MARKETING

RESEARCH
METHODS
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Types of Research

• Quantitative research
• Qualitative research
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Quantitative research

• Statistical basis
• Gathers statistically valid, numerically
measurable data
• Usually related to data on the market-size,
growth and market shares
• Sampling plays a key role
• Data obtained through surveys
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Qualitative Research

• Subjective and personal

• Concerned with finding out soft
information
• Main purpose is to understand consumer
behavior, attitudes and perceptions
• Obtained by methods designed to get
detailed responses e.g. interviews
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Marketing Research Process

• Define the problem
• Define the research objectives
• Choose data sources
• Choose research methods
• Construct sample
• Set budget and deadlines
• Undertake research
• Analysis and evaluation
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Methods of collecting data

• Desk research – in which secondary data is
collected. Secondary data is defined as the re-
using of data that already exists
• Field research – collecting original data i.e.
Primary data
• Data collection is only one stage in the process
• Data has to be analyzed & evaluated
• Conclusions & recommendations have to be
drawn
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Secondary data sources

• Internal • External
- Sales figures - Competitor information
- Customer reports - Government publications
- Trend data - Commercial publications
- Sales reports - Trade association data
- Cost data - Retail audits
- Company reports - Directories
- MIS data
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Field research to collect primary

data
• Experiments
• Observations
• Surveys
• Interviews
• Focus groups
• Panels
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Experiments
• Method of obtaining primary research data
• Aim is to measure & evaluate customer
reactions to the changes in marketing mix
• Can be done in the field or under controlled
conditions
• Examples: test markets, simulated test markets,
blind test
• Pilot trials of new products are a common use of
experiments – it provides a chances to see how
things work out before a large scale roll out.
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Observation
• Information collected without asking questions
• Involves watching people, noting & analyzing
their reactions
• It is useful to find out how people buy products,
Where they shop? What appeals them?
• Can be carried out under controlled (laboratory)
as well as uncontrolled conditions (field)
• Examples: Traffic audits, Radio & TV panels,
Retail store audits
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Observation
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- What people do rather - Time consuming and
than say? costly
- Carried out without - Doesn’t reasonify
informing the customer - Chances of
- Doesn’t rely on the misinterpretation of
memory or honesty of the behavior
respondents - Only gives partial
- Potential bias is reduced information
- Counters the refusal rate
associated with most
methods of MR
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Surveys

• Key research method for large samples

• Wide range of uses: to ascertain facts,
beliefs, opinions, attitudes
• Examples: Interviews (one-one, over
telephone, online), by postal mail, email
etc.
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Postal Surveys
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- Wide coverage - Low response rate
- Low cost - Lack of control of
- No interviewer bias respondent
- Respondent’s - Limited scope for
convenience open ended questions
- Lack of - Limited to short
embarrassment questionnaires
- Avoids traveling - Long response time
costs - Biased response
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Telephone Surveys
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- Saves time - Questions maybe
- Higher response rate more limited than with
- Greater control over postal surveys
respondents than with - Data may not be
postal surveys available
- Sample less likely to be - Respondent has little
biased time to consider
- Cost limited to time spent questions
on phone - Intrusion into privacy
- Saves cost of traveling - Can be time
- Allows probing consuming
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Comparison of survey methods

Method Response Cost Time Non-
rate response
bias
Face-face High High Slow Low

Postal Low Low Slow High

Phone Moderate Moderate Fast Moderate

Electronic Moderate Low Fast High

 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

One-one interviews
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- Interviewer can prompt the • High cost
respondent • Time consuming
- Can see respondents
reaction
• Risk of bias
- Respondents have more time • Requires interviewing
to think skills
- Detailed responses
- Can get opinions
- Respondents get full
attention
- Flexible
- Allows probing
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Focus groups
• Used for qualitative information gathering
• Usually consists of 8-10 respondents & a
moderator
• Moderator introduces topics & guides
conversation
• The aim is to seek opinions and find out
attitudes
• Composition of the group should reflect
target audience
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Focus groups
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- Quick - Need to build rapport
- Discussions must stay
- Range of attitudes focused
- Detailed qualitative - Needs good control by
information obtained the moderator
- Flow of discussion - Some members may be
encourages ideas & inhibited
participation - Expensive
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Panels
• Continuous rather than ad hoc
• Useful in assessing shifts of attitude and
opinion over time
• A consumer panel consists of a
representative sample of people
• Panel members are usually induced to be
permanently available by means of small
payments or free samples
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Panels
• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- A good trend indicator - Expensive
- Useful for analyzing - Biased sample of people
changes - Panels have to replaced
- More probing periodically
- When novelty wears off
members become less
cooperative
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Electronic online surveys

• STRENGTHS • WEAKNESSES
- Economical - Incomplete directory of
- Devoid of boundary names
limitations - Unrepresentative
- Versatile and quick sample
- Brevity of email
responses can be a
problem
- Little control over
sample
 Managing Marketing information/Marketing Research - 4

Limitations of marketing research

• Problems relating to surey and sampling

• Sampling errors
• Non – response errors
• Data collection errors
• Analytical and reporting errors
• Marketing research information can
quickly become dated