Assignment Case
Directions: Write your report to the Vice President of Marketing, John Banks. Include at least one informal graphic aid – most likely a table (probably of some of the questionnaire data). Don’t forget to introduce the graphic aid in the text before the aid itself appears. Don’t forget to discuss important data in the graphic aid.

Generic products have been available in the Orchard Park area grocery stores for about a year. A variety of generic goods can be purchased that are packaged with plain labels and contain no brand names. These goods are offered by retail grocery stores at prices below those of brand-name products. The vice president of marketing, John Banks, has asked you to find out if consumers are responding to generic products as an alternative to brand-name products in your Orchard Park store. He has also asked you to make recommendations on whether to continue selling the generic products at Orchard Park. Questionnaires were distributed to customers during a two-day period from 9 a.m. to 9 p. m. each day. The data gathered with the questionnaires are as follows:

Total number of questionnaires completed: 85

Customer purchasing habits: bought generics, 67%
not bought generics but familiar with them, 27%
not familiar with generics, 6%

Background of customers who bought generics:
Sex – Females, 77%; Males, 23%
Age – Under 20, 3%
20 to 30, 52%
31 to 40, 28%
41 to 50, 12%
over 50, 15%

Average savings to customers who bought generics: 25%

Customers who believe that quality of generic products compares well with that of brand-name products: 82%

Important Note About Data Analysis:
You will need to think about the data presented above. How should these data be combined or reported separately? If combined, what effect does the combined total percentage have on your recommendation. For example – age. Does it make sense to report each age range as shown in the gathered data or does it make more sense to combine individuals in some age ranges because their lifestyles and purchasing habits are the same or very likely similar. Are young people under 20 who are now purchasing groceries much different in their purchasing habits than those 20 to 30. How similar could the lifestyles be for those over 31 compared to those in 41 to 50? Do you think it is likely that their family life-cycles are similar or distinctly different? THINK about how to best present your data to support your recommendation. That means explaining WHY specific variables will likely affect purchases of generic products.