Final answer:
To identify the most attractive consumer segment for targeted marketing based on purchase behavior, surveys and market research data, including box plots and population proportions, should be analyzed to glean insights into consumer trends and preferences.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering the most attractive target segment based on purchase behavior, one would analyze the number of purchases made within each consumer segment. To identify the segment, data from surveys or market research like those given—for example, surveys assessing how many times customers visited a store before making a purchase, the number of fiction paperbacks purchased by consumers in a month, or surveys exploring the demographic details such as the age of purchasing a sports car—would be compiled and analyzed.
A careful examination of box plots representing these data points might reveal trends, preferences, or behaviors prevalent in each consumer segment. For instance, which group is most likely to have an outlier could be determined by observing the spread and range of data in a box plot, highlighting any data points lying significantly outside the typical distribution.
Moreover, determining the population proportion of households where women make the majority of purchasing decisions would involve calculating percentages based on survey results and applying them to the broader population. All these analyses contribute to a company's understanding of consumer behavior and are pivotal in deciding where to focus marketing efforts for the highest level of utility and satisfaction among target customers.