NPD's Marshal Cohen Authors New Book:
Why Customers Do What They Do

In Why Customers Do What They Do, Marshal Cohen, chief industry analyst for The NPD Group and one of the foremost authorities on consumer behavior, gives managers responsible for branding, marketing, and sales strategies the ability to anticipate the needs, wants, and desires of today's consumer.

Drawing on years of market research from The NPD Group, Marshal uncovers the major trends that drive consumer behavior, revealing why and how consumers’ daily habits affect their purchasing behavior—and how this behavior will impact your business in the future.

NPD Insights recently sat down with Marshal to discuss his new book. Here’s what
he told us:

NPD Insights: Why did you decide to write this book?

Marshal Cohen: Manufacturers and retailers often ask me to help educate them about consumer behavior. The book emphasizes that it's time for them to develop new paradigms to capture the hearts and minds of consumers.

NPD Insights:   What did you use to support your conclusions?

Marshal Cohen: Part of my job is to interview hundreds of consumers face-to-face in actual retail environments. I kept seeing and hearing the same refrain from customers I spoke with – nobody understood why they weren’t excited to shop anymore, and I decided to get to the bottom of that issue. I remember there was one woman I spoke to at length in a department store who begged me to tell her why it was that stores don't pay attention to what she and her friends and family want or need. When I asked her what she meant, she told me that her experiences in retail stores were so painful, she almost didn’t shop anymore.

NPD Insights:  Who would get the most out of reading your book?

Marshal Cohen: My original intent was to create a book that was immediately useful to manufacturers and retailers, and an interesting read for consumers, as well. After all, part of my goal was to show consumers how to become aware of their own shopping habits, so they could, if they wanted to, discuss their needs and desires with retailers. I also wanted to educate the industry to help them reach the next level – to actually become customer-centric, rather than just talking about it in the abstract. The underpinnings of the retail world are still based on the so-called “Four Ps” of price, product, placement and promotion. None of those Ps focuses on the consumer, per se. That’s why I came up with the Five Es.

NPD Insights:   What are the Five Es?

Marshal Cohen: The first is “educating consumers, rather than just selling to them.” Then “exploring ways to let the consumer endorse your brand.” The third E is “elevating awareness to prepare consumers for what’s next.” The fourth is “entertaining consumers to inspire purchase behavior.” And finally, “evaluating the process yearly to lock-in a connection to consumers.”

NPD Insights:   Do the Five Es replace the Four Ps?

Marshal Cohen: Not at all. I think of it this way: the Four Ps help your business survive, but the Five Es help it thrive.

It’s important for manufacturers and retailers to learn to put the Five Es to work to them, because it results in a more cohesive game plan — one that actually engages consumers, and helps you stay connected to them at all stages of the retail continuum. If you form better relationships with your customers, you’re not only benefiting your internal operation, but also forging better, longer-lasting relationships with consumers overall, which can pay larger dividends in the future.

Marshal Cohen is the chief industry analyst for The NPD Group, Inc, a worldwide leader in market research and consumer behavior. His unique experience of 28 years in retail, manufacturing and marketing, along with his passion for studying consumer behavior has made him the authority on understanding and marketing to today’s consumer. Cohen regularly appears as an expert commentator on many broadcast news outlets, including “The Today Show,” “Good Morning America,” CNN, and CNBC, and is extensively quoted in Fortune, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Time, and Women’s Wear Daily. He is in high demand as a speaker at key industry events, such as The National Retail Federation’s Annual Convention, The Fairchild Apparel Summit, and the American Apparel and Footwear Association’s Annual Convention.

Why Consumers Do What They Do is available at all major online and traditional retail booksellers. Click here to purchase now.