A Study on Consumer Preference Towards Selected Automobile Brands Using ANOVA
AUTHOR
Name: Ali Sonde
1. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
· To analyse consumer preference levels towards selected automobile brands
· To compare customer ratings of Skoda, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes
· To identify whether a significant difference exists in consumer preference among the selected automobile brands
· To apply ANOVA as a statistical tool for analysing consumer preference
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
Previous studies on consumer behaviour in the automobile industry indicate that factors such as performance, comfort, reliability, design, safety, and brand image significantly influence consumer preference. Researchers have found that strong brand equity and consistent product quality result in higher customer satisfaction and brand loyalty.
Several empirical studies have applied Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to compare consumer preference across multiple brands. These studies conclude that ANOVA is an effective statistical technique for identifying significant differences in mean preference scores among brands, making it suitable for comparative studies in consumer and marketing research.
3. HYPOTHESIS
Null Hypothesis (H₀):
There is no significant difference in consumer preference among Skoda, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes.
Alternative Hypothesis (H₁):
There is a significant difference in consumer preference among Skoda, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes.
4. DATA COLLECTION
The study is based on primary data collected through a structured questionnaire using a brand rating system. A total of 184 responses were collected. Respondents rated their preference for Skoda, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes on a 1–10 rating scale, where 1 indicates very low preference and 10 indicates very high preference.
Equal observations were maintained for each brand (46 responses per brand) to ensure a balanced ANOVA analysis.
5. DATA ANALYSIS
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was applied to examine differences in consumer preference among the selected automobile brands. The ANOVA results show that the F-value (4.75) is greater than the critical value, with a p-value (0.0033) which is less than the 0.05 significance level. This indicates a statistically significant difference in consumer preference among the brands.
Since the p-value is less than 0.05, the null hypothesis is rejected, and the alternative hypothesis is accepted, confirming that consumer preference varies across the selected automobile brands.
6. CONCLUSION
The study concludes that consumer preference differs significantly among Skoda, Porsche, BMW, and Mercedes. Although all brands received high ratings, BMW emerged as the most preferred brand, indicating stronger consumer satisfaction and brand perception. Skoda and Mercedes maintain competitive positions, while Porsche shows comparatively lower preference scores.
The findings provide valuable insights for automobile manufacturers to improve brand positioning, customer satisfaction, and competitive strategy. The study is limited by sample size, and future research may include a larger sample and additional factors influencing consumer preference.