Consumers’ environment has always been influencing consumers’ decision-making processes. With the end of the seller dominated marketing approach and the rise of a customer orientated marketing approach, at the end of the 1960’s, the significance of marketing communication increased, in order to inform consumers and to establish a customer relationship. The dissemination of new technologies and innovations such as colour television, home computer and the internet has contributed to an increasing benefit for consumers and organizations. Consumers’ choices increased in terms of product variety and hence the complexity of consumers’ decision-making processes rose. Therefore, it has been ever since relevant for marketers to analyse and evaluate consumers’ decision-making processes and consumers’ behaviour. With the evolution and diffusion from mobile phones to smart phones a newdf horizon for consumers opened and a new dimension to mobile devices added, consisting of the accessibility and availability of information regardless location and time. Consequently, consumers’ decision-making processes have been influenced and the relevancy of mobile-location based marketing and related services for consumers and organizations increased.
The present master dissertation constitutes on the increasing importance of mobile location-based marketing and services. The objective is to investigate the impact of location-based services on consumers’ buying behaviour which is significantly impacted by consumer-decision making processes. Therefore, relevant theoretical models and theories concerning consumers’ decision-making process and buying behaviour are described and evaluated. Furthermore, primary data is collected via online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews, in order to conduct an empirical analysis. The results reveal that consumers’ requirements, towards mobile-location based marketing including location-based services such as shopping apps and mobile advertisement, are segmented. It is identified that technology affine consumers are more likely to purchase across-channels. Further, these consumers show a higher acceptance of stimuli conveyed by mobile advertisement. Personal and psychological factors such as price sensibility, lifestyle orientation and consumers’ involvement are identified as impacting factors on consumers’ decision-making process within this research.
Table of Contents
- Introduction, aims & objectives
- Introduction
- Aims and objectives
- Literature review
- Location-based marketing
- Consumer decision-making process
- Stimulus organism response model
- Influences on consumer behaviour
- Cultural factors
- Social factors
- Personal factors
- Psychological factors
- Types of buying behaviour
- Complex buying behaviour
- Dissonance-reducing behaviour
- Habitual buying behaviour
- Variety-seeking buying behaviour
- Types of shopper
- Research questions and hypotheses
- Methodology and data collection
- Methodological approach
- Sampling approach and data collection
- Data analysis and results
- Sample size characteristics
- Characteristics users vs. non-users
- Stimulus organism response model
- Mobile advertisement
- Mobile advertisement – Hypotheses testing
- Hypothesis - Lifestyle orientation
- Hypothesis – Price sensibility
- Operating system – Price sensibility
- Respondents' involvement – Hypotheses testing
- Hypothesis – Information gathering
- Hypothesis - Purchase across-channels
- Behaviour change by shopping apps
- Conclusions and recommendations
Objectives and Key Themes
This master's dissertation investigates the impact of location-based services on consumers' buying behavior in the German market. The study aims to understand how these services influence consumer decision-making processes and identify key factors that contribute to their adoption and effectiveness.
- The impact of location-based services on consumer buying behavior.
- The role of consumer decision-making processes in the adoption of location-based services.
- The influence of personal and psychological factors (price sensitivity, lifestyle, involvement) on consumer responses to location-based marketing.
- Analysis of consumer segmentation based on technology affinity and purchasing behavior across channels.
- The effectiveness of mobile advertising within the context of location-based services.
Chapter Summaries
Introduction, aims & objectives: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the dissertation, establishing the context of evolving consumer behavior in the face of technological advancements, particularly the rise of mobile location-based services. It highlights the shift from seller-dominated to customer-oriented marketing and emphasizes the increasing complexity of consumer decision-making. The chapter clearly outlines the study's aims and objectives, focusing on the impact of location-based services and the need for empirical investigation to understand consumer responses. The introduction effectively justifies the research's relevance and lays the groundwork for the subsequent literature review and methodology.
Literature review: This chapter provides a thorough review of existing literature related to location-based marketing, consumer decision-making processes, and the influencing factors on consumer behavior. It explores established models such as the stimulus-organism-response model and delves into the various factors—cultural, social, personal, and psychological—that shape consumer choices. The discussion of different types of buying behavior (complex, dissonance-reducing, habitual, variety-seeking) provides a theoretical framework for understanding the varied responses to location-based services. By integrating existing theories, this chapter lays a solid foundation for the subsequent empirical analysis.
Methodology and data collection: This chapter details the research methodology employed in the study. It outlines the chosen approach, justifying the use of online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews as primary data collection methods. The chapter provides crucial information on the sampling strategy and explains how data was collected and prepared for analysis. This section ensures transparency and rigor, providing readers with the necessary context to critically evaluate the reliability and validity of the research findings presented later in the dissertation.
Data analysis and results: This chapter presents the findings from the empirical analysis conducted using the collected data. It begins by describing the sample characteristics, comparing users and non-users of location-based services. The analysis then explores the application of the stimulus-organism-response model to this context and investigates the impact of mobile advertisements, testing hypotheses related to lifestyle orientation, price sensitivity, operating system, and consumer involvement in information gathering and cross-channel purchasing. The chapter meticulously presents the results, providing insights into the relationships between location-based services, consumer behavior, and influencing factors. The presentation of the findings is crucial for readers to understand the study's contributions to the field.
Keywords
Location-based services, consumer buying behavior, consumer decision-making, mobile marketing, mobile advertising, shopping apps, technology adoption, price sensitivity, lifestyle orientation, consumer segmentation, cross-channel purchasing, Germany.
Frequently Asked Questions: Master's Dissertation on Location-Based Services and Consumer Buying Behavior
What is the main topic of this master's dissertation?
This dissertation investigates the impact of location-based services (LBS) on consumer buying behavior in the German market. It explores how LBS influence consumer decision-making and identifies key factors driving their adoption and effectiveness.
What are the key objectives of the research?
The study aims to understand:
- The impact of LBS on consumer buying behavior.
- The role of consumer decision-making processes in LBS adoption.
- The influence of personal and psychological factors (price sensitivity, lifestyle, involvement) on consumer responses to location-based marketing.
- Consumer segmentation based on technology affinity and cross-channel purchasing behavior.
- The effectiveness of mobile advertising within the context of LBS.
What is the structure of the dissertation?
The dissertation follows a standard structure including: an introduction outlining aims and objectives; a literature review covering location-based marketing, consumer decision-making, and influencing factors; a methodology section detailing the research approach and data collection; a results section presenting data analysis and findings; and finally, conclusions and recommendations.
What theoretical frameworks are used?
The study uses the stimulus-organism-response model and explores various types of buying behavior (complex, dissonance-reducing, habitual, variety-seeking) to understand consumer responses to LBS.
What research methods were employed?
The research employed both online questionnaires and face-to-face interviews as primary data collection methods. The chapter on methodology provides details on the sampling strategy and data preparation for analysis.
What are the key findings of the data analysis?
The results section analyzes sample characteristics, comparing users and non-users of LBS. It applies the stimulus-organism-response model and investigates the impact of mobile advertising, testing hypotheses related to lifestyle, price sensitivity, operating system, and consumer involvement in information gathering and cross-channel purchasing.
What are the key themes explored in the dissertation?
Key themes include the impact of location-based services on consumer behavior, consumer decision-making processes, the influence of personal and psychological factors, consumer segmentation, and the effectiveness of mobile advertising in the context of location-based services.
What are the key words associated with this research?
Location-based services, consumer buying behavior, consumer decision-making, mobile marketing, mobile advertising, shopping apps, technology adoption, price sensitivity, lifestyle orientation, consumer segmentation, cross-channel purchasing, Germany.
Where can I find more detailed information about each chapter?
The dissertation includes comprehensive chapter summaries providing an overview of the content and findings of each section.
What is the overall contribution of this research?
The dissertation aims to contribute to a better understanding of how location-based services influence consumer behavior in the German market, providing valuable insights for businesses and marketers.
- Quote paper
- Daniel Meyer (Author), 2013, Impact of location-based services on consumers’ buying behaviour, illustrated by the German market, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/299774
