Marketing analysts Jennifer Wu and her team studied shopping patterns at two grocery chains in the same metropolitan area. At...
GMAT Information and Ideas : (Ideas) Questions
Marketing analysts Jennifer Wu and her team studied shopping patterns at two grocery chains in the same metropolitan area. At FreshMart stores, \(85.6\%\) of customers reported satisfaction with their shopping experience, while at GreenGrocer locations, \(79.3\%\) expressed satisfaction. The research team found that GreenGrocer stores consistently offered prices \(15-20\%\) lower than FreshMart locations across comparable products. Based on this pricing advantage, the analysts concluded that the satisfaction gap between the chains directly reflects customers' response to GreenGrocer's higher costs, with price sensitivity being the primary driver of the observed satisfaction difference.
According to the text, what conclusion do the researchers draw about the satisfaction gap between FreshMart and GreenGrocer customers?
It was more pronounced than industry benchmarks typically show.
It might stem from flaws in the customer survey methodology.
It directly results from the difference in the stores' pricing strategies.
It was measured using outdated customer feedback systems.
Step 1: Decode and Map the Passage
Part A: Passage Analysis Table
| Text from Passage | Analysis |
|---|---|
| 'Marketing analysts Jennifer Wu and her team studied shopping patterns at two grocery chains in the same metropolitan area.' |
|
| 'At FreshMart stores, 85.6% of customers reported satisfaction with their shopping experience, while at GreenGrocer locations, 79.3% expressed satisfaction.' |
|
| 'The research team found that GreenGrocer stores consistently offered prices 15-20% lower than FreshMart locations across comparable products.' |
|
| 'Based on this pricing advantage, the analysts concluded that the satisfaction gap between the chains directly reflects customers' response to GreenGrocer's higher costs, with price sensitivity being the primary driver of the observed satisfaction difference.' |
|
Part B: Passage Architecture & Core Elements
Main Point: Marketing analysts concluded that the satisfaction difference between FreshMart and GreenGrocer directly results from their different pricing strategies, with customers responding negatively to what they perceive as higher costs at GreenGrocer.
Argument Flow: The passage presents research data showing FreshMart has higher customer satisfaction than GreenGrocer, then reveals that GreenGrocer actually has lower prices. The analysts interpret this apparent contradiction by concluding that the satisfaction gap is directly tied to customers' price sensitivity and their response to the pricing differences between the chains.
Step 2: Interpret the Question Precisely
This is a fill-in-the-blank question asking us to choose the best logical connector. The answer must create the right relationship between what comes before and after the blank.
Step 3: Prethink the Answer
- Looking at our passage analysis, the researchers made a very specific conclusion about why there's a satisfaction gap
- They said the gap 'directly reflects customers' response to GreenGrocer's higher costs, with price sensitivity being the primary driver'
- In other words, they're attributing the entire satisfaction difference to the pricing strategies of the two chains
- The right answer should reflect this direct causal relationship the analysts drew between pricing differences and customer satisfaction levels
It was more pronounced than industry benchmarks typically show.
- Claims the gap was more pronounced than industry benchmarks
- The passage never mentions industry benchmarks or any comparison to typical satisfaction gaps
- This introduces information not found in the text
It might stem from flaws in the customer survey methodology.
- Suggests the researchers thought survey methodology might be flawed
- The passage shows the analysts were confident in their data and drew definitive conclusions from it
- No mention of questioning their methodology
It directly results from the difference in the stores' pricing strategies.
- States the gap directly results from pricing strategy differences
- This perfectly matches what the analysts concluded: the satisfaction gap 'directly reflects customers' response to GreenGrocer's higher costs'
- The researchers explicitly attributed the satisfaction difference to pricing factors
It was measured using outdated customer feedback systems.
- Claims the measurement used outdated feedback systems
- The passage presents the research as current and valid, with no mention of outdated systems
- The analysts treated their data as reliable enough to draw strong conclusions