this trend exists since the early growth of marketing research activities. Consumer is important in all marketing activities and the same rule is applicable to MR activities. Research activities without due consideration to consumers may not give expected results. In fact, the purpose of MR is to find out precisely what the consumer wants and how to make marketing activities agreeable to consumers in all respects such as product, price, packaging, promotion j and so on. In brief, MR as a subject has consumer-orientation in all its| aspects. Consumer/Customer is the cause and purpose of all marketing research activities. How to make consumers happy and satisfied is the| basic issue before the researchers. At present, all manufacturing/, marketing companies spend huge money on marketing research. The purpose is to make marketing activities consumer oriented.