Exploratory Assessment of Consumer Preferences for Chestnut Attributes in Missouri

2009 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 216-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francisco X. Aguilar ◽  
Mihaela M. Cernusca ◽  
Michael A. Gold

This article explores consumers' preferences for different chestnut (Castanea spp.) attributes and studies differences across potential market segments. The study was conducted between 2003 and 2007 during the Missouri Chestnut Roast festival. The festival, held annually in October during the chestnut harvest season, is one of mid-Missouri's premier family-oriented events. A longitudinal study completed among festival visitors in 2003, 2004, and 2006 to identify chestnut characteristics that influence purchasing decisions was complemented with a conjoint analysis in 2007. The conjoint analysis used a conditional logit model to investigate responses from pairwise product profile comparisons. The attributes investigated include chestnut size (small, medium, and large), price ($3, $5, and $7 per pound), production process (organic and conventional), and origin (Missouri, United States, and imported). Results suggest a strong preference for locally and U.S.-grown compared with imported chestnuts. Local growers that provide the market with medium-size chestnuts that carry organic certification could command a market premium compared with imported/nonorganic certified chestnuts.

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1096-1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kari Hugie ◽  
Chengyan Yue ◽  
Eric Watkins

Traditional turfgrasses found in residential lawns provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing landscape if provided adequate resource inputs, yet, as available natural resources become more limited and public concerns grow stronger about the ecological effects of urban turfgrass management, it becomes increasingly important to pursue alternative landscape options. There are non-traditional turfgrasses that require fewer resource inputs that could be made available to homeowners. The objective of this study was to estimate consumer preferences and the relative importance of aesthetic and maintenance attributes of turfgrasses as well as identify potential market segments of the residential turfgrass market. Conjoint analysis was conducted on survey responses of 116 Minnesota homeowners. The results indicated that maintenance attributes of turfgrasses, specifically irrigation requirement, significantly affected consumer purchasing behavior. The analysis also identified four potential market segments, the Price Conscious segment, the Shade Adaptation segment, the Mowing Conscious segment, and the Water Conscious segment.


2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 292
Author(s):  
Witono Adiyoga ◽  
Nurmalinda Nurmalinda

<p>ABSTRAK. Pemahaman tentang preferensi konsumen sangat penting dalam proses pengambilan keputusan pemangku kepentingan utama, termasuk bagi produsen/petani serta berbagai pihak terkait yang beroperasi di dalam subsektor sayuran. Penelitian ini diarahkan untuk menghimpun informasi menyangkut preferensi konsumen atau optimalisasi utilitas atribut produk untuk komoditas prioritas/unggulan sayuran (kentang, bawang merah, dan cabai merah). Kegiatan penelitian dilaksanakan pada Bulan Juni sampai dengan September 2008 di tiga kota besar konsumen sayuran, yaitu Jakarta (DKI Jaya), Bandung (Jawa Barat), dan Padang (Sumatera Barat). Penelitian survai menggunakan kuesioner terstruktur dilaksanakan untuk mewawancarai 335 responden yang dipilih secara acak di ketiga kota tersebut. Atribut produk yang diamati mencakup atribut eksternal, internal, dan organoleptik. Preferensi konsumen diidentifikasi menggunakan analisis konjoin yaitu salah satu modul dalam program SPSS. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa konsumen mengekspresikan preferensinya terhadap kentang yang berukuran 6­–8 butir/kg, berkulit mulus, dan memiliki jumlah mata sedikit (&lt;10). Konsumen menganggap ukuran umbi kentang merupakan faktor terpenting dalam menilai atau membeli kentang, dan secara berturut-turut diikuti oleh faktor permukaan kulit serta jumlah mata. Sementara itu, bawang merah yang paling disukai konsumen ialah bawang merah dengan diameter umbi 2,5 cm, berwarna kulit merah-ungu tua, dan beraroma tidak menyengat. Urutan kepentingan atribut bawang merah menurut persepsi konsumen secara berturut-turut yaitu warna kulit, ukuran umbi, serta aroma. Sementara itu, konsumen lebih menyukai cabai merah yang besar, kulit berwarna merah terang, dan memiliki kepedasan agak pedas. Dalam konteks atribut produk cabai merah yang digunakan untuk mengukur preferensi, faktor terpenting yang berpengaruh dalam proses pengambilan keputusan yaitu warna kulit, dan secara berturut-turut diikuti oleh faktor jenis cabai serta tingkat kepedasan.</p><p>ABSTRACT. Adiyoga, W and Nurmalinda 2012. Conjoint Analysis of Consumer Preferences on Potato, Shallots, and Hot Pepper’s Product Attributes. Understanding consumer preferences is important in the context of decision-making of key stakeholders, including producers themselves, as well as development agencies that operate in the vegetable subsector. This study was aimed at collecting information on consumer preference or optimizing the utility of product attributes of vegetable priority crops (potato, shallots, and hot peppers). It was carried out in June-September 2008 in three big vegetable consuming cities, Jakarta (Capital Special-Region of Jakarta), Bandung (West Java), and Padang (West Sumatera). Survey method by using a structured questionnaire was implemented to interview 335 respondents randomly selected in the three cities. Parameters observed were external, internal, and organoleptic attributes. Consumer preferences were identified by using conjoint analysis – a module in Statistical Program for Social Sciences (SPSS). The results showed that consumers express their preference to potato that has some characteristics, such as medium size of tuber (6-8 tubers/kg), smooth-flawless skin, and few numbers of eyes (&lt;10). Tuber size were perceived as the most important factor affecting purchasing decision, and followed by skin and number of eyes. The most preferred shallots was the one that has a diameter of 2.5 cm in size, dark-violet red skin color, and least strong aroma. The rank of shallot’s attributes importance as perceived by consumers were skin color, tuber size, and aroma, consecutively. Meanwhile, consumers prefer hot peppers that has the characteristics of bright-red skin color, big-hot peppers type, and slightly hot. Within the context of measuring preference, the most important hot peppers attribute that influences consumer decision making were skin color, and then followed by hot peppers type, and hotness.<br /><br /></p>


1989 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-63 ◽  
Author(s):  
A E Joseph ◽  
B Smit ◽  
G P McIlravey

Conjoint measurement is introduced as an appropriate method for characterising the nature of consumer preferences for various types of rural residence. After a review of the major conceptual and technical issues in conjoint analysis, a study involving twenty-two potential homebuyers in southern Ontario is described. The results indicate that potential buyers are seeking privacy (medium-size or large lots in isolated locations) above all other things, which translates into a behavioural push for sprawling, low-density development. Further examination of the utilities attached to the various attributes of potential residences suggests a limited but real opportunity for the use of controls on lot and house size and on municipal service provision to increase the attractivenss of high-density, village locations to consumers.


Author(s):  
Eunae Son ◽  
Song Soo Lim

Food made with gene-editing has received considerable attention in recent years because it is claimed to be a little different from traditional genetically modified breeding methods concerning safety. However, consumer acceptance of these novel foods and their potential market uptake remains to be answered. This study aims to assess differences in the acceptance of gene-edited and genetically modified foods in Korea. The choice-based conjoint analysis is adopted to estimate part-worth functions for the soybean oil attributes with 200 surveyed samples. The estimated part-worth values reveal how much each attribute affects consumers’ decision-making. Estimated results suggest that consumers tend to accept gene-editing more than genetically modified foods. The acceptance of novel technology is shown to correspond closely to the degree of consumers’ scientific knowledge, highlighting the importance of revealing relevant information regarding the technology. Results also show that country of origin is a significant food-specific attitudinal factor in shaping consumer preferences.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3432
Author(s):  
McKenzie Thomas ◽  
Kimberly L. Jensen ◽  
Dayton M. Lambert ◽  
Burton C. English ◽  
Christopher D. Clark ◽  
...  

Biochar is a co-product of advanced biofuels production from feedstocks including food, agricultural, wood wastes, or dedicated energy crops. Markets for soil amendments using biochar are emerging, but little is known about consumer preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for these products or the depth of the products’ market potential for this product. This research provides WTP estimates for potting mix amended with 25% biochar, conditioned on consumer demographics and attitudes about product information labeling. Data were collected with an online survey of 577 Tennessee home gardeners. WTP was elicited through a referendum contingent valuation. Consumer WTP for an 8.81 L bag of 25% biochar potting mix is $8.52; a premium of $3.53 over conventional potting mix. Demographics and attitudes toward biofuels and the environment influence WTP. Biochar amounts demanded are projected for the study area’s potential market. Optimal prices, profits, and market shares are estimated across different marginal costs of producing biochar potting mix.


2002 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-170 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Wes Harrison ◽  
Timothy Stringer ◽  
Witoon Prinyawiwatkul

Conjoint analysis is used to evaluate consumer preferences for three consumer-ready products derived from crawfish. Utility functions are estimated using two-limit tobit and ordered probit models. The results show women prefer a baked nugget or popper type product, whereas 35- to 44-year-old men prefer a microwavable nugget or patty type product. The results also show little difference between part-worth estimates or predicted rankings for the tobit and ordered probit models, implying the results are not sensitive to assumptions regarding the ordinal and cardinal nature of respondent preferences.


2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brian Sylcott ◽  
Jeremy J. Michalek ◽  
Jonathan Cagan

In conjoint analysis, interaction effects characterize how preference for the level of one product attribute is dependent on the level of another attribute. When interaction effects are negligible, a main effects fractional factorial experimental design can be used to reduce data requirements and survey cost. This is particularly important when the presence of many parameters or levels makes full factorial designs intractable. However, if interaction effects are relevant, main effects design can create biased estimates and lead to erroneous conclusions. This work investigates consumer preference interactions in the nontraditional context of visual choice-based conjoint analysis, where the conjoint attributes are parameters that define a product's shape. Although many conjoint studies assume interaction effects to be negligible, they may play a larger role for shape parameters. The role of interaction effects is explored in two visual conjoint case studies. The results suggest that interactions can be either negligible or dominant in visual conjoint, depending on consumer preferences. Generally, we suggest using randomized designs to avoid any bias resulting from the presence of interaction effects.


Sensors ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 3152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Offermann-van Heek ◽  
Philipp Brauner ◽  
Martina Ziefle

Interactive textiles are reaching maturity. First technology augmented textiles in form of clothes and furnitures are becoming commercially available. In contrast to the close link between technological development and innovations, future users’ acceptance and usage of such interactive textiles has not been integrated sufficiently, yet. The current study investigates future users’ consumer behavior and acceptance of interactive textiles using a scenario-based conjoint analysis study, which was presented in an online questionnaire ( n = 324 ). Two prototypical interactive textiles were focused on: a smart jacket and a smart armchair. To assess the textile products, the participants had to choose the preferred product alternative consisting each of the acceptance-relevant factors “connectivity”, “input modality”, “feature range”, “usability”, and “ease of cleaning”and their respective levels. The results revealed that the “ease of cleaning” is the most important decision criterion for both textile devices (even more important for the smart jacket), followed by “feature range”, “connectivity”, and “usability”. In contrast, the “input modality” is perceived as least important. The study also identified user profiles based on the projected consumer behavior (“adopters”, “rejecters”, and “undecided”) for both products. Besides the differences in product evaluation and projected consumer behavior, the user groups are significantly influenced by the individual affinity to textiles (both products) and gender (smart jacket). The findings are used to derive design and communication guidelines referring to interactive textiles in order to incorporate users’ needs, wishes, and requirements into future products.


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