All guides: Management and Human Resource Management: Consumers and Competitors

Consumer Behaviour

Consumer behaviour is one of the major considerations for businesses in designing and delivering successful products and services. Here are some of the resources that can be used to look into the social and cultural aspects of consumers, and the impact of marketing strategies on buyer attitudes, decision-making, and behaviour.

Passport
Example search:
1. Open Passport
2. Click on Consumers on the top tool bar.
3. Select Lifestyles from the sub menu.
4. From the Explore Analysis box, select Country Report from the first drop down box.
5. Select Lifestyles from the Choose Category drop down box.
6. Select Australia from the Choose Geography drop down box. Click Go.
7. Click on the hyperlinked titles to read full reports.
8. Navigate the report using the Table of Contents (left of screen).
9. The report can be downloaded as a PDF.
WARC: World Advertising Research Center
From the Topics menu there is a section on Consumer attitudes and Shopper insight where you will find articles about consumer behaviour.

Identifying Your Customers

When researching your business idea or planning to expand your business, it is important that you understand key information about your customers, the local economy and a range of other areas. This information will help you to make informed decisions.

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics)
Potential areas of interest include:
1. Browse statistics, which provides ease of navigation to statistical analysis under broad categories, such as People, Industry and Labour.
2. Articles discussing trends in the latest Census data are available.
3. Quick Stats allows you to quickly and easily access a summary of statistical information about the people, family and dwellings in a geographical area taken from the latest Census. Community Profiles provides more comprehensive data downloads focusing on these same elements.
4. The Services for Small Business page has been put together to assist small business operators with market research, profiling customers and planning a business case.

TIP: You can also use the Passport and OECD iLibrary databases to locate statistical information and analysis about your potential customer base.

Identifying Your Competitors

Company reports will give you information on a company's financial performance, growth, strengths and weaknesses and sometimes it may include the company's marketing strategy. The following databases may help you identify potential competitors to your business.

IBIS World
Example topic:
The Pandora brand appeals to a range of consumers including the youth market. This is an international brand, but is there an Australian subsidiary? Search IBISWorld for a company report:
1. Type the keyword Pandora into the search box.
2. Select the second result, AD Astra Holdings Pty Limited (AD Astra Holdings is the Australia/New Zealand subsidiary of Pandora Jewellery UK Ltd).
3. Click on the company report to access. Note: you can navigate the report by category (left of screen), search within the report by keyword, and download a PDF of the report.
Passport
1. Select Companies in the menu bar at the top of the screen to search for company profiles and articles.
2. Type in the name of a company of interest and click the Search icon.
3. Profiles and analysis will display, click on the company report.
4. Navigate the report using the Table of Contents (left of screen) .
5. The report can be downloaded as a PDF.

Also check:

DatAnalysis Premium
Provides a comprehensive current and historical picture of ASX listed and delisted companies. Also includes extensive financials and calculations. Users can access financial ratios, as well as detailed breakdowns of company revenue and expenses. Extensive current and historical corporate data include ASX announcements, floats, dividend history, and listing rule waivers.
MarketLine
Reports & Briefs: Business Insights reports, company profiles,SWOT analyses, industry profiles, Porters Five Forces Scorecards, country profiles. Databooks: Company Financial & Top Ten Industry Players Guide, Financial Deals: tracks 195,000+ deals of over $5 million in value each month globally, News & Opinions: live news feed, Market Data Analytics: data for 150+ consumer products in 55 countries. Country Statistics: data for 215 global countries

Library subject guides

Management and Human Resource Management

Consumer Behaviour

Identifying Your Customers

Identifying Your Competitors