Modelling and Analyzing Consumer Behaviour Employing Observational Data

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to investigate and model retail consumer purchase behavior and determine factors affecting the purchasing decision. The following hypotheses were verified: H1 tests the influence of “Decision-making Time” over “Final Purchase”. H2 tests “Promotion” over “Final Purchase”. H3, H4 and H5 were established to test the influence of demographic characteristics (respectively: Age, Nationality, Gender) over “Final Purchase”. SPSS 23 was used to analyze the collected data from the observations completed in the supermarket. In order to identify the explanatory power of the variables, a Logistic Regression model was developed. Empirical findings indicated that demographic characteristics (Age, Nationality, Gender), as well as “Time” and “Promotion,” have a significant effect on “Purchase” and that “Time” has a greater impact on “Purchase.” These results could be used to design marketing strategies in order to increase sales. However, a few limitations occurred during the study such as observation timing, the unicity of location and observers' subjectivity.