Exploratory Study

Over the past week. we conducted an exploratory study with 7 participants who have purchased Godiva in the last 6 months. Out of the 7 interviewees, 3 of them purchased products from Godiva within the week of study. Primary reason for purchase would be for gifts and self indulgence. Based on such observations, our group concludes that 43% of our participants have established a 'best-friend' relationship with the brand Godiva, while the rest have maintained a 'casual relationship'. (Susan Fournier 1998)



Interestingly, all participants prefer home cooked meals whenever possible. However, given an option to dine out, all 7 of them prefer eating at restaurants. These restaurants also serve as points of socializing with family and friends. Our group can further analyze that these participants’ intrinsic motivation for selecting such dining places is due to the need for quality time with their companions.



Another observation made is that all our study participants rely heavily on their smart phone applications. Many of which listed Facebook, WhatsApp, Twitter as their most frequented applications. Our team feels that this will be a perfect platform for Godiva to leverage on in its branding/ promotion strategy.



Given that all the participants have relatively high spending power, they shop regularly on a weekly basis especially over the weekends. While the younger participants of our study group enjoy the online shopping experience more, the rest prefer shopping in physical stores. This reflects the majority’s desire for physical interaction with the brands as part of their purchasing decision. More often than not, these participants self indulge in retail therapy.    

 

We also note that all participants made an effort to catch up with their family and friends on a regular basis despite their busy schedule. This shows that they prioritize in maintaining a work-life balance.



Our research findings will help us better understand the values and lifestyles of our target group has so as to develop more accurate tools and questions for our in-depth interviews and focus group discussions.