Market Segmentation of Nuts and Dried Fruits Based on Customers Expected Values Using DBSCAN Algorithm

Identifying the needs and expectations of different customers in different market segments is the first step in implementing a targeted marketing strategy for each company. The market segmentation can exactly analyze the group of potential customers, whose needs are not well provided by current products, allows them to identify opportunities to produce new products. The purpose of this research is segmenting customer of nuts and dried fruits market. The statistical population of this research is the buyers of nuts and dried fruits in Mashhad County. After interviewing with the five experts of nuts & dried fruits, identified 32 expected values, then questionnaire was developed based on demographic variables and customers’ expected values and was distributed among the supplier stores of nuts and dried fruits using accidental non-probability sampling method in Mashhad County. The validity of the questionnaires increased based on the experts’ opinion and its reliability calculated using SPSS software. The Cronbach’s alpha coefficients were 0.957 for the whole questionnaire, which indicated high reliability of research tool. DBSCAN algorithm and Rapid Miner software were used for data analysis and customer segmentation. Based on the findings of this research, three market segments of nuts and dried fruits customers; which are called Luxury Customers, Sensitive Customers and Ordinary Customers, were identified on the basis of demographic characteristics and their customers’ expected values. Finally, practical and managerial suggestions were provided according to customers’ expected values and demographic characteristics of each market segment.