ELICITING CUSTOMER PREFERENCE FROM PURCHASING BEHAVIOR SURVEYS

1 . A method, comprising:

clustering ( 210 ) survey respondents into two or more clusters according to a data pattern identified in a dataset of responses to survey questions that includes product purchasing decision response data, and respondent and product attribute response data;

producing ( 220 ), by a computer, from data associated with a given cluster of the two or more clusters, a model relating purchasing decision response data to product attribute response data;

generating ( 230 ), by a computer using the model, projected purchasing decision response data for the cluster by replacing a value relating to selected product attribute data with an alternative value;

transforming ( 240 ) the dataset by replacing purchasing decision response data with the projected purchasing decision response data and

re-clustering ( 250 ) survey respondents according to a data pattern identified in the transformed dataset.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the respondent attribute response data includes demographic response data and behavioral response data.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the data pattern for clustering is identified in the behavioral response data.

4 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the model relates purchasing decision response data to product attribute response data and demographic response data.

5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the survey questions include at least one product attribute survey question that relates to a control variable.

6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the data pattern identified in the data set is based on a subset of the respondent attribute question response data exclusive of survey questions endogenously linked to the control variable.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, subsequent to re-clustering ( 250 ) survey respondents, analyzing ( 260 ) cluster shift.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein clustering associates each respondent to exactly one cluster.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein clustering associates each respondent to a probability distribution across the two or more clusters.

10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the survey questions include at least one respondent attribute survey question, and wherein the data pattern relates to a common response to a selected one of the at least one respondent attribute survey question.

11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the survey questions include at least one product attribute survey question that relates to a control variable, and wherein the selected respondent attribute survey question is non-endogenous with respect to the control variable.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein producing a model includes performing a regression analysis on the data associated with the given cluster.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein producing a model is performed for each cluster, such that two or more models are produced, and wherein generating projected purchasing decision responses is performed for each model.

14 . An apparatus ( 400 ) for eliciting customer preference from purchasing behavior surveys using a dataset ( 330 ) of customer survey response data including data ( 340 ) representing product attribute responses and data ( 350 ) representing respondent attribute responses, comprising:

a clustering module ( 360 ) that clusters survey respondents according to a selected data pattern in a dataset representing responses to survey questions that include a question regarding a product purchasing decision, and questions regarding respondent attributes and product attributes;

a model producer ( 365 ) that produces, from data associated with a given duster, a model relating purchasing decision responses to product attribute responses;

a generator ( 370 ) that uses the model to generate projected purchasing decision responses for the duster by replacing a value relating to a response to a selected product attribute question that relates to a control variable with an alternative value that relates to a predetermined value of the control variable;

a data transformer ( 375 ) that transforms the dataset by replacing purchasing decision responses with the projected responses; and

a re-clustering module ( 380 ) that re-clusters survey respondents according to a selected data pattern in the transformed dataset.

15 . A system of eliciting customer preference from purchasing behavior surveys, comprising:

a data storage subsystem ( 310 ) configured to store a dataset ( 330 ) of customer survey response data including data ( 340 ) representing product attribute responses and data ( 350 ) representing respondent attribute responses;

a processing subsystem ( 320 ) in communication with the data storage subsystem ( 310 ) and configured to:

cluster ( 210 ) survey respondents into clusters according to a selected data pattern in the dataset ( 330 );

produce ( 220 ), from data associated with a given cluster, a model relating purchasing decision responses to product attribute responses;

generate ( 230 ), using the model, projected purchasing decision responses for the cluster by replacing a value relating to a response to a selected product attribute question with an alternative value;

transform ( 240 ) the dataset ( 330 ) by replacing purchasing decision responses with the projected responses; and

re-cluster ( 250 ) survey respondents according to a selected data pattern in the transformed dataset.