Market Research and
Consumer Behavior
Every business decision is a bet on customers. In about two hours, you will learn how to ask the right questions, choose the right research method, avoid common survey mistakes and understand why people buy what they buy.How to understand customers and why they buy, in about two hours.
What you will learn
Customers do not always do what they say. This course shows you how to find out what they really want and how they decide, with research methods that managers and marketers can use without a statistics degree.
- Plan a research project, from the business question to the right method
- Use interviews, focus groups, observation, surveys and experiments well, and avoid common biases
- Understand how customers decide, from the decision journey to habits, loss aversion and social proof
More details
This is practical knowledge for your everyday work. Across nine short chapters you learn the research methods marketers use and the psychology behind real buying decisions.
of consumers actually bought from purpose-driven brands, although 65% said they wanted to. What customers say and what they do often differ.
Source: Harvard Business Review, 2019You will learn how to use secondary sources, run qualitative and quantitative research, design questionnaires and samples, turn findings into decisions and understand the consumer decision journey, the psychology of buying and business buying behavior. Two real cases, New Coke and Domino’s Pizza, bring it all together.
The course is designed for managers, marketers, founders and everyone who wants to understand customers better. No statistics are required.
The course takes about two hours in text and audio, is fully self-paced, and comes with lifetime access and no prerequisites. Pass the short final exam to earn a verifiable certificate.
What we will cover
9 focused chapters that take you from the first research question to a deep understanding of customers, each with practical, real-world examples.
See the full curriculum
- Introduction
- The Market Research Process
- Secondary Research
- Research Ethics and Data Protection
- In-Depth Interviews
- Focus Groups
- Observation and Social Listening
- Surveys and Questionnaires
- Sampling
- Survey Errors and Biases
- Experiments and A-B Tests
- From Findings to Insights
- Segment Profiles and Personas
- Customer Journey Maps
- The Consumer Decision Journey
- Needs and Motivation
- Perception and Attitudes
- Social and Cultural Influences
- Business Buying Behavior
- Habits and Mental Shortcuts
- Loss Aversion and Framing
- Social Proof
- Choice Overload and Defaults
- New Coke: Asking the Wrong Question
- Domino's: Listening to Harsh Feedback
- Conclusion
Learn your way
Read or listen at your own pace, on any device — and yours to keep forever.
- No app neededIn your browser
- Any devicePhone to laptop
- Auto-savedContinue anytime
- Stay focusedDistraction-free
Certificate
A certificate you can
actually use
- Instantas a digital PDFPDF download
- Includedno extra fees
- Lifetimeno expiry
- ShareableLinkedIn & CV
- Verifiableunique ID number
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Overall, 96% of our students would recommend IBMI to a friend or colleague.
"Between a full-time job and family, this was the first course I could actually finish — it fits around real life."
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"I’ve completed a few of their courses by now, and the certificates genuinely strengthen my résumé."
"The skills were real and the certificate proved them — I moved up a position at my company this year."
"I came in with zero background in business and never felt lost — everything is explained from the ground up."
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What IBMI students say about learning with us in general. The 96% comes from our June 2026 student survey: 364 verified students answered the question “Would you recommend IBMI to a friend or colleague?” (learn more).
You can also find independent reviews on our Trustpilot profile.
Program
This course is part of
a larger credential
It’s one of the four courses of the Marketing Management program — and it counts toward that program certificate at no extra cost.
Good to know
Frequently asked questions
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Short course, fast results
From start to certificate
in about 2 hours
Checkout takes a minute — chapter one opens right away.
Compact topics and real case studies, at your own pace.
Multiple choice, free retakes, no time limit.
Issued instantly — add it to your CV and LinkedIn.
Market Research and Consumer Behavior
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