Research:

The method we used to study consumer behavior is depth interviews. We interviewed our population of interest (college students from ages 18-24).We conducted 32 interviews of both males and females from Texas State University. Each group member was assigned to interview five participants. Our plan was to be very intentional in our selection of interviewees. We chose individuals who were in our targeted age range, both males and females, and a variety of ethnicities to realistically represent the Texas State University population and avoid bias results.After compiling and analyzing demographic data from our interviews, our population was mostly white and Hispanic males and females, aging from 18-24 (with the mode being aged 21).

Our qualitative study consisted of a series of open-ended questions. We also asked probing questions when the participant’s answers were vague. Below is the depth interview which includes our two board research questions and follow up questions.

1. How do you acquire music?


“I typically download my music from Lime wire or burn CD’s from my friends.”
-Roy Haliburton

“I tend to buy my music from iTunes or buy CD’s because one of my friends got caught for illegally downloading.”
-Rob Jackson

“I usually buy iTunes, burn CD’s from friends, or listen to musician’s MySpace pages.”
-Rachel Gober


2. Explain in your own words the definition of piracy.

“Acquiring copyrighted music that you didn’t pay for.”
-Andrew Littmann

“Piracy is when a person downloads music off the internet without paying for it.”
-Teresa Launderdale

“Distributing or acquiring music without authorization.”
-Patty


3. What causes you to illegally download music?

 “Because it’s really easy and free!”
-Justin Pearson

“Lack of funds and obsession with music!”
 -Joe Cortez

 “I cannot afford CD’s and my friends offer me to burn theirs for free.”
-
Sarah Shields


4. How much money do you think you’ve saved in the past year pirating music?

“I’ve saved about twenty dollars?”
-Tereasa Launderdale

Probably not that much around one-hundred dollars.”
-Katelyn Taylor

“I download quite a bit so I’d say around five-hundred dollars.”
-Kellen Davis


5. How many songs do you pirate per month?

“I only download my favorites so about four to five a month.”
-Jessica Chavez

 “About twenty or maybe even less.”
-Matt Creamer

 “Maybe thirty or forty songs a month.”
-Jessica Stough


6. When was the last time you pirated music?

“I’m pretty sure I downloaded a CD last Friday.”
-Devin Moody

 “I’d say about three days ago.”
-Jessica Burney

“I haven’t downloaded in probably 5 years.”
-Kellen Davis


7. Are there any immediate negative effects for the illegal downloadeder?

 “No, not any that I have noticed.”
-Justin Pearson

“I guess to me it would be the initial guilt of not supporting the artist.”
-Joe Cortez

“The downloader risks getting viruses on their computer.”
-Tara Meyer


8.Are there any long term negative effects of downloading music illegally?

“I’m sure by downloading music illegally there are fines you would have to pay if you got caught.”
-Teresa Lauderdale

 “No, you just have tons of free music.”
-Matt Creamer

 “No negative long term effects, I don’t think it is wrong.”
-Jessica Burney


9. Are the negative effects bad enough to warrant you to stop pirating music?


“I don’t even know what the negative effects are!”
-Brandon
“Yes that is why I don’t pirate music.”
-Blake Aprez

“Eventually, once my computer slows down enough.”
-Roy Haliburton

10. Do you see the amount of downloading declining any time soon?

“No, we are in a high tech world and people will find a way to get around restrictions.”
-George Caracotis

“No, I see it increasing because music is expanding so much.”
-Devin Moody

“I don’t because it is so easy and is getting easier”
-Patty


11. If you were a major musical artist, would you be for or against downloading
?

“I would be against it because I would want to make money for my work.”

-Jessica Chavez

“For it! Because you already have a lot of money if you are a major musical artist.”
-Chris D.

“Against it because people would be stealing my hard work/music.”
-Haley Speyer


12. Are services, like iTunes and other single-song purchase providers, enough of an incentive to stop illegal downloading?

“I guess in the long run yes!  iTunes makes it easy to find the songs you want and you can get a whole album.”
-Renee Combs
I think it’s growing on people, but it will take time.”
-Sarah Shields

“No, it’s more of an incentive to illegally download because you have to pay 99 cents a song.”
-Kellen Davis


13. In your opinion, what needs to be done to decrease/eliminate music piracy?

“They need to shut down networks where you can share music files.”
-Blake Aprez

“Government needs to crack down on file-sharing software, but people will always find another way.”
-Taylor T.

“They need to make the punishments real and stricter internet supervision.”
-Andrew Littmann