1. What are the top three key decisions faced by Joe?

2. What are the key deliverables that an outside researcher should produce to help Joe with the key decisions?

3. How relevant are the coffee taste studies cited above? Explain.

4. What flaws in the coffee taste studies should Joe consider in trying to weigh the merits of their results?

5. Briefly relate this situation to each of the major stages of the marketing research process.

6. Try to do a quick search to explore the question: “Are American consumer preferences the same all across the United States?”

7. Would it be better for Joe to do the research himself or have a consultant perform the work?

8. If a consultant comes in to do the job, what are three key deliverables that would likely be important to Joe in making a decision to launch the Cup of Joe coffee shop.

Joe Brown is ready to start a new career. After spending 30 years as a market researcher and inspired by the success of Starbucks, he is ready to enter the coffee shop business. However, before opening his first shop, he realizes that a great deal of research is needed. He has some key questions in mind.

• What markets in the United States hold the most promise for a new coffee shop?

• What type of location is best for a coffee shop?

• What is it that makes a coffee shop popular?

• What coffee do Americans prefer?

A quick trip to the Internet reveals more previous research on coffee, markets, and related materials than he expected. Many studies address taste. For example, he finds several studies that in one way or another compare the taste of different coffee shop coffees. Most commonly, they compare the taste of coffee from Starbucks against coffee from McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, Burger King, and sometimes a local competitor. However, it becomes difficult to draw a conclusion as the results seem to be inconsistent.