BUS.MK10 Interpreting and Analysing Market Research Data

AQA 8132 · Calculators not allowed · about 40 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions in the spaces provided. Use the data supplied in each question prompt. No calculator is allowed. Show any simple working where asked.

The sample table below shows a 100-customer survey of a new high street cafe, Bean & Bite, asking customers' age group.
Age group: 16-24 = 12, 25-34 = 28, 35-44 = 24, 45-54 = 20, 55+ = 16.
From this sample for Bean & Bite, identify the age group with the largest number of customers.

(Total for Question 1 is 1 mark)

Bean & Bite's survey also asked how customers usually pay. The pie-chart data is: cash 30%, card 55%, mobile pay 15%.
State the percentage of customers who use card payments.

(Total for Question 2 is 1 mark)

From the age table in question 1, calculate the market share, as a percentage, of the combined customer groups aged 35 and over (35-44, 45-54, 55+). Show your working briefly.

(Total for Question 3 is 2 marks)

Bean & Bite recorded preferred drink type in the 100-customer survey: coffee 62, tea 22, cold drinks 16.
Calculate the difference in number of customers who prefer coffee compared with tea.

(Total for Question 4 is 2 marks)

Bean & Bite asked customers what time of day they usually visit. Results from 100 respondents: morning 40, lunch 30, afternoon 20, evening 10.
Explain two things these figures suggest about the cafe's target market and busiest trading periods. Use data in your answer.

(Total for Question 5 is 4 marks)

Bean & Bite asked whether customers prefer takeaway or dine-in: 68 prefer takeaway, 32 prefer dine-in. Explain two marketing changes the cafe could make based on this data to better target its customers.

(Total for Question 6 is 4 marks)

Bean & Bite carried out the 100-customer survey on one weekday morning outside the cafe. The owner now asks you to assess how reliable this market research is for making long-term decisions. Analyse how reliable the research is, using the sample size, sampling method and any other relevant limitations from the prompt.

(Total for Question 7 is 6 marks)

Bean & Bite plans to launch a new evening meal menu and asks if the research already done is sufficient to launch with confidence. The existing data is the 100-customer survey run on one weekday morning, showing low evening visits (10) and a majority preference for takeaway. Evaluate whether Bean & Bite has done enough research to launch the evening menu with confidence. In your answer weigh up the strengths and weaknesses of the existing evidence and give a clear conclusion or recommendation.

(Total for Question 8 is 9 marks)

Mark scheme · BUS.MK10 Interpreting and Analysing Market Research Data

Question 1

B1 identifies 25-34 as the age group with the largest number (28) cao
Answer: 25-34

Question 2

B1 55% cao
Answer: 55%

Question 3

M1 adds 24 + 20 + 16 = 60 seen
A1 60% cao
Answer: 60%. Working: 24 + 20 + 16 = 60 out of 100 customers = 60%.

Question 4

M1 62 - 22 seen
A1 40 cao
Answer: 40 customers. Working: 62 - 22 = 40.

Question 5

B1 identifies morning and lunch as busiest periods, e.g. morning 40 and lunch 30
B1 explains that the target market includes commuters or morning customers because 40% visit in the morning
B1 identifies afternoon/evening are quieter, e.g. only 20 and 10 respondents
B1 explains consequence, e.g. cafe should focus staffing and promotions on morning and lunch to match demand
Answer: The data shows morning (40) and lunch (30) are busiest, so the target market likely includes commuters or workers buying breakfast and lunch. Afternoon (20) and evening (10) are much quieter, so the cafe should prioritise staffing and promotions for morning and lunch trade.

Question 6

B1 identifies a change, e.g. improve takeaway packaging or speed of service because 68% prefer takeaway
B1 develops the point, e.g. better packaging keeps drinks hot and food fresh which would increase repeat business
B1 identifies a second change, e.g. introduce online ordering or click-and-collect because many customers take away
B1 develops the second point, e.g. online ordering reduces queueing and can increase sales at peak times
Answer: Improve takeaway packaging and speed of service so items stay hot and customers return; and introduce online ordering or click-and-collect to reduce queues and serve the large takeaway market more efficiently.

Question 7

Level 1 (1-3): Makes simple points about the research reliability, such as noting the sample size or that the survey was taken at one time, with limited use of the prompt details.
Level 2 (4-6): Provides a developed analysis that evaluates the reliability using the sample size, the sampling method (one weekday morning), representativeness and suggests how these limitations affect the trustworthiness of results.
Indicative content:
- Sample size: 100 respondents can be a useful starting point, but may be small for reliable conclusions about all customers over time.
- Sampling method: respondents were surveyed on one weekday morning which creates time bias, capturing mainly morning customers and likely missing evening and weekend customers.
- Representativeness: because the survey was at one time and place, the sample may not represent the wider local population or different days, so age and payment method results could be unrepresentative.
- Other limitations: response bias may occur if customers who visit at that time differ in behaviour from others; weather or special events that day could skew results.
- Implication: the research gives some useful provisional insights, especially about morning trade, but is not reliable enough on its own for major long-term decisions such as opening hours changes or permanent menu changes without further, wider sampling.

Question 8

Level 1 (1-3): Gives a simple judgement with limited use of the prompt, for example stating a basic for or against case about launching the menu.
Level 2 (4-6): Presents developed arguments for and against launching the evening menu, using some data from the prompt, but does not fully weigh reliability and business risk in a balanced way.
Level 3 (7-9): Weighs the evidence thoroughly, combines evaluation of the data quality with implications for demand and risk, and reaches a clear, justified conclusion or recommendation about whether to launch with confidence.
Indicative content:
- Against launching: the survey was carried out on one weekday morning, so evening visits are likely under-represented; the low figure of 10 evening visits cannot be taken as proof of no demand.
- Against launching: majority preference for takeaway suggests customers may not want dine-in evening meals, lowering potential evening demand unless takeaway evening options are provided.
- For cautious trial: the data does show low observed evening trade, so a cautious approach, such as a short evening trial, limited menu or pop-up evenings, would test demand with limited cost.
- For further research: recommend additional research across evenings and weekends, including a larger sample, targeted surveys of local residents, and trial nights or customer promotions to gather actual evening sales data.
- Costs and risk: launching a full evening menu without further research risks wasted stock, extra staffing costs and poor returns; however, a low-cost pilot could reveal unmet demand and be justified by the initial findings if managed carefully.
- Judgement: given the limited sampling time and potential bias, the existing research is insufficient to launch a full evening menu with confidence; a phased trial with more representative research is the recommended approach.

Interpreting and Analysing Market Research Data - Worksheets, Questions and Revision