Consumer evaluations of selected multi-product food bundles

Multi-product bundles are defined as two or more different products that are available for purchase as one single product. Multi-product bundling is becoming increasingly common in the food retail market; however research to date on how consumers evaluate multi-product food bundles is limited. Therefore, food choice and product bundle choice were identified as key bodies of knowledge, to which research on this topic could contribute. The aim of the research was: "to investigate how consumers evaluate selected multi-product food bundles" and to fulfil this aim, a mixed method approach was adopted involving a preliminary in-store survey and three main studies encompassing a quantitative questionnaire study (n=452), a quantitative experiment (n= 150) and a qualitative focus group study (n=32), which included a decision-mapping exercise (n=31). In analysing the findings, a factor analysis revealed that consumers take eight factors into account when evaluating selected multi-product food bundles. The most important evaluation factors were centred on the taste and bundle components and bundle convenience. Based on a literature review, a theory-driven model for the relationships between evaluation factors and multi-product food bundle desirability was developed and successfully tested through structural equation modelling. The experiment added that constituent products included in the bundles were found to affect the evaluations to a significant degree. The focus group study underpinned the findings from the two other studies and added that multi-product food bundle evaluation processes generally were sequential and consisted of two to four evaluation stages. A combination of these findings was integrated into a comprehensive model outlining three dimensions of multi-product food bundle evaluations. This research significantly contributes to the knowledge on multi-product bundles and has generated unique information for both product developers and retailers, which could inform future promotional strategies and enable consumer research in relation to the effects of multi- product bundling in the food sector.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Questionnaire design: A weak link in corporate identity?

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to draw attention to questionnaires as a corporate touch point, and their relationship with corporate identity (CI). Design/methodology/approach: Following observational research, the paper presents a review of published works, including journals, textbooks and industry papers that consider qualitative aspects of questionnaire design. Primary data was collected via existential phenomenological interviews to understand the experiences of employees who engage with questionnaires from external companies within the industrial business-to-business (B2B) industry. Findings: A lack of practical advice around aesthetic appearance of questionnaires in both journal papers and research design textbooks is identified, suggesting limited awareness of visual aspects of questionnaire design, even for those with formal training. Through interviews, it is suggested that poor design is forgiven through the understanding of the practical nature of the document, the idea that CI is a performance that is unnecessary at particular points of the B2B relationship, and that a more powerful company need not spend time on CI if collecting data from a stakeholder that is perhaps perceived as less important than other stakeholders. The findings indicate that organisations should consider questionnaires as a vehicle to promote CI, and as stakeholders to consider the document in terms of their relationship with the issuing company. Research limitations/implications: This study proposes that qualitative inquiry is required to further determine how questionnaires are understood as a corporate touch point by stakeholders. Originality/value: This paper considers the relationship between questionnaire appearance and stakeholder perceptions in the context of CI

Product bundling strategies in Swedish markets: Links to business orientation and perceived effects on consumer influence

Product bundling is an increasingly important marketing strategy within many industries, and consumer influence on companies’ ranges of product bundles is, thus, becoming an important issue. The aim of this study was to investigate product bundling strategies consumers are exposed to by some selected companies in the Swedish automobile, travel and banking industries. Bundling strategies were considered in relation to business orientation as well as the consumer’s potential to influence the product bundles offered by these companies. Fourteen qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with senior representatives from the three sectors. Interview respondents were selected in cooperation with their respective companies. Results underwent interpretative analysis, and the findings indicated that business orientation is linked to product bundling techniques and to the type of customer influence on product bundling. Consumers were exposed to mixed and complementary bundling strategies, and customers of companies that apply a market orientation were found to have greater opportunities to influence product bundles directly, whereas companies that apply a production-oriented approach were less able to respond to their customers’ wishes. Consumer influence on the product bundles of production-oriented companies was found to be of a more indirect nature