Axial coding is a core step in grounded theory methodology, sitting between open coding and selective coding in the analytical sequence. Researchers use axial coding to examine how discrete categories identified during open coding connect, overlap, and interact, building a more structured picture of the phenomenon under study. In qualitative research, this process typically involves identifying causal conditions, contextual factors, intervening variables, and consequences that surround a central category. The result is a richer, more relational understanding of consumer behavior, attitudes, or experiences, making axial coding especially valuable in brand research, concept testing, and customer experience studies where understanding the why behind responses is as important as identifying the what.