Special marketing characteristics of heating products Perceived quality attributes of residential heating products along the decision-making process

Abstract

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER

End customers make their investment-like purchase decisions with heating products for 15-20 years’ time. The goal of the paper is to reveal the special marketing characteristics of the decision-making process by identifying the perceived quality attributes and brands at the diverse stages of the purchase process. Furthermore, the goal of the paper is to validate the results of a former research conducted with installers and service technicians about end customers’ quality and brand perceptions.

METHODOLOGY

A 2-step empirical research (1. Focus group interviews, 2. Quantitative online questionnaire) was conducted with end customers in Hungary in December 2013.

MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS

End customers perceive quality attributes at the diverse stages of the purchase process analog to both industrial and residential market characteristics. End customers find price-performance ratio the deciding quality attribute by the final decision, which supports the assumption of the previous research and contradicts the opinion of service technicians about the end customers’ preference.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the research results, manufacturers of heating products should optimize their sales- and marketing strategy towards both installers and end customers.