Market Research on Commercial Airlines
1. INTRODUCTION
There are many influencing factors that determine a consumer’s purchasing behaviour when it comes to choosing a particular good or service – and every consumer will have a different hierarchy of determining factors based on their own personal preferences and view points. The aim of this study is to better understand the purchasing behaviour of consumers on commercial airlines – specifically, when choosing an airline to fly with. It is important to understand these determining factors as it will help marketers decide on the content of marketing collaterals for airline consumers. A better understand of the target market ensures successful marketing campaigns, which might lead to future sales. The objective of the research is to determine the various elements consumers consider before making a purchase, and which they rank as their top priority.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Consumer Behaviour
To better understand the case at hand, the science behind consumer behaviour has to first be looked into. Also, the term ‘consumer’ and ‘customer’ should not be confused. An individual is a ‘customer’ when they make a direct financial transaction for a purchase and are the ones who consume the goods; a ‘consumer’ is one who may not necessarily make a financial exchange for a given good or service – especially in the tourism industry, where the purchaser may not be the consumer (Williams, 2012). Given that, consumer behaviour is the “behaviour that consumers display in searching for, purchasing, using, evaluating and disposing of the products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs” and it is driven by an individual’s motivation (Schiffman et al., 2011).
According to Schiffman et al. (2011) Motivation is understood to be the driving force that ultimately impels individuals’ actions. A state of tension where there is a lack need fulfillment creates either a conscious of subconscious drive to remove the tension: motivation. Motivation
There are many influencing factors that determine a consumer’s purchasing behaviour when it comes to choosing a particular good or service – and every consumer will have a different hierarchy of determining factors based on their own personal preferences and view points. The aim of this study is to better understand the purchasing behaviour of consumers on commercial airlines – specifically, when choosing an airline to fly with. It is important to understand these determining factors as it will help marketers decide on the content of marketing collaterals for airline consumers. A better understand of the target market ensures successful marketing campaigns, which might lead to future sales. The objective of the research is to determine the various elements consumers consider before making a purchase, and which they rank as their top priority.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Consumer Behaviour
To better understand the case at hand, the science behind consumer behaviour has to first be looked into. Also, the term ‘consumer’ and ‘customer’ should not be confused. An individual is a ‘customer’ when they make a direct financial transaction for a purchase and are the ones who consume the goods; a ‘consumer’ is one who may not necessarily make a financial exchange for a given good or service – especially in the tourism industry, where the purchaser may not be the consumer (Williams, 2012). Given that, consumer behaviour is the “behaviour that consumers display in searching for, purchasing, using, evaluating and disposing of the products and services that they expect will satisfy their needs” and it is driven by an individual’s motivation (Schiffman et al., 2011).
According to Schiffman et al. (2011) Motivation is understood to be the driving force that ultimately impels individuals’ actions. A state of tension where there is a lack need fulfillment creates either a conscious of subconscious drive to remove the tension: motivation. Motivation