Sociological methods of marketing research. Sociological methods of marketing research Marketing research in management methods and scientific apparatus

The choice of a specific type of research is largely determined by the goals of the research and the tasks that are solved at individual stages of its implementation. Separate types marketing research are applied not only at the stage of defining the problems and objectives of the study, but also in the process of their implementation. In table. 1.1 provides data summarizing foreign experience, characterizing the goals of marketing research for their individual areas and methods for conducting them.

Before considering the most popular individual methods of marketing research, we will give general characteristics methods that can be used in the collection and analysis of marketing information.

From the table below (although it does not claim to be a comprehensive overview of all methods), it follows that the most widely used marketing research methods are document analysis methods, consumer survey methods (all of which, with a certain degree of conventionality, can be called sociological research methods, since they were first developed and used by sociologists), peer reviews and experimental methods.

The main difference between the methods of sociological research and expert assessments is that the former are focused on mass respondents of very different competences and qualifications, while expert assessments are aimed at a limited number of professional specialists. These two groups of methods are united, first of all, by the fact that in both cases the same methods of mathematical statistics are used to process the collected data.

All these groups of methods will be described in more detail in subsequent sections of the book.

Another class of methods used in marketing research, but poorly reflected in Table. 1.1 represent economic and mathematical methods.

There are several groups of economic and mathematical methods used in marketing research:

• 1. Statistical methods for processing information (determining average estimates, error rates, the degree of agreement among respondents, etc. - discussed in subsequent sections of the book).
• 2 Multivariate methods (primarily factorial and cluster analyses). They are used to inform marketing decisions based on numerous interrelated variables. For example, determining the sales volume of a new product depending on its technical level, price, competitiveness, advertising costs, etc.
• 3. Regression and correlation methods. They are used to establish relationships between groups of variables that describe marketing activities.
• 4. Simulation methods. They are used when variables that affect the marketing situation (for example, describing competition) cannot be determined using analytical methods.
• 5. Methods of statistical decision theory (game theory, queuing theory, stochastic programming) are used to stochastically describe the reaction of consumers to a change in the market situation. Two main areas of application of these methods can be distinguished: for statistical testing of hypotheses about the structure of the market and assumptions about the state of the market, for example, the study of the degree of brand loyalty, market share forecasting.
• 6. Deterministic methods of operations research (primarily linear and non-linear programming). These methods are used when there are many interrelated variables and it is necessary to find the optimal solution - for example, the option of delivering the product to the consumer, providing the maximum profit, through one of the possible distribution channels.
• 7. Hybrid methods that combine deterministic and probabilistic (stochastic) characteristics (for example, dynamic and heuristic programming) are used primarily to study the problems of commodity circulation.

These seven groups of quantitative methods certainly do not exhaust all their diversity.

Mathematical modeling in marketing research is very difficult (therefore, it is practically not presented in Table 1.1). This is due to:

• - the complexity of the object of study, the non-linearity of marketing processes, the presence of threshold effects, such as the minimum level of sales promotion, time lags (in particular, the reaction of consumers to advertising is often not observed immediately);
• -- the effect of the interaction of marketing variables, which for the most part are interdependent and interrelated, such as price, assortment, quality, output;
• -- the complexity of measuring marketing variables. It is difficult to measure consumer response to certain stimuli, such as advertising. Therefore, indirect methods are often used, such as registering return cases to determine the effectiveness of advertising;
• -- instability of marketing relationships due to changes in tastes, habits, assessments, etc.;
• -- the relative incompatibility of personnel involved in marketing and the use of quantitative methods in its research. The first priority is given to informal methods, the second - to mathematical modeling.

The above is largely due to the fact that marketing deals with human behavior and not with technical phenomena. Marketing rarely repeats itself, everything is different for different situations. Marketing is focused on specific consumers, and consumers are different.

Under the conditions of deep and rapid changes in the external environment, the mathematical model is not able to predict the impact of the change, which was not initially taken into account in it. Unlike an expert, a mathematical model is not capable of improvisation and cannot adapt to profound changes in the external environment.

The breadth of application of certain methods in conducting marketing research is also determined by the company's ability to use them on its own or buy the results of such research. Obviously, large organizations have significantly more such opportunities than small businesses. So quantitative methods in marketing research, they are currently used more often by organizations that have the appropriate analytical divisions to determine such important parameters of market activity as demand, sales, market share, etc.

Marketing research methods are primarily divided into methods for collecting primary data and methods for collecting secondary data.

Primary data - information collected by the researcher specifically to solve a specific problem.

Most often, marketing research is understood as the collection of primary information. Methods for collecting primary data, in turn, are divided into methods for collecting qualitative data, methods for collecting quantitative data and the so-called mix-methods, via the Internet.

Qualitative research answers the “how” and “why” questions.

This type of research allows you to get very detailed data about the behavior, opinions, attitudes, attitudes of a very small group of people. The data obtained cannot be expressed quantitatively (with rare exceptions), but they give good performance about the mindset of consumers. Qualitative research is indispensable in the development of new products, advertising campaigns, the study of the image of firms, brands and other similar tasks.

Basic methods of qualitative research: focus groups, in-depth interviews, protocol analysis.

Quantitative research answers the questions "who" and "how much".

This type of research, in contrast to qualitative research, allows obtaining quantified information on a limited range of problems, but from a large number of people, which makes it possible to process it with statistical methods and disseminate the results to all consumers. Quantitative research helps to assess the level of awareness of a company or brand, identify the main consumer groups, market volumes, etc. .

The main methods of quantitative research are different kinds surveys and audit retail.

Mix-techniques are mixed research methods that quite successfully combine the advantages of qualitative and quantitative methods.

The main types of mix-methods are: hall-tests, home-tests and secret shopper.

The advantages of primary information are as follows:

• - collection in accordance with a precisely set goal,
• - the collection methodology is known and controlled. The results are available to the company and can be protected from competitors,
• known reliability.

Its disadvantages include:

• - a lot of time for collection and processing,
• - high cost,
• - the company itself is not always able to collect all the necessary data.

Secondary data - information collected at any time for any purposes not related to the current task.

Secondary research is usually based on already available information and is therefore called desk research.

Distinguish (in relation to the firm) external and internal sources for secondary research. As internal sources of information, there can be - marketing statistics (characteristics of turnover, sales volume, sales volume, import, export, complaints), data on marketing costs (by product, advertising, promotion, sales, communications), other data (on the performance of installations , equipment, price lists for raw materials and materials, characteristics of the storage system, consumer maps, etc.).

The external sources are:

• - publications of national and international official organizations;
• - publications government agencies, ministries, municipal committees and organizations;
• - publications of chambers of commerce and industry and associations;
• - yearbooks of statistical information;
• - reports and publications of industry firms and joint ventures;
• - books, messages in magazines and newspapers;
• - publications of educational, research, design institutes and social-scientific organizations, symposiums, congresses, conferences;
• - price lists, catalogs, brochures and other company publications.

In order to get an overview of secondary information, you need to:

• 1. Identify possible sources of information you need. This information may be contained in both internal and external sources. Internal sources of information include internal company reports, conversations with employees, sales reports, accounting and financial reports, consumer complaints and suggestions, etc. External sources of information are the media, bulletins issued by various organizations, publications of research and consulting firms, statistical collections; a lot of valuable information is on the Internet - thematic and industry sites, sites of competing companies.
• 2. Study all the selected sources of information, analyze their content and select the information you need.
• 3. Prepare a final report.

The main advantages of secondary information are that, as a rule, it is cheap and can be accessed relatively easily and quickly.

The main disadvantages are related to the fact that secondary information was collected to solve a different problem. Accordingly, it is likely to be a) outdated, b) incomplete, c) not directly related to the problem being solved, d) unreliable (this is especially true for Russian sources of secondary information, in which sometimes the values ​​of the same parameter in different sources differ by almost an order of magnitude).

Research using the Internet is relatively cheap method of collecting primary information.

Advantages:

• - speed and profitability.
• - no differences in the speed of research within and outside the country

Disadvantages:

Preliminary careful planning is required.

Any field research involves the participation of the researcher in obtaining primary information. What information and to what extent should be obtained is determined by the stated purpose of the study. However, to obtain this information, the methods given in Table 1 are usually used. 1.2

Table 1.2. Information collection methods

Rice. 1.4

AT recent times one of the most common ways to get necessary information becomes a survey of a certain circle of people directly related to the problem under study. To conduct a survey means to identify the existing positions of the respondents on a certain range of issues related to the problem under consideration.

Surveys allow you to explore a relatively wide area of ​​marketing-related issues. The main problem of the survey method is how to limit the objectives of the survey, which determine the strategy and interpretation of the information received. Closely related to the purpose of the survey is the problem of determining the circle of persons who participate in the survey (expert, trader, consumer, etc.). When organizing a survey, special attention is paid to the tactics of the survey (especially the wording of questions), the forms of the survey and the methods of selecting interviewees.

Surveys can be one-time or recurring. Repeated surveys are called a panel. This term comes from the English word panel, which means a list in translation. A panel study is a survey of a certain, representative circle of people for a long time or for a certain period of time on a specific topic. Both a group of persons and organizations can act as a panel. This method is used when studying the consumer opinions of a certain group of people over a certain period of time, and on its basis, the trend of changing consumer opinions, their needs, habits, tastes, etc. is studied. The most important forms of the panel are - the panel of consumers and the panel of entrepreneurs (Fig. 1.5)

When using survey methods, the researcher faces the problem of compiling questions. The choice of the form of the question is determined by how specifically the goal of the study is set.

To collect primary data, marketing researchers can choose from two main research tools: a questionnaire and technical tools.

Fig.1.5

The questionnaire is the most common research tool in the collection of primary data. A questionnaire is a series of questions to which the respondent must answer. The questionnaire is a very flexible tool, questions can be asked in many different ways. The questionnaire requires careful development, testing and elimination of identified shortcomings before its widespread use. During the development of the questionnaire, the marketing researcher selects the questions to be asked, selects the form of these questions, their wording and sequence. Each question should be tested for the contribution it makes to the achievement of the research results. Idle questions should be omitted as they prolong the procedure and get on the interviewee's nerves. The questionnaire usually consists of an introduction, a requisite part and a main part.

The wording of the questionnaire questions should be specific, clear and unambiguous, the researcher should use simple, unambiguous words that do not affect the answer, the questionnaire should be concise and contain the optimal number of questions. The questionnaire should not be monotonous, inspire boredom and cause fatigue. In the test of the questionnaire, generally accepted terminology should be used. All questions should be grouped into specific blocks in accordance with the logic of the study. Nessesary to use test questions to check the sequence of respondents in the answers. Difficult and personal questions are placed at the end of the questionnaire.

The survey should not be started without appropriate testing of the questionnaire. It is used to evaluate the questions themselves and their sequence. During testing, it turns out whether people really remember the data that they would like to receive from them, whether some questions confuse them, whether they cause reluctance to answer or uncertainty in the answers. The inclusion of each question in the questionnaire is justified.

Telephone surveys are used when it is necessary to collect information in a short time in a wide geographic market. Questioning by phone should be conducted in advance by preparing questions. The characteristics of a telephone survey are low cost, speed of field work, the possibility of conducting research on large samples, a high degree of standardization and a small volume of the questionnaire. Duration - no more than 15 minutes. The disadvantages of the method are less trusting contact between the interviewer and the respondent, the impossibility of using visual materials.

During the survey, the direct contact of the interviewer with the respondent allows you to get more reliable information, use visual materials and include open-ended questions in the questionnaire. The maximum duration of the interview is 20-25 minutes. The method is most effective in the case of easily accessible target audience research is well suited for research with specific groups of respondents (for example, young people) that are difficult to achieve in other types of surveys.

The In-Hall test is a data collection method that provides researchers with the greatest opportunity. The survey is conducted in a specially prepared room, which allows using various equipment, presenting a large number of samples to respondents, etc. In the case of a target audience that is difficult to reach (for example, high-income consumers, professional specialists, children with parents, etc.), a preliminary selection of respondents is possible.

"Focus groups" consists in conducting a group in-depth focused interview in the form of a group discussion, during which subjective information is collected from its participants on a designated range of problems. The recommended number of focus groups when studying a particular problem is 3-5. Focus groups are used when it is necessary to obtain detailed data from existing or potential consumers about their perception of the object of study, associations and opinions associated with it, as well as to model possible consumer behavior. Each of the survey methods has its advantages and disadvantages. negative sides. Table 4.6 shows the advantages and disadvantages of the individual methods of this form of marketing research.

The effectiveness of the survey depends largely on the definition of the sample. Here there is a need to obtain information about the parameters of the "group", among the members of which the marketing research will be conducted. For example, a marketing manager wants to know the sales volume of his organization's products through various types of retail stores. Such a "group" in statistics is called the general population or simply the population. Sometimes the population is small enough for a manager to examine all of its members. Usually, this is impossible to do: to study, for example, the opinion of all children aged 3 to 5 years regarding toys of a certain type. Therefore, only a part of the population is studied.

To determine the necessary and sufficient sample, the researcher must evaluate the circle of respondents that would correspond to the entire population and meet the objectives of the study. When developing a sample selection plan, it is necessary to determine who to interview, how many people to interview, and how to select sample members.

Table 1.3. Advantages and disadvantages of various survey forms

The following stages in the development of a sampling plan can be distinguished:

• 1. Definition of the appropriate population.
• 2. Obtaining a "list" of the population.
• 3. Designing a sampling plan.
• 4. Determination of access methods to the population.
• 5. Achievement required number samples.
• 6. Checking the sample for compliance with the requirements.
• 7. If necessary, the formation of a new sample.

In reality, the decision on the sample size is a compromise between theoretical assumptions about the accuracy of the survey results and the possibilities of their practical implementation, primarily in terms of the cost of conducting a survey.

It should be noted that there is no direct relationship between the sample size and the representativeness of the results obtained.

In practice, several approaches are used to determine the sample size. First of all, we will describe the most simple ones.

The arbitrary approach is based on the application of the "rule of thumb". For example, it is assumed without evidence that to obtain accurate results, the sample should be 5% of the population. This approach is simple and easy to implement, but it is not possible to establish the accuracy of the results obtained. With a large enough population, it can also be quite expensive.

The sample size can be set based on certain predetermined conditions. For example, a market research customer knows that when studying public opinion the sample is usually 1000-1200 people, so he recommends that the researcher stick to this figure. In the event that annual surveys are conducted on a particular market, a sample of the same size is used each year. In contrast to the first approach, here, when determining the sample size, the known logic is used, which, however, is very vulnerable.

For example, when conducting certain studies, accuracy may be less than in the study of public opinion, and the size of the population may be many times smaller than in the study of public opinion. Thus, this approach does not take into account current circumstances and can be quite expensive. In some cases, the cost of conducting a survey is used as the main argument in determining the sample size. Thus, the budget for marketing research provides for the cost of conducting certain surveys, which cannot be exceeded. Obviously, the value of the information received is not taken into account. However, in some cases even a small sample can give fairly accurate results.

It seems reasonable to consider the costs not in an absolute way, but in relation to the usefulness of the information obtained as a result of the surveys. The client and researcher should consider different sample sizes and data collection methods, costs, other factors

The sample size may be determined based on statistical analysis. This approach is based on determining the minimum sample size based on certain requirements for the reliability and reliability of the results. It is also used in the analysis of the results obtained for individual subgroups formed as part of a sample by sex, age, level of education, etc. The requirements for the reliability and accuracy of the results for individual subgroups dictate certain requirements for the sample size as a whole.

Conducting sampling studies is always associated with an error or measurement error (Table 1.4).

Table 1.4 Dependence of error interval on sample size and level of confidence

The error interval should be taken into account when processing the results of the survey.

In terms of process organization, there are at least three alternative approaches to data collection: by marketing staff, by a specially created group or with the involvement of companies specializing in data collection. The process of collecting information is usually the most expensive stage of the research. In addition, a fairly large number of errors may occur during its implementation.

Many errors can occur in data collection other than sampling errors, hence called out-of-sampling errors. These errors include selecting the wrong sample items for interviews, not taking into account the opinions of those who refused to be interviewed or not at home, and false estimates given by interviewees intentionally. Falsification of the received data by the interviewer is possible. Mistakes can be made when transcribing the collected information from the questionnaires. Unlike sampling errors, out-of-sample errors cannot be measured. Therefore, it is important to find out in advance possible reasons out-of-sample errors and take appropriate measures to prevent them.

Experiment is another method, the most important tool for analysis and testing in the marketing system. Depending on the conditions of carrying out, a field and laboratory experiment is distinguished. the main objective An experiment is a study of the behavior of an object in terms of the dynamics of its output parameters when the input characteristics change, which can vary both by the experimenter (laboratory) and the environment (field). For example, changing the structure of buyers with changes in advertising media and prices, or changes in the behavior of competitors and merchants.

The field experiment, which is carried out under normal conditions, finds the greatest application in practice. environment. It finds application for research in the field of marketing of goods, means of production and means of consumption. The laboratory experiment is carried out under specially prepared testing conditions.

Depending on the relationship of the testee to the conditions of the testing process, four types of experiment are distinguished:

• - an open experiment, when the test person is aware of the purpose, tasks and conditions of the experiment;
• - an experiment in a situation that is not clear to the test subject, when only his tasks and his behavior in the experiment are known to him, but the goals of the experiment are not known;
• - an imaginary experiment, when the test person knows the goals and objectives of the experiment, but does not know the conditions of the situation in which it will be carried out;
• - an uncertain experiment, when the test person is completely unaware of the purpose, task and conditions of the experiment.

In practice, there are experiments that are carried out in the form of various tests and are classified according to different criteria, such as the place of testing (market, studio, home, etc.), the object of testing (product test, price test, etc.), the identity of the tested person (actual consumer, expert, potential consumer, etc.), test duration (short-term, long), etc.

Data analysis begins with the transformation of the original data (introduction to the computer, checking for errors, coding, representation in matrix form). This allows you to translate a lot of raw data into meaningful information. Next is carried out statistical analysis(averages, frequencies, regression and correlation coefficients are calculated, trends are analyzed, etc.). To do this, use the system of analysis of marketing information.

Marketing Information Analysis System - a set of advanced methods for analyzing marketing data and marketing problems. The basis of any marketing information analysis system is a statistical bank and a bank of models.

Statistical bank - a set of modern methods of statistical processing of information, allowing the most complete disclosure of interdependencies within the framework of a data collection and establishing the degree of their statistical reliability. These methods include correlation analysis, factor analysis, regression analysis, etc.

Bank of models is a set of mathematical models that contribute to the adoption of optimal marketing decisions by market actors. These models include the pricing model, the development model advertising budget etc.

After the collection of information and its processing, a final report on the work done is created, where the conclusions of the study are indicated and recommendations are given to the customer.

The purpose of this work is to study the theory and methodology of sociological methods in marketing research, as well as to consider the techniques, procedures and features of applying these methods in practice. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following tasks:
To characterize the theoretical foundations of marketing research, its essence and content;
To study the theoretical foundations of quantitative and qualitative research methods;
To characterize the technique and procedures for applying quantitative and qualitative methods;
To reveal the essence of banking marketing;

Introduction ………………………………………………………………………. 3
Chapter I. Theory and methodology of sociological methods in marketing research
1.1. The concept of marketing research ………………………………… 7
1.2. Specifics of quantitative methods ………………………………… .. 13
1.3. Theoretical basis qualitative methods ……………………….. 21
Chapter A.I. Features and technique of applying sociological methods in marketing research
2.1. Techniques and procedures for applying quantitative and qualitative methods ………………………………………………………………………. 29
2.2. The concept and essence of banking marketing. Application of sociological methods of marketing research in practice on the example of JSC "Rosselkhozbank" ………………………………………………. 56
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………….... 62
Bibliographic list ………………………………

An in-depth interview is a semi-structured personal conversation between the interviewer and the respondent in a form that encourages the latter to give detailed answers to the questions asked.

Distinctive features

The interview takes place in the form of a free conversation on a topic of interest to the researcher, during which the researcher receives from the respondent very detailed information about the reasons for his actions, about the attitude to various issues.

Technology

Preparing the Structure of the Conversation. Before starting a series of interviews, the researcher prepares a plan according to which the interview will be conducted. Unlike a regular survey, an in-depth interview plan is simply a list of questions on which the interviewer needs to get the opinion of the respondent.

Selecting respondents and conducting interviews. After preparing the interview plan, respondents are selected and the interviews themselves are conducted. The duration of an in-depth interview can be from half an hour to several (2-3) hours, depending on the complexity of the topic, as well as the number and depth of the issues being studied. As a rule, in-depth interviews are conducted in a special room with a neutral environment and good sound insulation, in order to avoid any external interference. The interview is recorded on audio and / or video equipment to facilitate subsequent interpretation and analysis of the data, and also in order not to lose important information.

Processing the results of the interview and compiling an analytical report. After the interview is completed, its audio and/or video recording is processed, as a result of which the researcher receives the full text of the entire interview. Based on these texts and the impressions of the interviewer, an analytical report is compiled.

Interviewers

The success of an in-depth interview largely depends on the professionalism and personal qualities of the interviewer. To conduct an interview, you need a qualified specialist, preferably with a psychological education. He must have the skills to establish contact with people, a good memory, the ability to quickly respond to non-standard answers, and patience. During the interview it is impossible to exert psychological pressure on the interviewee, to argue with him.

Application

As a rule, in-depth interviews are used to solve the same tasks as focus groups, namely:

• study of consumer behavior, their attitude to goods, companies, brands;
• development of new products, evaluation of the concept of a new product (its packaging, advertising campaign etc.);
• obtaining preliminary consumer reactions to various marketing programs.

An in-depth interview should be used instead of a focus group in the following cases:

• the topic of the interview involves the discussion of purely personal topics (personal finances, diseases);
• interviews are conducted with representatives of competing organizations who do not agree to discuss this topic in a group;
• a topic is discussed in which there are strict social norms, and the respondent's opinion may be influenced by the response of the group (paying taxes, etc.);
• it is impossible to collect all respondents in one place and at one time (the respondents are small, distant from each other and/or very busy).

Advantages and disadvantages

Main disadvantages methods of in-depth interviews are associated with the difficulty of finding interviewers. First, conducting in-depth interviews requires skilled professionals who are not easy to find. Further, the quality of interview results is strongly influenced by the personality and professionalism of the interviewer. And, finally, the complexity of processing and interpreting the data obtained during the interview, as a rule, requires the involvement of psychologists for their analysis.

Advantages. With the help of in-depth interviews, you can get more complete information about a person’s behavior, about the reasons for such behavior, his deep motives, which is not always possible in a focus group where respondents put pressure on each other and it is difficult to determine who exactly gave this or that answer.

1. Fundamental differences between quantitative and qualitative methods for collecting primary information

2. Types of qualitative research

Main categories and concepts: quantitative research, qualitative research, case study, ethnographic method, historical method, family history method, biographical method, focus group method.

Sociological and marketing information is a special case of social information. This is information obtained with the help of sociological and marketing methods of its collection and interpreted within the boundaries of sociology and marketing.

AT modern sociology and marketing, qualitative and quantitative data collection methods are used to obtain primary information.

Chronologically qualitative methods appeared much later than quantitative ones, in the second half of the 20th century. The fundamental difference between qualitative methods is the practical possibility of obtaining the subjective context of the opinions, judgments, assessments of the respondents, who are called informants in qualitative research. At the same time, qualitative studies do not provide for the use of a large surveyed population, as a result of which the possibility of extrapolating (transferring) the obtained data to the entire population is excluded. general population. As a rule, in a qualitative study, the surveyed population is 10-15 units of analysis, but the selection of units of analysis is carried out according to all the rules for the formation of a sample population.

The collection of information is carried out mainly with the help of a narrative interview or a narrative essay (narrative - in-depth textual research), during which informants express their subjective judgments, opinions, and assessments. The subjectivity of the statements is dictated by the fact that this kind of survey is not of a standardized nature, that is, the informants are not offered questions with accompanying scales. Informants are given only the general directions of the conversation or essay: either in the form of a problem / topic, or in the form general issues, or in the form of clusters (a list of positions for which it is desirable to obtain information). In each case, the informant determines the content context of the conversation or essay itself.

During the preparation of such a study, a traditional program research. Upon completion of the qualitative study, the analysis and processing of the results obtained are carried out, which are subsequently used in the text of the report. A feature of the methods of processing qualitative information is the impossibility of using statistical programs.

Currently, there are no standard methods for processing qualitative information. Most general requirement The criterion for qualitative information is the use of the so-called "living speech" of the informants, which, in the context of the researcher's interpretive text, should be preserved in the style and vocabulary of the informants. In the case of an essay, in the spelling of the informants, that is, with all possible mistakes(in real research practice, such requirements are unconditional for sociology, but not for marketing).

The style of research using qualitative methods is defined as soft, warm.

Quantitative Research built on other grounds and laws. In this case, standardized methods of obtaining information are used, with the help of which statistical calculation of information is possible. On the basis of statistical data, a general trend is determined for the surveyed population, which can be extrapolated to the general population, since in this case valid sample(i.e. statistically significant, reflecting the whole variety of features of the general population).

Those interviewed in quantitative research are called respondents.

At the end of such a study, to process the results obtained, either statistical programs or the SPSS program are used. Manual processing is also possible - the so-called pointing.

The style of research using quantitative methods is defined as hard, cold.

In research practice in the realities of today, mixed methods are mainly used - qualitative and quantitative. In this case, two research strategies can be used.

1. First, quantitative methods are used, the statistical results of which make it possible to construct certain qualitative/social portraits.

2. Initially, qualitative methods are used, during which those indicators / colloquial concepts that were used in the speech of informants in repetition when assessing any similar life situations, events are identified. Subsequently, these indicators are used in the preparation of scales for quantitative research.

Let's look at a few examples types of qualitative research , designating them in the general list not in terms of importance, but for the convenience of presentation.

· Case study / case study– study of specific situations, cases that characterize the life of certain small groups. In this case, in fact, the behavioral patterns that arise in non-standard situations that have become the subject of research interest.

When conducting a case study, additional options are possible: the study of one small group in several situations or the study of several small groups in a similar situation.

· Ethnographic method- with the help of which information is collected from representatives of a certain ethnic group, which allows you to form a high-quality portrait of the ethnic group.

· historical method- (largely close to the so-called "oral history" / "oral history" method, actively used in American sociology) - recreating certain historical events according to the stories of their participants.

· Family history method– study of the dynamics of intra-family relations in the context of historical events, changes in the social status positions of members of the same family in the chronological and event context of history. In the 90s, the method was actively mastered by the Institute of Sociology of the Russian Academy of Sciences, as a result of which academic publications appeared, which presented the history of workers, peasants, petty bourgeois, noble families in Russia.

When using this method, it should be taken into account that from the point of view of demography, statistics, sociology, the generation step is 25 years, that is, intergenerational differentiation within families should be built on this principle.

· Biographical method ("History of life")- allows you to trace the dynamics of personality development in the context of certain accompanying life circumstances. This method is actively used in modern American sociology. In Russian practice, there was a fairly close analogue, which is represented by the ZhZL series (“Life of Remarkable People”). However, in this case, a sociological view of the problem was not involved, as a result of which this presentation of biographical materials cannot be considered sociological proper.

· Focus group method is one way of focusing the attention of informants on a particular problem. Focus groups are different. The traditional/conventional focus group (FG) includes 7-9 people. Extended (RFG) - up to 13-15 people. Mini focus group (MFG) - from 3 to 5 people.

The first two in time last within 1.5 - 2 hours. A mini focus group can run for 3 or more hours.

The focus group is conducted by a moderator together with an assistant. The entire course of the discussion is recorded on video and on a voice recorder.

At the preparatory stage, a range of issues is determined that should be discussed during the focus group. Moreover, all participants in the focus group should express their opinion on each of the questions.

The discussion usually takes place in a situation of casual tea drinking (or coffee is served) in order to give an informal character to communication.

A sign is placed in front of each participant indicating his name and patronymic, so that participants can address him accordingly.

When forming focus groups, it is important to observe the principle of social status unity of the group. It is inappropriate to involve people with contrasting socio-demographic positions (age, marital status, occupation, place of work, position, etc.) in one group.

The focus group should take place in a chamber setting in the absence of strangers. No one should interfere during its implementation. Tables should be placed in a semicircle so that everyone present can see each other. The door should be in the field of view of informants, and not behind their backs, in order to exclude accidental, distracting glances that interfere with speaking.

These are the standard requirements for the procedure for conducting focus groups.

It should be borne in mind that an individual interview can also be focused. This is the case that is defined as a narrative interview in a qualitative research situation.

In modern domestic sociology, all methods of qualitative research are used to obtain initial data. In marketing - only focus groups in all its modifications.

1 OBJECTIVES, FUNCTIONS AND TYPES OF MARKETING RESEARCH

In a modern market economy, marketing research is a necessary tool for managing the activities of an organization in the market.

Marketing research covers all the necessary subjects of the market: competitors and partners, consumers and pricing policy, a comprehensive analysis of the organization itself.

Any marketing research is carried out in parallel in two directions: analysis and evaluation of the activity of a subject or a specific object and forecasting for the future. Problems and situations, the occurrence of which makes it necessary to conduct marketing research, can be varied: what, to whom and how to sell, how to stimulate sales, how to work with competitors and business partners, etc.

Marketing research allows you to collect the information that is necessary to make the right decisions.

The results of the research can be forecasts of the development of the market structure, possible ways its changes, as well as all the characteristics of existing problems.

Home purpose of marketing research is information and analytical support for building strategies at two levels

1. At the macro level, the state of the market and its constituent elements are studied, for example, the study of supply and demand, the identification of trends and prospects for its further development.

2. At the micro level of marketing research, the internal state of the organization itself is checked, competitiveness is assessed, as well as the prospects for the organization's activities.

a descriptive function, which implies a detailed description of all the characteristics of the studied events, phenomena and processes;

analytical function, which consists in obtaining analytical information, in identifying cause-and-effect relationships in the phenomenon under study, etc.;

predictive function, which is formed on the basis of the first two functions, which allows you to make a forecast of further developments

Types of marketing research. For a full-fledged research of the economic activity of an organization, it is necessary to decide on the choice of a specific marketing research

When conducting marketing research, four main types can be used, which are divided depending on the following characteristics into:

scope (research of sales markets, labor force, finance, etc.);

direction of research (research of markets for consumer goods, investments, services, etc.);

product research (study of product promotion on the market, price level, staff professionalism);

organization of the study (conducting research on its own or using the services of another organization).

2 STRUCTURE AND TYPOLOGY OF MARKETING RESEARCH

The development of methodological foundations can be considered as the most important moment of marketing research. Marketing research has a certain structure and is deployed in a certain sequence. The structure of marketing research allows us to distinguish five elements, or five stages, describing the sequence of studying and modeling the market, starting with the promotion of the research concept and drawing conclusions.

First stage. Marketing research begins with the development of a general concept (from Latin conception - the main idea, intent), and then covers the development of specific methods (in accordance with the objectives of the study). The concept of marketing research is the idea of ​​obtaining a comprehensive and complete characteristics of the market, identifying patterns of market processes and phenomena.

To determine market research needs, all organizations should continuously monitor their external environments using a monitoring system. The main purpose of using the monitoring system is to provide operational information to the management of the organization. Such information allows management to assess whether the result of their current operations is in line with planned objectives; whether the adopted laws had an impact on the purchasing power of consumers, on the activities of enterprises in the industry; whether there have been changes in the value system of consumers and their lifestyle; whether new strategies have been used by competitors. Monitoring can be done in many ways, both formally and informally.

After identifying the needs for marketing research, the problem is identified.

A problem is a conflict between intended and expected outcomes. A clear, concise statement of the problem is the key to successful marketing research. Often clients of monitoring firms do not know their problems themselves. They state that the volume of sales is falling. The market share is decreasing. But these are only symptoms, and it is important to identify the causes of their appearance.

To avoid a situation of uncertainty, it is necessary to investigate all possible causes of the symptoms that have appeared. Often, exploratory research is carried out for this purpose.

Before defining the problem, research is carried out, on the basis of which the problem is formulated. They include:

identification of symptoms (signs);

a statement of possible causes;

identification of possible actions that can be taken to solve the problem.

There are the following approaches to identifying problems in marketing management:

analysis of the results of production and economic activities;

identification of problems through expert survey of managers and specialists;

monitoring the implementation of marketing functions and the participation of consultants in them.

The procedure for identifying problems includes the formation of a catalog of problems and its structuring. There is an opinion that the problem is partially solved if it is correctly formulated. Marketing research problems are defined by the requirement for managers and marketing professionals to provide relevant, accurate and unbiased information needed to solve marketing management problems.

At the first stage, it is also important to put forward the objectives of the study. The goals of marketing research stem from the identified problems, the achievement of these goals allows you to obtain the information necessary to solve these problems. The nature of the goals of marketing research determines the choice of specific types of research.

The purpose of the study is to clarify the problem and formulate the first ideas about the problems under study. In the course of studying the problem, hypotheses are formed. The working hypothesis establishes the framework and main directions of the study.

The central link is the development of theoretical hypotheses and their testing in practice, the identification and justification of cause-and-effect relationships. Only on this basis is it possible to explain the real conditions and forecasts of development, which is a necessary prerequisite for a well-founded decision-making. The development of hypotheses is necessary, first of all, for two reasons:

for subsequent statistical verification;

to limit the possibilities of manipulation by the researcher.

The hypotheses under consideration must meet the following requirements: predictability, reliability, testability.

After considering the hypotheses, the objectives of the study are formed. Goals can be search, i.e. provide for the collection of any preliminary data that shed light on the problem. They can be descriptive, i.e. provide a description of any specific phenomena. There are also experimental goals, i.e. providing for the testing of a hypothesis about any causal relationship.

The goals of marketing research stem from the identified problems, the achievement of these goals allows you to obtain the information necessary to solve these problems. The main objectives of the study are as follows:

determine the market capacity;

determine the market share;

find out from what sources they receive information;

determine customer preferences;

show the limits of expansion of the organization's activities in the market;

determine the maximum possible values ​​of the growth of market potential. When researching, conduct an advertising campaign

Based on the hypothesis put forward, algorithms for specific marketing research are developed. This, in turn, makes it possible to ensure the formulation of specific tasks that are solved taking into account certain opportunities and realities. Algorithmization in marketing research provides for formal records of the content of the computational process, its structure and the sequence of its stages.

Second phase consists in concretizing the tasks set by the relevant governing structure for conducting research, as well as in developing research methods. They also include methods of qualitative and attributive analysis. This stage corresponds to the general model of marketing research and is a detailed marketing research methodology. In the methodological complex of marketing research, statistical methods are intertwined and interact with the methods of econometrics. A special place is occupied by programming and logistics methods. The specificity of managerial activity allows the use of a number of methods, where the possibilities of marketing management, marketing matrices, etc. are widely used. In marketing research, there is a need to transform a problem that needs to be solved into a problem that requires research. This is a problem expressed in the language of research.

Third stage represented by the processes of forming an information bank and a marketing information system. It covers methods of collecting and storing information, methods of statistical and marketing observation, survey methods, methods of continuous and selective observation, methods of compiling and developing tabular material. The development of a marketing information system involves the creation of a decision support system (DSS), with appropriate software and hardware, which is the basis of marketing activities. The information bank includes an expert system, i.e. a computerized model of the activities of marketing information specialists, which aims to solve the problem they face. This stage includes the creation and use of a dialogue or language system that is part of the decision-making system. It allows you to work with databases and is aimed at meeting specific information needs.

Gathering information is a complex process. In order to somehow formalize and optimize it, many enterprises develop special marketing information systems.

A marketing information system is a system of interconnection of people, equipment and methodological methods designed to collect, classify, analyze, evaluate and disseminate information in order to improve the planning, implementation and control of marketing activities.

The marketing information system includes a system of internal and external information, marketing research results and information analysis. Internal information system - information reflecting various aspects of the enterprise and its condition. Internal information includes a database of applications, contracts, orders, etc. Inside information contributes to the adoption of appropriate decisions by marketing management.

External information system - information about events and situations that develop during external environment. It indicates how the enterprise should adapt to the external environment.

Marketing research generates data for decision-making on various aspects of marketing activities. They concern such areas as market research, consumer properties of goods, etc. Management decision-making is, in fact, an information process. The correctness and value of management decisions in marketing largely depends on reliable information support.

Information provision is the process of meeting the needs of specific users for information, based on the use of special methods and means of obtaining, processing, accumulating and issuing it in a form convenient for use.

Information support is formed by conducting the so-called "desk" and "field" research.

The most difficult and important is fourth stage– formation of a bank of models and calculation methods. It includes all methods and forms of data analysis, building a system of indicators, methods of grouping and systematizing materials, building statistical and econometric models, creating marketing schemes, identifying relationships, trends and patterns, and making forecasts.

Fifth stage can be considered as final. At this stage, general conclusions and conclusions are made, a summary of the study is compiled. Here it is necessary to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing research. Of great cognitive importance is the design of the results, the preparation of graphs, diagrams and diagrams.

Rice. 1. - The sequence of stages of marketing research

Thus, in the program and structure of marketing research, almost all the main points of the research are provided for and involved: the development of the research concept, the formation of an information bank, the creation of a marketing information system. The central point of the study is the analysis of the collected and processed materials, the compilation of situational and other models, forecasts of market processes.

The results of the study, presented in the form of a scientific report, are usually built according to the following scheme:

the purpose of the study is clearly stated;

the subject and objects of the study are characterized, the period for which data are collected and the date (time) of the survey are determined;

the sources of information are described and the methodology of the study (methods of collecting information and analysis) is disclosed;

a list of the most important results is created;

There is a certain specialization in marketing research: it distinguishes several independent types, each of which performs independent functions:

exploratory (exploratory) studies preceding the development of the main research program, they are undertaken to collect preliminary information that illuminates the problem and allows hypotheses to be put forward and an appropriate analysis methodology to be selected (sometimes they are combined with trial marketing);

descriptive (descriptive) research aimed at stating real facts, events, indicators obtained as a result of collecting information (it provides management with material for reflection and informal assessments that allow an immediate decision to be made);

experimental study, which is carried out in order to test the hypothesis put forward (for example, about the presence of a causal relationship of any indicators);

casual, or analytical research conducted to identify and model the relationship of the company's activities with environmental factors, etc.

3 METHODS OF MARKETING RESEARCH

Marketing research methods are primarily divided into methods for collecting primary data and methods for collecting secondary data. Primary sources include various kinds of questionnaires and tests, while secondary sources are information that has already been collected by someone and specially processed for further use (reports, balance sheets, articles, any documents).

Most often, marketing research is understood as the collection of primary information. Primary data collection methods, in turn, are divided into qualitative data collection methods, quantitative data collection methods and the so-called mix-methods.

Qualitative methods can provide answers to "how" and "why" questions, but the results will depend on the skill of the researcher. This type of research allows you to get very detailed data about the behavior, opinions, attitudes, attitudes of a very small group of people. The data obtained cannot be quantified (with rare exceptions), but gives a good idea of ​​the mindset of consumers.

The main advantage of qualitative methods is that with their help, in-depth studies of the situation are carried out, the minimum number of people is used. A negative, but not negative, feature of qualitative methods is their high cost and time-consuming research.

Unlike qualitative methods, quantitative methods can give a specific numerical result. They can answer the questions "who" and "how much". Even the attitude of people towards a particular state of affairs can be calculated as a number if quantitative methods are used. The advantage of these methods is the high accuracy of the results when compared with data from qualitative methods.

Qualitative research. Qualitative methods use non-numeric data: documents, oral stories, images, etc.

Qualitative research widely uses projective and stimulating techniques that help the researcher to uncover the motives, attitudes, attitudes, preferences, values, and degree of satisfaction of respondents with respect to products or brands. Projective techniques help to overcome the difficulties of communication, and also allow you to identify hidden motives, implicit attitudes, etc.

Most qualitative research methods are based on the application of approaches developed by psychologists, so the use of these methods is limited, because. data collection should be carried out by a highly qualified marketing specialist in cooperation with a professional psychologist.

Qualitative methods are effectively applied in cases where it is necessary to:

gain an in-depth understanding of consumption patterns, purchasing behavior and factors that determine consumer choice; his habits, preferences;

study the process of making purchase decisions;

describe consumer attitudes towards products, brands and companies;

assess the degree of satisfaction with existing products.

Basic methods of qualitative research: focus groups, in-depth interviews, protocol analysis.

The group of qualitative methods is distinguished by the subjective nature of the analysis, which largely depends on the personality of the researcher.

It is customary to form one focus group for only one market segment, since it is impossible to cover the entire market with only one small group of people, even specialists.

There are also projection methods and observation, but since they do not always give accurate results and are difficult to carry out, they are not often used in practice.

Focus group- a group of people related to the topic under study. In such a group, a moderator-controlled discussion of the problem posed is held, which is recorded on video with subsequent processing. The whole process takes no more than two hours, then the host analyzes the recording, selects the most important points, draws conclusions and conclusions. A focus group is often used to develop a new product or modify an old one. On the positive side, it is also possible to communicate with the direct consumer of a product or service in a focus group, since under other circumstances such direct communication on certain issues might not be possible. The negative aspects of this method include problematic relationships that may arise within the group, as well as between the group member and the moderator.

In-Depth Interview- an individual, personal conversation between the interviewer and the respondent, during which one or more questions are discussed in detail. The purity of the research result depends on the level of qualification of the interviewer and the interest of the respondent. This method does not require the use of a questionnaire, it is replaced by a list of pre-prepared topics to be discussed.

Protocol analysis consists in placing the respondent in a situation of making a purchase decision, during which he must describe in detail all the factors that guided him in making this decision.

Quantitative research. Quantitative methods of marketing research are often used after a qualitative analysis of the required situation. The results of qualitative and quantitative research complement each other, as a result, the problem is studied from almost all sides, almost all the small nuances are analyzed. The concept of "quantitative methods" implies the coverage of a large number of respondents and the subsequent statistical generalization of the data. Most often, surveys of a certain group of the population (consumers, etc.), and experiments are used, during which, for example, the quantitative ratio or loyalty of the population to a particular brand or service is determined.

to determine the frequency and volume of consumption of goods;

when comparing the relative effectiveness of several ready-made concepts of advertising campaigns;

to identify sources of information;

when determining the depth of product penetration on the market, etc.

The main methods of quantitative research are various types of surveys and retail audits.

Polls. The survey methodology is quite simple: the interviewer asks prepared questions to the respondent and evaluates them on a certain scale. Questions (or groups of questions) allow you to determine some important indicator. Then the average estimates of indicators are determined, on the basis of which conclusions are drawn.

Due to the large amount of data, it is quite easy to track down and cut off false information.

The disadvantages of the survey include insufficient attention to the personality and individuality of the respondents.

Surveys are often classified according to four main features, for example:

at the place of the study;

by the frequency of the study (divided into reusable and disposable);

according to the degree of formalization of the study (there can be standardized and non-standardized);

by the nature of the relationship between the consumer and the interviewer (surveys can be face-to-face and absentee).

Thus, there are personal, telephone, mail surveys; surveys of individuals and legal entities, experts; surveys conducted at home, in the office, at points of sale.

There are two methods of conducting surveys: interviews and questionnaires.

To conduct a more in-depth study, it is necessary to use operational information that can be collected through a survey.

Interview. The main difference between the interview and other methods of collecting information is the direct communication of both parties: the respondent and the interviewer. The interview can be in-depth, while the interviewer can ask clarifying questions, speak on abstract topics, change the direction of the interview depending on each individual respondent.

It is also possible to conduct a standardized interview, in which the interviewer focuses on the questionnaire and does not go beyond it.

Questioning. Questioning is also very common because a huge number of respondents can be interviewed at the same time, with further computer processing of the data. However, the survey has some disadvantages, for example, there is no possibility of direct consultation of the respondent in the process of filling out the questionnaire. In addition, the level of professional training of interviewers is often very low. Preparation for conducting a survey includes several mandatory points.

1 General and detailed design of the conversation plan.

2 Definition of sampling principles.

The requirements for the questionnaire are:

unambiguity and clarity of the wording of the questions posed;

optimal number of questions;

absence of extraneous questions;

the use of generally accepted terms and expressions that can be known to all people without exception and that will not cause misunderstanding of the issue;

the need for control questions.

Let us dwell on some types of quantitative methods.

Personal interview- This is a classic method of marketing research, with the help of which the interviewer receives information directly from the respondent. That is, the survey of the respondent takes place in a personal conversation, in the absence of unauthorized persons. Personal interview involves a high degree trust; it is possible to use demonstration materials (cards, photographs, drawings).

As a rule, the duration of a personal interview is 25-40 minutes. The main advantage of a face-to-face interview is that the interviewer sees the respondent and can be sure (by observing gestures and facial expressions) that the respondent fully understands the task.

The interview is conducted according to a formalized questionnaire, that is, the same questions are read to each respondent in a strictly defined sequence. Each interviewer goes through a special training course: how to select respondents, how to establish contact, how to ask questions and work with the questionnaire.

Advantages of the method of "personal interview"

personal conversation provides a high degree of confidence, allows for a significant duration of the interview;

it is possible to show the respondent demonstration materials (cards, logos, packaging samples);

the subject under study is revealed more fully;

allows you to conduct surveys among a narrow or hard-to-reach target group;

allows you to conduct a study of consumers directly at the points of sale of the studied product;

it is possible to carry out research in settlements with insufficient telephony.

Disadvantages of the method of "personal interview"

requires a lot of time;

quite expensive (compared to a telephone survey).

Postal survey. An organization may use a mail survey to collect data. At the same time, questionnaires are sent to the existing database of addresses without taking into account the selection, for example, by gender, by age, etc. The mail questionnaire has a number of features due to the fact that the respondents will fill it out (answer the questions posed) on their own, without the help and explanations of the interviewers. In this regard, the mail questionnaire should be accompanied by clear and simple instructions for working with the questionnaire, and a clean envelope should be attached so that the respondent can mail the completed questionnaire to the return address at no cost. Also, the mail questionnaire should be tested many times before being mailed out to prospective respondents in order to ensure that the return is at a level that allows for the required number of responses. Respondents should be reminded that questionnaires must be returned within a certain period specified in the questionnaire itself or in the instructions attached to it.

The advantages of postal surveys are considered to be the obvious cost-effectiveness of the method and a large territorial coverage.

This method has both positive and negative sides.

For example, the obvious disadvantages of the mail questionnaire include a violation of the anonymity rule for the survey, since the questionnaire is sent to a specific person, at a specific address. Also, many questionnaires will eventually have to be rejected due to inconsistency with the sample, poor-quality filling, etc.

Mail questionnaires allow you to get answers to sensitive questions that are not always possible for interviewers to answer.

Telephone survey. This method is common, due to the fact that modern communication systems make it possible to organize and conduct a telephone survey. Certain requirements are imposed on the telephone method, based on the features of the structure and functioning of telephone communications.

The mandatory requirements of telephone communication include the study of a map of the territory that should be covered by the survey, the places of residence of various social groups, as well as the location of the PBX. To conduct a survey by telephone, it is necessary to have special questionnaires for recording respondents' answers, all questions must be closed.

In order to be sure that all answers are correct and that the respondent answered honestly, it is necessary to carry out control checks by re-interviewing respondents who have already been interviewed. The rating of telephone surveys is very high, especially during certain periods of time, such as during election campaigns.

All interviewers should be professionally prepared for telephone conversations with interlocutors, and it is desirable to establish control over the interview process to identify errors and inaccuracies in the activities of interviewers.

It is customary to place survey results in the edition that was used, as readers will be looking forward to that particular edition.

This method has its own advantages and disadvantages. The advantages include clear cost-effectiveness, speed and efficiency in data processing. The disadvantages are considered to be the impossibility to comply with the sample, as some segments of the population will be missed, as well as the fact that many potential respondents refuse the survey.

A survey of the population can be carried out by a survey method using the media in which questionnaires are placed.

Polling with the help of the media. The questions of the questionnaire should correspond to the nature of the readers of the publication, the questions should be of interest to the respondents, touch upon their problems and be familiar firsthand. The disadvantages of this method include the low volume of completed questionnaires sent, the limited number of questions, and the high probability of the influence of outsiders on the respondents.

Teletype Poll used very rarely for numerous reasons, for example, just because the teletype is rarely used in the home, unlike the telephone, due to its cost and maintenance. Teletype communication includes all types of electronic communication: fax, telegraph and teletype-telegraph. The main advantage of this survey method is its super-efficiency and the expert significance of the information received. The disadvantages of the method include the closeness of questions and the limited number of answer options, which, as a rule, are not more than seven.

This method is most used for scientific purposes or to obtain the views of organizations that have facsimile in their own equipment.

TV poll. Television polls are often used by TV presenters to get the opinion of the respondents who watch their TV shows. The results of a television poll cannot be officially recognized, but their results are often given as some indication of a particular situation. On the one hand, this method of collecting primary information is superficial, but, on the other hand, they must be taken into account when conducting broad sociological surveys.

It is possible that the use of these data can be of invaluable service in large-scale foresights of collecting information on specific situations.

Research at the point of sale. Sometimes, to obtain the necessary information, it is enough just to see and fix the parameters under study. For example, the presence of a product on the counter, its price, display method, number of store visitors, etc. The information obtained during the study of retail outlets allows us to solve problems related to increasing market share; entering new markets; the launch of new brands; positioning of new and existing products.

This method involves a survey of outlets - retail and small wholesale, aimed at studying the range and price characteristics of goods and brands; monitoring the availability and prices of various brands in retail and small wholesale networks; study of commercial proposals for advertising and business media.

Studies of this kind allow us to estimate the shares of the local market consumer goods belonging to different trademarks(manufacturers, distributors, suppliers). The methodology allows obtaining reliable data in a situation where traders refuse to provide information about their performance. You can get information on a wide range of topics:

assortment and structure of the sales offer (by names, product groups, brands, manufacturers, dealers and distributors, types of outlets)

prevalence of brands;

differences between wholesale and retail prices;

the spread of brand prices in retail and wholesale trade depending on various criteria (for example, type of outlet, region);

trading strategies of competitors;

indirect estimates of market share and sales volumes of goods of different names, manufacturers, brands, etc.

As a rule, research at the point of sale is used as part of a comprehensive analysis of the state and development prospects of a particular sector of the consumer goods market (along with qualitative methods, expert surveys, and consumer surveys).

Retail Audit(Retail audit) includes an analysis of the assortment, prices, distribution, promotional materials in retail outlets for the studied product group in a changing market situation and taking into account the activities of competitors.

Retail audit allows you to study various parameters of retail trade in dynamics: the range of goods of various groups in retail trade, the placement of goods in retail premises, the variety of packaging, the price level of competing brands, etc.

Mix methods- mixed methods of research, quite successfully combining the advantages of qualitative and quantitative methods.

The main types of mix methods are: hall tests, home tests and mystery shopping.

hall-test- a research method, during which a fairly large group of people (up to 100-400 people) in a special room tests a certain product and / or its elements (packaging, commercial, etc.), and then answers questions (fills out a questionnaire) relating to this product.

Hall test rooms are equipped for testing products, simulating consumer choice situations and viewing advertisements.

As a rule, in the hall test room there is a separate room for filling out the filtration block of the questionnaire, separate rooms (or partitions) for each interview conducted so that the respondents cannot influence each other. The interview takes place in a structured conversation mode. The subjects of testing can be food, packaging, posters, advertising modules, videos, etc. Respondents are given the opportunity to express their reaction to the test material and explain the reason for their reaction.

The hall test allows obtaining information about consumer behavior and evaluation of the consumer properties of the product according to various tested characteristics.

Hall tests are used when necessary:

evaluate the consumer properties of goods in order to improve them, compare different options for the goods;

test brand concepts;

identify the reaction to the commercial offer price lists, tariff plans;

evaluate price sensitivity and purchase probability.

home-test- similar to the hall-test, with the only difference that in this research method, the research participant is invited to test at home any product or several products in a real environment. Usually these are everyday products: cigarettes, baby food, shampoos, washing powders, etc. The packaging of the product is marked with numbers and does not contain information about the manufacturer. A few days later, during a second visit, the respondent answers the questions of the questionnaire that characterize his attitude to the tested product, evaluates the consumer characteristics of the product, compares the product with analogues and determines the acceptable price range.

The method of home testing of products is designed to position the product, check the perception of its consumer properties, identify shortcomings and advantages in comparison with similar products from other manufacturers, determine the optimal price of the product, name and other characteristics.

The advantage of the home test technique is that the products are tested under the same conditions in which they are used in real life.

The home-test method is very effective in testing new products. Home-tests allow the manufacturer to avoid mistakes when bringing the product to the market, since the simulation of real consumption makes it possible to determine the market potential of a new product, to make changes to the product even before entering the market.

Mystery Shopping- a research method that involves assessing the level of service with the help of specialists acting as dummy buyers (customers, clients, etc.). This is a method of evaluating the terms of trade, the quality of service through purchases made by specialists of a research company (hence the name - a mystery shopper). A specially trained person comes to the company under the guise of an ordinary client, communicates with the salesperson/consultant, asking him questions according to a predetermined scenario. The scenario takes into account all the aspects of the company's activity that are of interest: the quality of work of the service personnel, the price level, the range of goods, the location and interior of the store, etc.

The mystery shopping method allows you to evaluate (or check) the company's activities without its knowledge, to analyze various aspects of the company's functioning through the eyes of a real consumer. The method allows you to evaluate the activities of various companies (customer and competitors) from the position of the consumer. Based on the results of the mystery shopping study, models of market advantages and disadvantages of the Customer in comparison with competitors are built, and the competitive environment is also analyzed.

LIST OF USED LITERATURE

Alesinskaya, T.V. Marketing: basics of marketing, marketing research, marketing management, Marketing communications: textbook / T.V. Alesinskaya [and others]; under the general editorship. V.E. Lankin. - Taganrog: Publishing House of TRTU, 2006. - 241 p.

Golubkov, E.P. Marketing research: theory, methodology and practice / E.P. Golubkov. M.: Publishing house "Finpress", 2003. - 496 p.

Methods marketing research (3)Abstract >> Marketing

Minsk 2011 Methods marketing research Methods marketing research primarily divided into methods collection of primary and methods collecting secondary... regards to various issues. Technology Preparation structures conversations. Before starting a series of interviews...

1. Types and methods marketing research

   Coursework >> Marketing

   ... marketing research 5 1.1. Concept, goals and objectives marketing research 5 1.2. Stages marketing research 6 Chapter 2 Methods and types marketing research 9 2.1 Methods marketing research 9 2.2 Types marketing research ...

2. Economic Mathematics methods marketing research

   Coursework >> Marketing

   ... methods marketing research There are several groups of economic and mathematical methods used in carrying out marketing research: 1. Statistical methods... Sociometry - a characteristic structures and functioning of certain...

3. Marketing research in management methods and scientific apparatus

   Abstract >> Management

   Relevant application programs; marketing methods research. SECTION II. CLASSIFICATION METHODS MARKETING RESEARCH Methods marketing research(see fig. 1) ... has a special effect on structure sales. Another 4.4% of respondents...