Impact of Brand Image on Consumers Buying Behaviour a Case Study of Waitrose.

Dissertation Title: ANALYSING THE IMPACT OF BRAND IMAGE ON CONSUMERS BUYING BEHAVIOUR: A CASE STUDY OF WAITROSE. Submitted By: Fahmina Salmi Juice Student Number 12026 Word count (12,671) Abstract The current dissertation intends to investigate an evaluation into consumer behaviour & its alignment to brand image related to Waitrose. Organizations continuously trying to cope up with the challenging business environment & Nowadays numerous of brands current everywhere in market place as a result it become very straightforward for a purchaser to befall puzzled at their purchasing time organizations trying to adjust or alter its consumer behaviour with time to get maximum benefit from the market. Therefore the current study would like to focus on consumer behaviour & its alignment to brand image. The current dissertation also focused on related issues on strategies of branding, elements of branding. These days business environment is so competitive & business organizations across the globe continuously trying to build a strong brand appeal in the minds of the customers making a difference from the competitors. To make a brand very unique from competitors consumer behaviour plays a key role in order to distinguish this brand & making it special to the customers. Consumer behaviour builds a strong foundation in enhancing brand appeal & brand equity in the minds of the customers (Keller & Lehmann, 2006). The study will use both quantitative & qualitative systems & method to conduct the research to find out about the Brand image of Waitrose & its impact on consumer behaviour. The qualitative techniques would be used mainly because it would permit the understanding of the mass people consumers, their thinking about the brand image of Waitrose & what are the factors that brings them to Waitrose. There were 62 samples collected in the form of questionnaire for processing & analysing the data. The study also highlighted how Waitrose respond in their consumer behaviour regarding the brand image & how they work for positioning their brand for upfront market segments. The majority of the customers considered that the Waitrose essentially signifies an exclusive retailing brand as compared to others retail super markets for example Tesco, Sainsbury, ASDA. The 80% of total respondents voted Waitrose as exclusive brand for retail super markets. Also from the research according to the majority of the customers of Waitrose Putney branch, the quality of Waitrose product is excellent as compared to other supermarket pg. 1 chains (for example Tesco, ASDA, Sainsbury) as Waitrose focused on quality products for affluent consumers. The study evaluated the Waitrose consumer & strategic behaviour in response to creating & developing a unique brand coupled with brand image focused mainly on niche based customer segment along with application of a differentiated strategic business model to win. pg. 2 Acknowledgement Firstly, my sincere gratitude to my respected supervisor for his continuous guidance, suggestions & supervision for this dissertation. It would be impossible to finish the research successfully without his continuous support & assistance. I also sincerely appreciate the employees & customers of the Waitrose for helping me in collecting required data for this study. And finally, I wish to thank my family members & parents for their untiring support during the course of this academic study. I am also extremely obliged to my university friends for their true assistance in supporting me to accumulate secondary data from various accessible sources throughout the study. pg. 3 Table of Contents Abstract.......................................................................................................................................I Acknowledgement....................................................................................................................III Chapter 1: Introduction..............................................................................................................1 1.1 Introduction.................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Background of Research............................................................................... 1 1.2.1 Intension of the Research...................................................................2 1.2.2 Research aims..................................................................................... 2 1.3 Research problem......................................................................................... 3 1.4 Rationale of the Study.................................................................................. 3 1.5 Scope & company profile.............................................................................. 5 1.6 Research Objectives..................................................................................... 5 Chapter 2: Literature Review.....................................................................................................7 2.1 Introduction.................................................................................................. 7 2.2 Branding....................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Brand Image: A Key Element of Branding.....................................................8 2.4 Other Elements of Branding.........................................................................9 2.5 Consumer Buying Behaviour:.....................................................................10 2.6 Psychographics analysis of Consumer........................................................12 2.7 Brand Image & Consumer Behaviour..........................................................12 2.8 Brand Equity............................................................................................... 14 2.8.1 Competitive Advantages...................................................................14 2.8.2 Perceived quality:.............................................................................. 14 2.8.3 Brand awareness:............................................................................. 14 2.8.4 Brand association:............................................................................ 14 2.8.5 Brand Loyalty:................................................................................... 15 2.9 Summary of Previous Researches...............................................................15 pg. 4 ............2..................18 3..........................2 Research Philosophies....................8............. 5 .................... 26 3............................. 16 Chapter 3: Research Methodology.................................... 25 3.......................6.................................4 Research strategy......................................15 2....6... 18 3...........1 Limitation......................................................................10 Advantages of Strong Brand Image......................4 Part One (Demographic Info)..........................................................25 3........................................................................................28 4...............................................27 Chapter 4: Data Analysis & Discussion................................................1 Introduction............................... 20 3.....11 Conceptual framework.....6....................................4......3 Sample size.......................... 21 3........................28 4...............................2 Average Rate of Response........................................ 21 3.......8..............................3 Results & Findings of Questionnaire Survey.......... 19 3................................6......................3 Respondents Demographic Profile by Nationality.........24 3.........4.......................................... 21 3.........................30 4. data & place..............................4 Respondents Demographic profile by OCCUPATIONS....2 Accessibility issues.........................21 3.8...................................................................................................................28 4..............28 4............... 24 3................................................. 21 3....................................4.............................................6 Data Collection..........................................2 Customers' Demographic Profile by GENDER......................4.........................................8 Review of Research limitation & future implication....1 Interpretivism..........................29 4..................................................31 pg...............................1 Customers' Demographic Profile by AGE...................................................................................................................................................7 Ethical & Legal liabilities.............. 26 3.................................................. 28 4..3 Future implication of the research.......................2 Data Collection Methods.......................................1 Survey timing..................3 Research approach.......5 Data analysis process & tools..........29 4...................6......4 Sampling method......................................26 3.......1 Introduction..............2....... 19 3.......................................5 Research method.............................................................. ..........................5 Do you prefer Waitrose as exclusive brand......................3 The quality of Waitrose Product...................5............5 Part Two (General Statement Related to Waitrose Brand)........................................................................................................................................... 42 References...33 4...................5.................................................................................46 pg.................................................. 39 5..............................................32 4.....2 Recommendations....5.............33 4.................4 Limitations of the Study........................................34 4......................2 Are you satisfied with Waitrose brand?................1 How often do you purchase from Waitrose...............................................3 Further Areas of the Study.....................43 Appendix....................36 Chapter 5: Conclusion& Recommendation......................................4 How do you feel shopping at Waitrose........................41 5...............................................................................................................1 Conclusion............................. 40 5.........32 4..5...35 4......................5..............39 5.6 Discussion of Findings Related To Research Objectives............................................... 6 ........................................4......... List of tables Table 1: Respondents' demographic profile by AGE 40 Table 2: Respondents' demographic profile by GENDER 40 Table 3: Respondents demographic profile by nationality 41 Table 4: Respondents demographic profile by occupations 42 Table 5: How often respondents purchase from Waitrose 43 Table 6: Satisfaction of customers having Waitrose brand 43 Table 7: Quality of Waitrose product 43 Table 8: Satisfaction of customer when shopping at Waitrose 43 Table 9: Customer preference on Waitrose as exclusive brand 43 List of figures Figure 2.3: How often respondents purchase from Waitrose 31 Figure 4.1: Consumer buying decision process flowchart (by author) 10 Figure 2.2: Respondents demographic profile by nationality 31 Figure 4. 2009) 19 Figure 4.1: Respondents' demographic profile by GENDER 30 Figure 4.4: Conceptual framework (developed by author) 17 Figure 3.1: Research Onion (Source: Saunders et al.3: consumer decision making process (by author) 11 Figure 2.2: Influences on & off consumer behaviour (Lars Perner. 2008) 10 Figure 2.4: Satisfaction of customer when shopping at Waitrose 32 pg. 7 . Waitrose. And almost all the organisations use different techniques to influence the buying behaviour of their consumers & branding is one of them. An outstanding consumer behaviour in an organisation helps to maintain its brand image as well & it helps the survival of a product. They have lots of loyal a regular customer who trust on Waitrose brand & loyal to them. As a result the research on the brand image of Waitrose & its impact on consumers buying behaviour will give opportunity to analyse & identify the impact of brand image on the consumer purchasing decision. In this situation organizations are trying to find an alternative to remain competitive in the global business scenario & many have identified consumer behaviour can play a vital role here & it is related to the Brand image of the business.1 Introduction 1. 1 . Branding of a product is considered to be central to a marketing strategy. High & quality production could not always ensure success of a product but instead it’s the brand image that sells today. The behaviour of an organisation when it is taken or considered as a single body is termed as pg. 2002). Because of open business policy or globalization different kinds of brands are available throughout the market. Branding is very significant for a business organization to convince their customers (Keller. 2014). Consumer behaviour is the behaviour of an organisation when considered as a single body.2 Background of Research Now a day’s business organizations are facing high competition while running their business. UK is the chosen sample organisation for the study. Waitrose was established in 1904 & merged with John Lewis from 1937 & it performing business as chain of super market since 1955. (Waitrose consumer website. These days business environment is so competitive & business organizations across the globe continuously trying to build a strong brand appeal in the minds of the customers making a difference from the competitors. Waitrose already established them as a superior brand in UK retail business. To identify & analyse brand image impact on consumer buying behaviour. 1.1 Introduction Retail business success mainly depends on the satisfaction of the customers. 2. 2 . This research will investigate & analyse exactly what kind of impact does the brand image of Waitrose influence the buying behaviour of current& potential customers. The procedure that business organizations utilize for building a sustainable & differential advantage through working with human nature is called Branding.1 Intension of the Research Branding plays a key role to attract customers & make them loyal to the product which they want to buy from a selected business organization. In this challenging environment the behaviour of an organisation is changing continuously to cope up with the current challenging business world. This will also provide us the information about how Waitrose develops their brand image to influence their customers. culture. Consumer behaviour coupled with brand image both catch the attention of customers by promoting the value based offering. visual appearance & image. 2004). The behaviour of an organisation is directly likened by its culture & how it is controlled. When a product or service has a distinctive name. Consumer behaviour builds up of the people working in an organisation. 2009). experience even the sexual orientation & respect for others (Ambler & Barrow. norm. their values. 2006). pg.. the way the run the organisation. behave with the coworker. which helps them survive in the competitive market & make profit. 1. It is important for small scale business owners who don't have the promotional strategies of big competition. it is less complicated for consumers to find in a congested marketplace.2 Research aims The aim for this research is to analyse what kind of impact does organisations brand image create on the consumers buying behaviour. prestige & indigenous lifestyle of the customers. A very good brand name can certainly influence consumer behaviour because they build emotional relationships & reinforcing buying behaviour (Keller & Lehmann. 1994). 1.2.consumer behaviour (Kent & Allen. This research will analyse the evaluation of the consumer behaviour of Waitrose & its alignment to the branding strategies of wait rose & how it creates impact on their customer & influence on the decision of the customer. Companies utilize brand image as marketing tool & their consumer behaviour in order to obtain a high degree of brand equity within the competitive business environment (Rao et al. the way they perform their duties. 1. Therefore. customer loyalty & brand identity a strong brand image can be formed which is extensively important for understanding consumer behaviour (Rooney. The proposed dissertation or study will be based on the Waitrose Putney UK & the author would like to emphasize on consumer behaviour of Waitrose & its alignment with brand image linked to create a positive impact on their customers & make a difference from the other competitors.When a consumer is comfortable with a certain brand type his is most likely to avoid & reject other brands of same category or product. What will be the hypothetical outcome of the research & does is relevant to the present world. For this research work the selected research questions are: What kind of impact does organisations (Waitrose) brand image creates on their consumer buying behaviour?  What are the main factors that develop impact on consumer buying behaviour?  What Waitrose as a well-known brand is doing to ensure that their customers are satisfied with their brand? pg. Research question is being formed & developed to clearly understand the gap between theory & practice & understanding of the problem. The planned research question would certainly enable the author to understand the main topic of the proposed research. It is necessary to know why the research needs to done. 1995). 3 . brand image has a significant impact on consumer behaviour. All the research needs to have some specific Aim & question. This represents that by developing a unique brand.3 Research problem According to the abovementioned discussion the idea & design of the planned dissertation is to gain a deep understanding & insight about consumer behaviour & its alignment to the branding strategies of Waitrose & how it creates impact in the minds of the customers & their buying behaviour & purchasing decision. & after buying service. Lots of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services. brand images have been altering the customer discernment of a product. it is very significant to recognize how brand impartiality. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors.4 Rationale of the Study Organizations continuously trying to cope up with the challenging business environment & Nowadays numerous of brands current everywhere in market place as a result it become very straightforward for a purchaser to befall puzzled at their purchasing time organizations trying to adjust or alter its consumer behaviour with time to get maximum benefit from the market. Brands are offering valued customers unique perceived benefits that are not provided in other products. In regards to branding. excellent offers as well as advertisements. A great brand image is instantaneously celebrated & recommended by the current clients. The study will also show how an organisation set up its consumer strategies & how it is linked with the brand image & the branding strategies. A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. 4 . product quality. The Waitrose symbol gives a picture of their excellence. Brands area guarantee of consistency. This study will reconsider what shopper thinks of Waitrose while purchasing their manufactured goods & how the organizations maintaining its consumer behaviour to get the maximum from its brand image. pg. ASDA & J Sainsbury. who are regular to that brand. Waitrose also strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering.1. They are ensure quality products for the valued customers. Both these tangible perceived & intangible perceived benefits influence customers buying behaviour & buying decision &establish good customer loyalty. Branding plays a vital role in order to differentiate an organization’s for example Waitrose goods & services from its competitors for example Tesco. brand image & superiority. A small change in brand image & strategic business model could positively impact on Waitrose’s brand & lead to create a large base of loyal customer. Brand image is aggregation of service. The study on “Analysing the impact of brand image on consumers buying behaviour” will explain the diverse aspects or consumer behaviour & its alignment to brand strategies of the organisation. easy shopping techniques. 1. & ASDA. service & product quality. Waitrose official website says that “We are trading what our purchaser likes. Nice shopping atmosphere & enormous consumer facility & all of these create their brand name well-liked in the retail market. As popular retail organisation Waitrose is trying its best to generate an influence their customer while purchasing anything & trying to create developed strategy to boost their sales & services to their consumer. Waitrose has been updating to the newest technologies in regular basis & also offers online shopping & home delivery services. 2014). Waitrose presently have more than 300 workers &across all over theUK they have almost 250 branches (Waitrose consumer website. this little shop became the one of the leader of all the super market chain in UK. Waitrose also strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors. Now this is name as Waitrose. 5 . A lot of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services. Waitrose become merged with John Lewis from 1937 & it performing business as chain of super market since 1955. Sainsbury’s. David Taylor. like Tesco. excellent offers as well as extraordinary services (Srinivasan & Fukawa. Waitrose trade name turn in to very accepted to consumer that consumer purchase their manufactured goods without judgment second time if the chief objective is quality . It has the status of a fair & excellence. 2007). Recently Waitrose has come into sight as a finer brand in the contrast to their opponent. Waitrose is now a chain of superstore offering range of commodities.5 Scope & company profile In current period almost every organization regularly works consistently to manipulate their purchaser in diverse way. Arthur Rose & Wallace Waite had opened their business in London in 1904 with the opening of one shop. Brand image is aggregation of after sell service.A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. A great brand image is instantaneously celebrated & recommended by the current clients. Later on. These conveniences facilitate shopping with even pg. Waitrose is devoted to supply best product & service to make sure their customer & employees are satisfied.Waitrose is dedicated to excellence product in reasonable price. more suitable for the customers (Waitrose consumer website. Recently Waitrose & John Lewis have approximately 67000 workers according to Waitrose official website. Waitrose opened branches all over the United Kingdom in recent year to boosts its pioneer service. The research will be conducted to fulfil the aim the research. Their yearly revenue is roughly 8 billion (waitrose.com. 2014).6 Research Objectives Before doing any work it is necessary to select the aim & objective of the work. In case of any research it is more important to know the aim & objectives of the research. It should be specific. The main objectives behind this research are  To analyse the brand image of Waitrose  To analyse consumer buying behaviour of Waitrose  To investigate the impact of brand image on the consumer buying behaviour  To provide recommendations to Waitrose to improve its brand image to influence consumer buying behaviour pg. 6 . 2014). 1. This is the superior brand image of Waitrose that makes their current customers loyal & influencing new potential customers regularly. ASDA & J Sainsbury.1 Introduction Literature review can be described as a general description of prevailing literatures in a specified area of interest. brand image & superiority. Branding plays a vital role in order to differentiate an organization’s for example Waitrose goods & services from its competitors for example Tesco. So identification & analysing the impact of brand image to the customer is a very important in this current competitive retail business world. (Holt. The Waitrose symbol gives a picture of their excellence. These days competitive business era. 1996). So in this competitive business analysing the brand image of an organisation & its impact on consumers buying behaviour is an emerging issues in current competitive business environment.. This chapter is a specific investigation of the research which is connected &highly related to the concerned issue. Which will make them resistant & adaptable to inconsistencies. clients are more likely to gain positive perception of the brand & its features and at the same time a negative perception of competition. The symbol also is an essential part of branding (Heding et al.2 Branding Branding plays a key role to attract customers & make them loyal to the product which they want to buy from a selected business organization. (Aaker. Sometime customers become confused while choosing the right organisation to purchase the product & services. pg. There are lots of similar types of brands available in the market. Product & customer service differentiation is typically the beginning point for the branding course of action. branding plays a significant role in enhancing brand equity & brand image on the customer mind & make a difference from other competitors offering same products & services & it also facilitate to stand out from the competitors. Generally brand name is a name of a product or the organisation that can be decisive for the achievement for the organisation to reach its goal.Chapter 2: Literature Review 2. (Gall et al. Where relationship are long-lasting & powerful. 2. 2009). 7 . 1991). 2005). 2007). Whenever an organization is capable to successfully differentiate its brand from the competition. 2007) 2. Brand image is viewed as one the most significant factors of branding whereby consumers are capable of being aware that a brand is available & existed in the market. brand identity. Brands are usually common phenomenon in each & every aspect of human life. pg.2004)brand paternalism is the Most effective type of brand and consumer relationship. Brands is not a new phenomenon at all & it has been in existence for more than a couple of hundred years however never has any group of people & society before experienced the power of branding as it is seen these days. (Ying. brands have already been taken into consideration from both marketing & financial points of view. in that case it is definitely considerably easier to build its image. Products& services which greatly match customers’ requirement in terms of needs are likely to become a brand. Boyle (2007) customers are becoming more demanding of best quality products along with constant trend changing in preference. because of lacking of necessary investigation. clothing. These tend to be the most significant components of the branding. They seek products that offer benefits according to what they need & want. Brands have yet to be fully recognized as a form of social construct. 8 . (Boyle. Due to the fact an economic construct. It perceives unique benefits as a certain brand offers consumers value added potential & make them able to maintaining price over competitors. brand reputation & brand positioning. lifestyle & personality along with western culture & even politics.3 Brand Image: A Key Element of Branding The components or different elements of branding on which in turn a brand is developed &increase the brand name & image of the company on the customers mind are Brand image. 2007). So that loyal dedicated customers are not likely to consume other brands Still sometimes products & services are not alternatives to one another in terms of purchase & consumption. For example.(Boyle. (Wells. brands involve in production & consumption of goods & services. It is the impression of a certain product which is held by potential or actual consumers. 4 Other Elements of Branding pg. Waitrose also strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering. Brand picture emerges as the client's perception with respect to the specific brand & it is without a doubt held on in the personalities of the customers & is along these lines absurdly crazy by the producer. brand image & superiority. Whenever an organization is capable to successfully differentiate its brand from the competition. The Waitrose symbol gives a picture of their excellence. 1995). product quality. 9 . & after buying service. (Rooney. The purchaser will absolutely recognize one brand as all the more fulfilling and additionally alluring as contrasted with its rivals & think of consistent buy based upon those considerations. Product & customer service differentiation is typically the beginning point for the branding course of action. A small change in brand image & strategic business model could positively impact on Waitrose’s brand & lead to create a large base of loyal customer. excellent offers as well as advertisements. evaluate the product’s perceived level of quality & assist in experiencing satisfaction while using the product. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors. 2004) Variation of brand will truly exist mainly in the personalities of the purchasers. (Holt. in that case it is definitely considerably easier to build its image. Brand image would make possible consumers to successfully recognize & identify a product. 2. A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. Lots of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services.Brand image is viewed as one the most significant factors of branding whereby consumers are capable of being aware that a brand is available & existed in the market. A great brand image is instantaneously celebrated & recommended by the current clients. Brand image is aggregation of service. pg. Though. Brand Positioning: Focused brand positioning in the first place on the unique characteristics that enable a brand to be exceptional. 10 . Five stages of the consumer purchase decision-making process. there are 5 stages in general.5 Consumer Buying Behaviour: Means consumer behaviour over the long course of the proceedings and activities that reflect the consumer in terms of selection or purchase products or services (Assail. it is also one of the most important factors that need to be considered in the organization with the development of marketing and brand their image. and has already worked on this subject and many others still conducting research on this all over the world. intension & compact clarifications of brand(Aaker. 1996). shown on the benefits and values have imagined. The simple truth is that the nature and the importance of goodwill associated with the perspective makes argued that the concern of it really is. (Abimbola & Kocak (2007) 2. writers. Study on consumer buyer behaviour and very broad and wide-ranging. 1995). To determine the reputation of a particular business could possibly apply a variety of visualization frameworks functional. but for a specific product type the number of stages depends on the degree of complexity.Brand Identity: Brand personality might be depicted as central idea in marking just in light of the fact that it conveys the centre qualities. 1997) Brand Reputation: It is usually determine a good reputation as a regulation error in a brand. Many researchers. (Kapferer. in essence. Situations where consumer can buy goods and services based on product’s uniqueness is where an organization can enjoy a competitive advantage and a special position to sell specific brands. and factors affecting the purchase. (Lars Perner. For some low-involvement products.Figure 2.2: Influences on & off consumer behaviour (Lars Perner. Figure 2. Consumers alike to engage in the search for internal and external information. Internal search involves the consumer to identify alternatives for the memory of him or her. it is very important that marketing programs achieve "top of mind" awareness. Buyer feedback strategy for marketing companies have a significant influence on company’s success. change in society factors. 2008) The difference between the desired state and the actual condition.1: Consumer buying decision process flowchart (by author) Buying behaviour is the decision-making technique that includes all people involved and all products and all activities associated with buying. 2008) pg. Deficits in a variety of products. Key aspects are reasons for buying. 11 . if some other factors like locations. Customer will chose to shop from Waitrose. In this circumstances purchaser will choose to get the greatest product & at this point brand representation plays a huge role (Kotler & Armstrong. (Armstrong. 12 . and these interactions are not limited to after purchase. 2010) This also applies to the consumer how to act on social media. and providing huge amounts of demographic information. excellent offers as well as advertisements.6 Psychographics analysis of Consumer Consumers react now directly and indirectly with brands on many platforms. available money are in a positive circumstance.Figure 2. As I point out earlier it’s due to the brand image which Wait rose already created. including social media. 2000). Lots of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services. Lifestyle of Consumer is represented by his interests & opinions. e-commerce sites a third party and many others. Michael Porter recommend four 'generic' industry pg. and forums review.7 Brand Image & Consumer Behaviour A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. “A great brand image is instantaneously celebrated & recommended by the current clients. They also do the same by providing exceptional service to its shoppers” (Hubbard. In accordance with his individual understanding & research on the awareness of the market & the client.3: consumer decision making process (by author) 2. Using personal planning for predicting consumer behaviour is a good way to raise social media awareness of a company. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors. 179). 2010. 2. Waitrose also strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering. pp. A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. 2009). In the case of public term brand name is the name of a product or organization that can be critical to the achievement of the organization to reach its goal. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors. Measure& Interpret Brand Performance is important. excellent offers as well as advertisements. To have an understanding of the outcomes of brand marketing strategies it is extremely important to evaluate & understand the overall performance of brand a very helpful instrument to measure it is brand value chain. 2001).. pg. It is the collective form of the value of customers in certain a company (Rust.policy that may be practical to achieve advantage over the competitor in any type of business (Michael Porter. 2004). brand image & superiority. 2002). Branding is not only restricted to the selection of name but also takes into account the logo or even the mark of the product or the organisation. Branding is a big topic. They also do the same by providing exceptional service to its shoppers” (Hubbard. strong brand leadership opportunities could be accomplished. The Waitrose symbol gives a picture of their excellence. 2. Waitrose also strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering. (Keller. It is regarded as one of the most important instrument for customer loyalty. 1996). 2000). The brand image is the collection of the after purchasing service. A lot of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services. service and product quality.8 Brand Equity Brand equity has got substantial attention from the part of marketing professionals & marketing academics since it keep an active role as significant intangible assets for the business (Aaker. 13 . The symbol also is an essential part of branding (Heding et al. Brand image is vital for companies to be competitive in the market & it also facilitates business stronger over the competitor. As outlined by Keller (2002) the competent layout & execution of marketing campaign programs which usually capitalizes on well-developed brand positioning. 1992). Mainly they are impressions of a brand that consumers usually have. Perceived quality is defined as a customer's value determination of a product's high quality or superiority.3 Brand awareness: Brand awareness is characterized by a standard amount of brand knowledge concerning.2 Perceived quality: Perceived quality is identical to a mental attitude which may have an impact on behavioural motives. For this reason. Generally from a couple of key sources.8. So that it can reach maximum investment return in a short time. perceived quality is a value determination factor that facilitates to demonstrate the behavioural motives of consumers. 1990).8. 2. Recognition function as a procedure of consumer perception of the brand. 2. acknowledgement of the brand name. The added value that derives from organizations create and own brands is generally known brand. Awareness denotes circumstance of knowledge actually owned by the consumer &recognition is a cognitive process of action that results from awareness (Hoyer & Brown.(Gall et al. It stands out as the distinctive benefits that are seen brands we offer to customers that allows them access to value-added services of their own and help them to keep premium increases in the form of commodities. and the brand is nothing more than a network of connections in the mind of the consumer (Boyle. 1994) 2. 2007). Brand associations such as the appropriateness of prosperity in the description of the brands that was said to be effective. associations are received by customers. 2.8.4 Brand association: Brand association can be explained as a situation which inform a customer about the brand. at a minimum.(Chernatony & McDonald.1 Competitive Advantages The company conforms to our brand perceptions of stakeholders and organizations that have a wide range of commercial projects in contrast to those of a particular product. 14 .8.2. (Ying. Difference among awareness & recognition is sophisticated. (De Chernatony & McDonald.8. 2005).5 Brand Loyalty: The intension of branding is to increase the company's action of obtaining & sustaining a loyal consumer group. 1992)There can be several different types of consumer and brand pg. Choice often takes place without (qualitative study). Consumer preference is controlled by the Talukdar (2008). Survey questionnaire paradigm of problem solving Progressive product choice by consumer ( based on brand).9 Summary of Previous Researches Names of the previous Survey contribution in this study researcher Dorsch. Grove & Survey questionnaire two distinct frameworks to study Garden (n = 223) consumer behaviour:   (2009) Benady (2003). (n = 117) Survey Questionnaire innovation & newer technology Person. better product perception. 15 . context. Nagel (2003). 2. (Rooney.(Boyle. better marketing. development of pg. Regardless of what type of business organization it is developing a strong brand image is its ultimate goal. All of these are forms of brand loyalty. 2007). Therefore dedicated loyal customers do not prefer to consider buying other brands. A strong brand awards the customer value in terms of monetary value & provides customer the satisfaction & longlasting trust in products & services.10 Advantages of Strong Brand Image Wood (2000) discussed that strong brands typically make sure higher profit margins coupled with significant access to distribution & supply channels across the world which substantially provides a wide-ranging platform for product line extensions. With basis of available information (n = 351) searching & processing consumers make Moorthy. Significant benefits from strong brand image includes generating more profit. three conscious Awareness &unawareness groups (each group consists have much more Influences on of 6-7 members) Consumer choice 2. Strong brands also increase speed of market awareness & reception of new products entering the market. 1995). & task specific factors Fitzsimons et al. increased customer loyalty. Ratchford& Survey questionnaire choose from alternatives.interactions. (2002) (n = 280) Focus group discussion can change decision making strategies. This indicates market response &advertising are more effectively planned.11 Conceptual framework The researcher would like to develop the following framework of the literature reviewed so to help the reader understand the issues related to the research paper. 2003) 2. This result in advantage of the company like reduced marketing. Figure 2. as strong brand image already developed in customers. pg. Strong brands are with memory encoding advantage over less popular brands in creating brand image & awareness. opportunities for brand extension. Strong brand image enjoy brand awareness among consumers. Enhancing customer’s satisfaction being the ultimate goal of branding.4: Conceptual framework (developed by author) The conceptual framework of these research illustrates the interrelationships among various elements of Branding & Consumer behaviour.creative actions. 2002)consumers of strong brands are willing to communicate with company. the initial stages should include Brand awareness. better handling of marketing crises. These two along with perceived quality of the branded product build loyalty towards that brand. (Keller. & association with bands. The Brand Image along with purchasing decisions & consumer behaviour ultimately represents consumer satisfaction. 16 . chances of price increase and decrease. Strong brand have direct impact on consumer decision-making & buying (Keller & Hoeffler. The author would like to discuss in this regard km curriculum different research techniques. especially to illustrate the approach and methodology usually certain of the proposed thesis. with the help of people conclusion can shed light on the actions that are well-suited to a specific circumstance. Exploratory research will not likely provide evidence or specific approach. The analysis of organisations (Waitrose) brand image & its impact on the buying behaviour of the customer’s performance & will described the different aspects or behaviours of consumer & the impact of the brand image on that consumer behaviour. as well as the formal and material precedent on this issue.Chapter 3: Research Methodology 3. methods. choice of sampling & data collection method for analysis. 17 . The manner in which the research is accomplished is outlined in this chapter. The framework of this research can be illustrated by using a research onion that would help to structure it in a meaningful manner.1. approach. the thesis is exploratory and descriptive as well. The most important objective of the planned dissertation is to gains the better understanding about the research question but also identify how brand image is impact the consumers buying behaviour. To comprehend the intensity & the significance of a trade name like Waitrose the records compilation is very decisive. pg. The study will also show what kind of branding strategies Waitrose as a rewound brand using to develop its brand image & customers thinking about that image. Data can be collected from telecommunications respectively with business and management. design. each depicting stages of the research as depicted below in Fig 3. It has concentric circles. For this reason. Nevertheless.1 Introduction It is intended issues and considerations in this sector. review and analyse relevant data and relevant. and appropriate tools as well as the most appropriate according to the characteristics desired area of the investigation and the best ways to take advantage of these tools and techniques as well as techniques to collect. The proposed research is part of the exploratory nature of this investigation is the nature of the descriptive and mainly because of the identity and the image can be evaluated in terms of theories to discover how they can take advantage of them. It will entail use of research philosophy. p. which are mostly quantitative nature. involves researchers to interpret elements of the study. It will help to evaluate the research topic & its objectives by using the positivism. shared meanings. The core principle of this paradigm is based on the argument that the reality is independent of the researcher’s concept & notion. This philosophy provides the basis for such a wide range of research methods. consciousness.1 Interpretivism Interpretivism.Figure 3. 2009) 3. positivism. thus interpretivism integrates human interest into a study. and approaches. Positivism paradigm reflects the principles that are defined by scientists. as the name implies. including structural and social phenomena and pg. In the present research author has decided to use positivism. pragmatism. 3. 2009). interpretivism. is used to group together a variety of approaches. & instruments” (Myers.38) Interpretivism is associated with the philosophical position of idealism.2. which suits the proposed research study. Interpretive researchers think that accessing the reality can only be through social connections like language.2 Research Philosophies Harrison & Reilly (2011) mentioned that the research philosophy divided into different parts like realism. 2008. 18 .1: Research Onion (Source: Saunders et al. This property can be measured directly through observation (Bergh &Ketchen. 2010.interpretation.38). 3. (Hague & Jackson. In qualitative method a variety of variables needs to be explored in depth among a couple of no of entities. 2004). approach reject the objectivist view that meaning exists in the world independently of awareness (Collins. There is no indication of a new phenomenon in this scientific empirical study so the author has decided to use a deductive approach which has discussed various previous research theories to prove the relationship among the variables. throughout level of accuracy & reliability.3 Research approach Research approach is either inductive or deductive is normally used to define the research approach (Bergh & Ketchen.4 Research strategy The main aim of the study is to identify key factors with impact of brand preference & the operation of dimensional framework & Waitrose management. The brunt of numerous fundamentals like desires & requirements. 3. Interpretivism focuses on meaning &use multiple techniques to reflect many aspects. 19 . For this dissertation “exploratory case study” approach is more suitable for the intended case & dissertation. 2002). Incorporation of required data pg. enough to make success common for the whole population. 2009). The proposed research approach would be a qualitative research as in qualitative research the thorough examination will possible for the deep understanding of situation. p. The qualitative techniques would be used mainly because it would permit the understanding of the mass people consumers. Quantitative approaches are in line with test of population. their thinking about the brand image of Waitrose & what are the factors that brings them to Waitrose. reason influencing the purchasing decision & choosing the desired brand need to be analysed in detail because this will play a major part in this research (Gill & Johnson. The study will use both quantitative & qualitative systems & method to conduct the research to find out about the Brand image of Waitrose & its impact on consumer behaviour. Researcher is capable of use a variety of kind of technique depending on the study. 1996). It can be official methodical model of data collection. examine of data & discharge the findings (Malhotra. 1 Survey timing The survey is conducted in the month of January & the focus group of discussion is conducted a bit early in the month of December. This was purely subjective view of the respondent about the factors that are they feel important for developing brand loyalty. executive teams & the workforce.6 Data Collection 3.5 Research method Research methods Quantitative methods Remark The entire quantitative method is organised on the basis of the survey questionnaire. 3. The study possibly will take in different supermarkets like Waitrose.2 Data Collection Methods Gathering of information will form a fundamental fraction for this research. Data which is necessary to conduct the research will be composed in different outline like interrogate with clients. ASDA & pg. As most of the manager is busy in their schedule. 3. Sainsbury’s. so getting them together is a difficult task. The questionnaires are chosen to review would principally be closed questions because it will give an actual view of the consumers as well as the management team & employees.for validation of brand loyalty which is based on Anderson’s Brand loyalty(Saunders et al. 20 . That’s why the researcher has chosen a convenient time & arranged the focus group as per their wish. interpretation of the regulars procure as well as questionnaires.6.6. Tesco.. A good numbers of interview from the consumers & management & employees of Waitrose will assist to achieve first-hand data relating to the subject which would permit to create in-depth research. The primary data collected from the respondents are assessed through an open handed multiple choice Qualitative methods questionnaire The qualitative data are collected from the focused group discussion from 14-15 managers who were divided into four groups. 2009). 3. The data will be collected from both primary & secondary sources for this research. A focus group of interview is chosen to estimate the qualitative view of the managers. Process-1 (Data collection through interview methods) This process-1 examines the managers view point about the purchase behaviour of the respondent in a focus group of interview settings. This helps to assess the data which come from the interaction of the group that are usually inaccessible in other form of interview methods (Peterson &Jolibert. Journals. Books. Again it will help to find out their view about customers expectation. Focus group interview is an important method in such kind of triangulation process which illustrates different opinions of the respondent.1 & process-2. This data collection method has broadly classified into two categories process. That’s why the researcher has chosen a convenient time & arranged the focus group as per their wish. pg. Regular observation would be ready throughout the study would be done as of a distance devoid of essentially resembling them. 21 . For primary source face to face interview with customers. Waitrose & consumer behaviour. (Walliman. reports.others. In the present research focus group is conducted among four groups (each group consists of 5 members) all used either Waitrose or other company’s show room based in London. so Qualitative getting them together is a difficult task. management team will be taken. 2005). articles & websites will be used to collect secondary data regarding Brand image. 2011). Table: Tools used for data collection Tools used Research Justification Survey methods Quantitative As this methods helps to assess the quantitative aspects questionnaire Personal interview of the factors that are responsible for developing the brand loyalty within respondents As most of the manager is busy in their schedule. There will be some interview with the management & the workers of the Waitrose to appreciate what steps or actions they are using to be the pioneer of the retail world. The questionnaires are chosen to review would principally be closed questions because it will give an actual view of the consumers as well as the management team. Elliott & Percy (2007) supported. As the phrasing & designing of the questions affect the validity of the result. informal interaction among its members & helps to explore the unconscious needs & motive of the research. Deciding the target sample size is the initial step for data collected during the survey. The number of respondents kept in the focus group is relatively lower than the ideal number (8-10) suggested by the marketing research institute. Kumar (2009) described that focus group of interview can be considered as a valuable qualitative technique which initiates spontaneous.6. all the participants have the same level of experience.Justification of interview method Within these groups during the interview process two important considerations were made: The group should be homogeneous in nature in terms of the socioeconomic & demographic characteristics but share very little information alone. Process-2 (Data collection through quantitative methods) Questionnaire design & pilot study Before preparing the questionnaire researcher collected information about how to devise a draft. this can be considered as a quite important & valuable technique to get the subjective views of the respondents that is quite difficult to collect through survey method. The basic objective of the pilot study was to assess the correction required in the questionnaire. B. therefore the researcher initially planned to employ a pilot study. Secondly. Total 3 group of interview was organised by the researcher & special attention was imposed to maintain a relaxed atmosphere so that the discussion becomes non directive & spontaneous. 3. if any. The pilot study is conducted by taking the response of the 50 respondents. 22 . During focus group discussion special attention was delivered so that the response is smooth among the participants & the moderator. C & D) consists of around 14-15 managers selected from Waitrose showroom situated in pg. data & place The sample selected for the research can be divided into two types.3 Sample size. The focus groups (A. Justification of survey method The selection of the survey process are highly formalised & standard as the analysis comes from different relevant questions mentioned in the questionnaire. A survey questionnaire was designed with open handed questions which are initially distributed among the 50 respondents. So this has more control over the events. (Saunders et al. 23 . The sampling method chosen for the method was snowball in nature. 3. annotations of the customers purchase & the questionnaires.London.6. which will allow creating in vigour research.. The entire population size was approximately infinite for customer & 30 for the managers working in Waitrose show room. A great quantity of interviews will help to provide first-hand data regarding the theme. 3.5 Data analysis process & tools Analysis of data correctly is very important as the main objective of the research will not be fulfilled if the data are not analyse correctly (Saunders et al. In the period of the research. 2009). in simple random sampling method all the member of population have equal chance of being selected so it will fulfil the researcher aims.6. The same is true for the qualitative analysis also where almost 14 managers were selected out of finite population (30 managers in Waitrose store) size. The ideal way to do so is face to face as well as researcher will review the past work done on consumer policies of Waitrose. 2009). For this research pg. As the cross sectional nature of the data is selected for analysis. The second group consists of mostly youth & middle age respondent from customer (124 samples) who is experienced to handle such electronic gadgets & gizmos available in the market. This is a kind non probabilistic sampling. organization.. Primary data for performing the research will be collected in diverse way as discussion with consumers. The process depicts the selection of the sample is taken from an infinite population where no probability factor is attached to it. But as the data are cross sectional in nature & collected within a span of one week (where every week the average customer in flow are not more than 750) so selection of sample size 124 expected to be justified & matches with the population parameter & statistics.4 Sampling method The probability sampling method is chosen because researcher wants to have a clear view of the customers about the brand image of Waitrose. so this supports the choice of this sampling process (Dul&Hak. the researcher will take interview of two mangers (store) & 100 consumers from Waitrose by means of simple random method. 2012). Tables. Ethic is a code of conduct acceptable to academic behaviour (Wells. mean & standard deviation are organised during the quantitative analysis. Hamel & Prahalad (2005) explained are few areas need to be assessed while conducting such research like ethical norms make them accountable to management.7 Ethical & Legal liabilities The researcher avoided all kind of fabrication or misrepresentation of data. & information would be used for only university study intension& will not be used for any commercial intensions.Microsoft office software like WORD EXCEL will be used. 2009). 3. Finally this frame work is directly interrelated with the brand loyalty so support from the organisation is unquestionable. all of them are voluntarily participating. The focus group interview were organised within 4-5 groups to assess the subjective view & an exploratory factor analysis.. code & conducts validity & reliability. Therefore the ethical standards pertaining to the sustainability of the brand preference which are required for the research. Understanding the key factors that influence brand preference should always attract management of the Waitrose Inc. This helps to identify the main factors which are responsible for consumer brand preference. 1994). This research involves coordination & cooperation from different peoples from diversified fields. Both the standard & mean deviation allow delivering the subjective view of the respondent across the demographics. Information is given to the participant prior to interview that.8. They have the right to withdraw the information they provided at any time & the data protection act will be followed throughout the work. The Academic rules & regulations.1 Limitation The financing is also a limitation as the researcher is a student & university does not provide any financing to data collection & the research work. graphs will be also used to present the data & result. While conduction a research work & collection of data the ethical issues are considered as it reflects the opinion & thinking of others (Saunders et al. Though the research has extensively pg. 3.8 Review of Research limitation & future implication 3. 24 . used the triangulation process to elaborate the key factor that influence both the brand preference & loyalty of electronic gadgets & gizmos . 25 . adequate time needs to be provided to the group for coming to a consensus. To specify the objective research focused on to identify the factors that influence the brand loyalty & consumer preference o different products of Waitrose.8. Further within four groups the interview was conducted but still the result cannot be generalised & could be biased in some other context. The permission from the Store management will also be taken prior to data collection & interview. pg. Certain limitations pertaining to this research further initiate the need for future research. Thirdly. Instead of taking the cross sectional data the same research further can be executed with longitudinal data to achieve a better picture of the consumer perception. 3. Fourthly in nowhere the researcher has pointed out the role & implication of many others factors such as legislation & international differences in culture & its impact on the brand loyalty.3 Future implication of the research The research itself has some merit from the management perspective but required more introspection in the findings to deliver better & more in depth implication in terms of theory & practices. 3.8. Besides smaller sample size. This result would be more effective if the analysis would organise on a comparative scale between the male & female. Secondly the student sample limits the broader aspects of the study. So organisation like Waitrose needs to focus on the activities & promotions in a sensitive manner to develop customer loyalty. But this entire analysis is restricted within the limited variables & more importantly consider a specific time frame. Instead of descriptive research the exploratory research would help the researcher to get initial insights about the consumer perceptions. but still it has some limitation.2 Accessibility issues To collect data for this research main issues could be time limit & the mentality of the Customers to give information about their purchase. Firstly during the focus group interview (study-1) while the interpretation is obtained on the basis of the views of the respondents. This scrutiny is needed to execute in future research. the brand is considered as the vital asset & an intangible component for the organisation which needs to be nurture for developing the long term equity. Researcher will try to overcome these issues by approaching the customers in nicely & ensuring them by informing that the data will be used for only academic intension. restricted sampling procedure from a particular geographical boundary makes the findings bit sceptical. pg. 26 . 27 . nationality & occupation. There were total 10 questions in the questionnaire.3 Results & Findings of Questionnaire Survey As the questionnaire was divided into two segments. pg. Total 62 filled questionnaires were returned to the author.age.2 Average Rate of Response In this proposed study. The questionnaire was categorized into two segments containing customers’ demographic information & general statement related to branding preferences. The customers’ demographic information was as follows: .Chapter 4: Data Analysis & Discussion 4. For collecting primary data 100 questionnaires were distributed to Waitrose Putney branch customers & total 62 questionnaires returned to the author & two managers of Waitrose Putney branch were interviewed to know about the consumer behaviour & brand image of Waitrose. 100 questionnaires were distributed among the customers of Waitrose Putney branch.4 Part One (Demographic Info) The first segment of questionnaire was designed to know about the demographic information of customers who willingly are participated in the survey. The majority of the respondents were aged between 36 & 50 years old. And finally the proposed dissertation finds significance to analyse the findings with the various previous studies related to brand image through comparing & contrasting the findings based on analysis. 4. They participated willingly as the author did not force to take part in this survey. The average rate of survey response was 62% which was a good response rate. 4. 4. gender. The questions were Waitrose brand & its related issues to answer the research questions. therefore the results & findings will also be presented in two segments.1 Introduction In the data analysis & discussion chapter the author would like to give concentration on the presentation of data & information collected both from primary data (customer survey & manager interview at Waitrose Putney branch) & secondary data to address the research question. e. only 7% customers were aged over 65 years old.39% female customers respectively.61% male &48. Out of 100 questionnaires only questionnaires were backed to the author & out of customers come to shop at Waitrose Putney branch 32 customers were male &30 customers were female which represents 51.55 22. Middle aged customers i. On the other hand.03 43.4.61 48.2 Customers' Demographic Profile by GENDER Table 2: demographic profile in terms of GENDER Gender Respondents Total Male Female Total 32 30 In (%) 51. The second highest age group was between 51 & 65 years which corresponds 26% of total respondents. 4. aged between 20 & 35 years old respondents were 24% of total respondents. 28 .4.1 Customers' Demographic Profile by AGE Table 1: demographic profile in terms of AGE Age Respondents Total 20-30 31-50 51-65 Over 65 Total In (%) 18 27 14 3 29.58 4.39 100 (%) A total number of 100 questionnaires were produced. Distributed among customers of Waitrose Putney branch.4. pg.84 100 From the above table (Table 1). it can be seen that the majority of the customers’ age was between 36 & 50 years which represents 44% of total customers. 10% of total customers who regularly come to visit & shop from the Waitrose Putney branch. 29 . 46% Male 54%. The African were only 7% of total customers take part in the survey.1: Respondents' demographic profile by GENDER (by author) 4.10 27. 54% Female Figure 4.13 8.42 11.06 100 (%) There was a query related to the customers’ nationality in the questionnaire. 23 customers were British origin which represents 37. 3 customers filled up their nationality as other through which 2 customers were Australian & 1 was Canadian citizen. Among 62 respondents.4. pg. Asian represents 19% of total respondents. Out of 62 respondents.29 16.Respondents' demographic profile by GENDER 46%.3 Respondents Demographic Profile by Nationality Table 3: Respondents demographic profile by nationality (simple statistics & percentage) Ethnic Group Total British American African Asian Others Total 23 17 7 10 5 62 Respondents Percentage (%) 37. 14 customers described them as American in their demographic profile which corresponds 24% of total respondents. 24% British American African Asian Others Figure 4.5 Part Two (General Statement Related to Waitrose Brand) Section two of the questionnaire was intended to ask the customer of Waitrose Putney branch related to Waitrose brand & their brand preferences when they purchase from retail chain supermarkets. 5% 11. 30 .3. 42% 6.4. pg. 19% 25. respondents expressed themselves as business in their occupation query which represents 48% of total respondents. 4. In this segment total 5 questions were set to uncover the customers brand preferences & their buying behaviour at Waitrose Putney branch.e. The majority of the customers i. 25% of total respondents picked as service holder in their occupation query & another 27% of total customers described them as student in their occupation segment.4 Respondents Demographic profile by OCCUPATIONS Table 4: Respondents demographic profile by occupations (simple statistics & percentage) Occupations Respondents Total Business Service holder Student Total 28 15 16 62 In (%) 48 25 27 100 (%) The last demographic fact was designed to know the occupations of the customers regularly visit at Waitrose Putney branch. 10% 14.2: Respondents demographic profile by nationality (by author) 4. 35 19.36 From the table 5. 10% Often. Another 25% of total respondents purchase from Waitrose often. 20% Always.36) which is greater than 4 point scale.1 How often do you purchase from Waitrose Table 5: How often respondents purchase from Waitrose (simple statistics & percentage) Always Often Sometimes Rarely Never 5 55% 4 25% 3 15% 2 5% 1 0% Average response rate 4.5.3: How often respondents purchase from Waitrose 4.2 Are you satisfied with Waitrose brand? Table 6: Satisfaction of customers having Waitrose brand (simple statistics & percentage) Respondents Total Very satisfied satisfied Its ok 43 12 7 In (%) 69. it can be seen that the majority of the customers at Waitrose purchase always which represents 55% of total respondents. 31 .5. How often respondents purchase from Waitrose Rarely.35 11.4. 65% Figure 4. it can be assumed that customers are tend to make a purchase always from Waitrose according to their response. 5% Sometimes. From the calculation of average response rate (4.29 pg. 2014). It is supported that Waitrose continuously focusing on quality foods for upfront consumers who prefer exclusive quality products regardless of price consideration (innovationreactor. Another 19. 32 . From the above analysis and results it is quite clear that Waitrose have developed a strong and positive brand image among its UK consumers and its number of loyal consumers is increasing. Only 11. it can be observed that the majority of the customers of Waitrose Putney branch picked the quality of Waitrose product is excellent as compared to other supermarket chains (for example Tesco. Clients seems to feel satisfied and confident at buying from Waitrose.84 30.5.52 100 (%) From the table 7. 4.com.3% of total respondents were neutral or Ok in this question of the questionnaire.com.3% of total respondents due to consistent quality & exclusive brand reputation of Waitrose. ASDA. So as per the Brand image concerns Waitrose is going in the right direction to achieve and uphold itself as one of the leading Brands in UK retail supermarkets.65 14.61 pg.4 How do you feel shopping at Waitrose Table 8: Satisfaction of customer when shopping at Waitrose (simple statistics & percentage) Respondents Total Very satisfied 32 In (%) 51.5.3% of total customers are satisfied with Waitrose brand when they make a purchase from Waitrose supermarket chain store. The Main objective of this study “To analyse the brand image of Waitrose”.Total 62 100 (%) The majority of the customers are very satisfied having purchased from Waitrose brand which represents 69.3 The quality of Waitrose Product Table 7: Quality of Waitrose product (simple statistics & percentage) Respondents Total Very good Good normal Total 34 19 9 62 In (%) 54. Another group of customers described Waitrose product as good quality which corresponds 25% of total respondents. 4. 2014). Sainsbury) as Waitrose focused on quality products for affluent consumers (innovationreactor. Only 8% of total respondents are dissatisfied & which does not represent significant deviation from earlier opinion of the customers & therefore customers are more likely to get satisfied shopping at Waitrose as outlined by innovationreactor. 4.4: Satisfaction of customer when shopping at Waitrose From the above table 7 & figure 5. One key objective of this study is “To analyse consumer buying behaviour of Waitrose”.com. 33 . Theses opinions are consistent with Waitrose store decoration exclusively designed to give a unique shopping experience to their valued customer. the majority of the customers come to shop at Waitrose are very satisfied which represents 52% of total respondents. From the results presented here it is quite clear that having consumers develop a sense of preference for brands that present themselves strongly in terms of excellent product quality and effective customer services.32 8. Another 25 respondents are satisfied shopping at Waitrose which corresponds 40% of total respondents. 2014.5.Satisfied Dissatisfied Total 25 5 62 40.06 100 (%) Sat is fac t io n of c us t ome r w he n s hopping at Wait r o s e 60% 54% 50% 41% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 5% Very satisfied Satisfied Dissatisfied Figure 4. along with competitive promotions and offers.5 Do you prefer Waitrose as exclusive brand Table 9: Customer preference on Waitrose as exclusive brand Respondents Total In (%) pg. 2014). A key objective of this study is “To investigate the impact of brand image on the consumer buying behaviour”. The 80% of total respondents voted Waitrose as exclusive brand for retail super markets. 2002).com.23 100 (%) The majority of the customers considered that the Waitrose essentially signifies an exclusive retailing brand as compared to others retail super markets for example Tesco.6 Discussion of Findings Related To Research Objectives Branding of a product is considered to be central point to a marketing strategy. This opinion is consistent with following statement as “Waitrose continuously focusing on quality foods for upfront consumers who prefer exclusive quality & branded products regardless of price consideration” (innovationreactor. 2014). 34 . and ASDA. People tend to purchase from super market chains that offer quality products & offer exclusive brand image (Table 9) aligning with its consumer behaviour & brand image.com. The Waitrose positioned them as upfront retail super market brand for affluent group of customers across the UK who prefers exclusive products & services as well.Strongly agree Agree Neutral Total 50 10 2 62 80. From the results presented above it is quite clear that having a strong brand image have brought a significant change in consumer behaviour as they intend to buy from Waitrose even if there are cheaper options available because of their brand loyalty and excellent product quality expectations. Sainsbury.13 3. High & quality production could not always ensure success of a product but instead it’s the brand image that sells today. An outstanding consumer behaviour in an organisation helps to maintain its brand image as well & it helps the survival of a product (Keller. In response to this opinion obtained from the survey Waitrose continuously trying to offer an exclusive brand to their customers as “Waitrose continuously focusing on quality foods for upfront consumers who prefer exclusive quality & branded products regardless of price consideration” (innovationreactor. pg.65 16. 4. nice shopping atmosphere & enormous consumer facility . Waitrose is dedicated to excellence product in reasonable price. 2002). The model is significant for companies that are trying to develop & maintain a unique brand through incorporating their consumer behaviour in the strategic brand management process (Keller. Analysis of Brand image of Waitrose According to consumer website of Waitrose “We are trading what our purchaser likes. The main objective of Waitrose’s social media strategy is to develop customer relationship & build its brand &increase sales. exceptional brand image & store environment in order to create an extraordinary & a premium retail brand & make a difference in customer shopping experiences as an effort of their consumer behaviour (innovationreactor. Consumer buying behaviour Analysis of Waitrose The ultimate intent behind Waitrose’s social media marketing strategy is simply not to get started conversations or boost the number of followers the brand has on Twitter & other social media platform. Waitrose consumer website asserted their consumer behaviour & its alignment with brand image in order to create a unique brand & make a difference in customers shopping experience. 2014). easy shopping techniques. quality products.com. 2002). Waitrose is also responding to the changing business trend adopting & utilizing a unique business model especially targeting on upfront market. 35 . These conveniences make shopping with even more suitable for the customers”. Waitrose’s branding strategies & pg. Keller’s strategic brand management process gives a clear understanding about how a company responds to their strategic brand management process & how they make an alignment with their brand image in their consumer behaviour.& all of these create their brand name well-liked in the retail market. Waitrose has been updating to the newest technologies in regular basis & also offers online shopping & home delivery services. Waitrose trade name turns in to very acceptable to consumer that consumer purchase their manufactured goods without judgment second time if the chief objective is quality.com (2014) statement.Businesses organizations have to respond quickly as business environment always tend to change with the changes of customer buying behaviour & brand preferences (Marsden. In consistent with the innovationreactor. pg. 2006). Waitrose loyalty shift. ASDA & J Sainsbury. it is less complicated for consumers to find in a congested marketplace. visual appearance & image. Sainsbury & working to start by developing a consumer behaviour aligning with brand image focused mainly on niche based customer segment along with application of a differentiated strategic business model to win. These strategic initiatives of Waitrose are very much consistent with their consumer behaviour & its alignment with brand image. These sorts of perceived tangible & intangible benefits potentially influence on customers purchase decision & their buying behaviour & provide a very good foundation for customer loyalty.positioning strategies are very much consistent with the Keller’s strategic brand management process. Joining with john smith. It is particularly significant for small business owners who don't have the promotional strategies of big competition. Twitter campaign impact. Recent noticeable online strategies of Waitrose are Match price campaign. a unique & exclusive brand aiming to gain access to growing market share from strong competitors such as Tesco. As branding plays a vital role in order to differentiate an organization’s for example Waitrose goods & services from its competitors for example Tesco. Waitrose. 36 . Impact of brand image on the consumer buying behaviour The behaviour of an organisation is directly likened by its culture & how it is controlled. Wining of best super market. ASDA. Twitter / Facebook / overheard group / website. In this challenging environment the behaviour of an organisation is changing continuously to cope up with the current challenging business world. Waitrose social media impact. A very good brand name can certainly influence consumer behaviour because they build emotional relationships & reinforcing buying behaviour (Keller & Lehmann. When a product or service has a distinctive name. Sales gain. which includes cost. Post Exchange activities offer us information on customer repurchase or faithfulness.  Brand image of Waitrose The Waitrose symbol gives a picture of their excellence.Chapter 5: Conclusion& Recommendation 5. investigational. customer-care policies. brand image & superiority. pg. There has been lots of replica on the selling actions of the consumers throughout the years. 37 . There could be also some other things that could persuade a customer’s behaviours. publicity. class & other factors (Keegan. Lots of consumers also emotionally concerned to the organisation or a manufactured goods because of brand image that has been shaped by its long time reputation & services. once image of the brand is positively built in the minds of customers. promotional techniques can influence the Buyers to be prejudiced by the image of Waitrose. A prospective consumer could be absolutely prejudiced by the brand image of an organisation like Waitrose. Consumers automatically start purchasing the particular product or service frequently which ensures the customer brand loyal & brand loyalty of customers boosts the profitability of companies which is definitely the ultimate goal of the business. presentation.  Consumer buying behaviour of Waitrose A shopper always tries to collect information of a product to expand their knowledge about a brand & make the brand assortment process easier. 2002). It is extremely significant to realize the clients brand selecting method & the procedure that they apply while select any brand for their buying needs. customer relatives.1 Conclusion Companies regardless of small or large nowadays striving to be able to their product as a unique brand & focus on such sort of branding strategies which are usually beneficial in making the positive image of the brand. Different sources. like friends & family. The consumer behaviour of the organisation reflects the ideology of the organisation.  Impact of brand image on the consumer buying behaviour A great brand image is instantaneously celebrated & recommended by the current clients.  Presence in social media pg. Sometimes private sources furthermore influences brand allegiance. Consumers automatically start purchasing the particular product or service frequently which ensures the customer brand loyal & brand loyalty of customers boosts the profitability of companies which is definitely the ultimate goal of the business. A small change in brand image & strategic business model could positively impact on Waitrose’s brand & lead to create a large base of loyal customer. Together the sources have their individual point like a commercial source provides information concerning the brand & the individual information supplies the knowledge concerning the presentation or estimation function. once image of the brand is positively built in the minds of customers. A first-class brand image of a company could pretence warning to their competitors. Companies regardless of small or large nowadays striving to be able to their product as a unique brand & focus on such sort of branding strategies which are usually beneficial in making the positive image of the brand. feedback analysis. so Waitrose should pay extra attention in keeping a balance between pricing and product quality management. routine check and monitoring recommended.  Maintaining product and service quality First and foremost priority to keep Waitrose brand image shining above its competition is maintaining top of the line product quality and excellent customer services.2 Recommendations From the previous chapters’ analysis & discussions. It is noticeable that a purchaser is biased in the direction of a specific brand commencing the mercantile source. Consumer survey. 5. it is clear that brand image related to creating a unique brand plays a significant role to implement of consumer behaviour into practice. Consumers demands and deserves the Waitrose quality. 38 .  Effective communication with consumers and stakeholders Brands are only powerful if the consumers keep their loyalty and get their demands fulfilled. excellent offers as well as advertisements.As the Online social media has gain enormous attention of general mass all over the world. Waitrose emerging in new markets and growing its business sends a positive sign of its capacity to provide what it promises. However attractive promotions and consumer friendly pricing schemes are necessary along with maintaining promised product quality. keeping your eyes open for your competition is a must. Social events. various survey and promotional programs to keep a healthy communication with the consumers and also with the stockholders can prove effective in maintaining a strong brand image.  Keeping up with competition All brands aim for the top and the competition in retail market in UK is fierce. discount and other promotional offers that out beat competition and finally exclusive service to the loyal consumers of the brand can prove very helpful in achieving the edge in these competitive market. Matching price scheme. A signs of archiving a good brand image can be reflected by the presence and reception of that brand in popular social media like tweeter. pg. Matching price schemes. YouTube or Instagram etc. exclusive services. any growing business entity must have a strong social media presence. The relationship of trust among loyal and new consumers must be honoured with providing the products and services at their best quality as the company promises. free deliveries etc.  Maintaining an attractive brand image Growing economic profile and its dominance in retail market should gain significant positive impact on its consumers. 39 .  Promotions and pricing schemes Waitrose strengthens the company image by providing outstanding covering. So understanding client demand and their appreciations is very important. Facebook. Because social media has already become one of the most popular adverting platform. Discount offers. As innovations and ideas are powering up brands for the never ending race for top position in respective market. product quality comparison. As a general condition the term brand image of a product or the organisation is its impression on consumers that can be decisive for the achievement for the organisation to reach its goal. The consumer website of Waitrose was not enriched well enough containing strategic information about Waitrose & therefore the author has collected information related to Waitrose’s strategic information from other secondary sources. 40 . Customers were under time pressure for responding & taking part in the survey. pg. customer loyalty & its alignment with retail branding could be an interesting areas of further study. companies are also taking brand image in order to make a unique brand which facilitates to stand out from the competition in the market. Branding is not only restricted to the selection of name but also takes into account the logo or even the mark of the product or the organisation. To remain competitive in the business. retail supermarket branding. The sample size used in the analysis chapter was limited to 62 only. The symbol also is an essential part of branding. the author faced a number of limitations related to the assigned dissertation. brand image for small & medium enterprise. 5.4 Limitations of the Study While conducting the current dissertation. The author willing to have more response from the part of customers regarding the survey & they refused to participate in the survey as time restriction of customers who come to purchase from Waitrose. The planned dissertation is concentrated on impact of brand image on consumer buying behaviour. There was a time limitation for completing the dissertation.5.3 Further Areas of the Study These days branding has been a key issue for the companies in every kinds of industry through which they operate. while other related issues for example role of brand image & branding equity in retail industry. com/innovation_reactor/2008/05/howwaitrose-co. P. theory & practice. Analysis & Action.com/waitrosereasons-&-why-peopletalk-about-brands. 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Appendix Questionnaire Survey (This Questionnaire is prepared only for the research intension of the dissertation titled “Analysing the impact of brand image on consumers buying behaviour: A case study of Waitrose”) Table A: Audience’s demographic info     Your Gender: Your Age: Nationality: Occupations: Male Female Table B: Audience Statements on branding A. Are you satisfied with Waitrose brand Very satisfied satisfied Sometimes 5 4 3 Not satisfied 2 Very unsatisfied 1 C.