Editing Consumer behaviour (section)

=== Ethnographic research ===
[[File:Tetra Pak FamilyPortfolio NaturesPaperDesign2010.jpg|thumb|Product usage studies are used to improve packaging design.]]

Ethnographic research or [[ethnography]] has its origins in [[anthropology]]. However, marketers use ethnographic research to study the consumer in terms of cultural trends, lifestyle factors, attitudes and the way that social context influences product selection, consumption, and usage.  Ethnographic research, also called ''participant observation'', attempts to study consumer behaviour in natural settings rather than in artificial environment such as labs. Different types of ethnographic research are used in marketing including;<ref>Mariampolski, H., ''Ethnography for Marketers: A Guide to Consumer Immersion,'' Sage, 2006, pp 43-38</ref>
* Observed product usage: observing regular product usage at home or work, to gain insights into how products are opened, prepared, consumed, stored, disposed etc. to gain insights into the usefulness of packaging, labelling and general usage
* Day-in-the-life studies: extended visits during product usage situations to gain insights into norms and consumer expectations
* Accompanied purchase or shop-alongs: researcher accompanies a shopper on a purchase expedition to gain insights into consumer responses to merchandising and other sales tactics
* [[Cultural studies]]: similar to traditional ethnography; extended stays with a group or tribe with a view to uncovering the fundamental rules and conventions that govern behaviour
* Guerilla ethnography: random observations in public settings to help establish research questions or to gain quick insights into specific behaviours
* [[Mystery shopping]]: observations in the retail context with a view to gaining insights into the customer's service experience
* [[Multimethodology|Multiple methodologies]]: combining ethnographic research methods with conventional research techniques with a view to triangulating results

[[Coolhunting|Trendspotters]] such as [[Faith Popcorn]]'s BrainReserve make extensive use of ethnographic research to spot emergent trends.<ref>Brain Reserve, Trend Bank Website, http://www.faithpopcorn.com/trendbank {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024085357/http://www.faithpopcorn.com/trendbank |date=2016-10-24 }}</ref>