Industrial market research refers to the systematic investigation and analysis of the demand, supply, competition, price, channel and innovation of industrial products or services, so as to provide the basis and suggestions for the strategic decision-making of enterprises. Industrial products or services refer to those products or services that are mainly used to produce other products or provide other services, such as raw materials, equipment, parts, energy, logistics, etc. Industrial market research differs from consumer market research in that it has the following characteristics:

Buyers of industrial products or services are usually organizations rather than individuals, involving multiple decision makers and influencers, and the purchase process is longer and more complex;

The demand for industrial products or services is usually affected by the downstream market, which is derivative, unstable and cyclical;

There are usually fewer suppliers of industrial products or services, there is oligopoly or oligopoly competition, and the supply chain relationship is closer and longer-term;

The price of industrial products or services is usually affected by multiple factors such as cost, competition, and policy, and there are greater fluctuations and uncertainties;

The channels for industrial products or services are usually relatively simple, selling directly or through a small number of distributors, and channel management pays more attention to cooperation and trust;

The innovation of industrial products or services usually requires a higher level of technology and input, involves more patents and standards, and the innovation cycle is longer and more difficult.

Due to the higher professionalism, complexity and difficulty of industrial market research, it is necessary to use a variety of methods and techniques and consider a variety of factors in order to draw effective and reliable conclusions. Here are some highlights of the industrial market study:

1. clarify the purpose and scope of the study

The purpose of industrial market research is to solve the problems faced by enterprises in the industrial market or to seize the opportunities that exist in the industrial market. For example, research questions or opportunities may be:

How to judge the market demand and growth potential of industrial products or services?

How to identify and meet the needs and preferences of industrial customers?

How to analyze and respond to competitors and substitutes in industrial markets?

How to formulate and adjust the price strategy of industrial products or services?

How to select and optimize the channel mode of industrial products or services?

How can innovative solutions for industrial products or services be developed and promoted?

After clarifying the research problem or opportunity, the scope of the research should be determined, including the research object, time, region, industry, market segment, etc. The scope of the study should be reasonably divided according to the purpose and resources of the study, neither too broad nor too narrow, to ensure the feasibility and effectiveness of the study. For example, if you want to study the demand and growth potential of China's industrial robot market, it is necessary to determine which types and specifications of industrial robots are the research objects, which years are the research time, whether the research area is the whole country or some provinces and cities, which application fields are the research industries, and which customer groups are the research market segments.

2. selection of appropriate research methods and techniques

Industrial market research requires the use of a variety of methods and techniques to collect, process, analyze and present data and information to support business decisions. According to the source and nature of data and information, research methods and techniques can be divided into two categories: one is qualitative research methods and techniques, and the other is quantitative research methods and techniques.

Qualitative research methods and techniques are mainly used to collect, process, analyze and present non-numerical data and information, such as opinions, feelings, attitudes, motivations, behaviors, etc. Qualitative research methods and techniques typically include:

Literature review: by consulting the relevant books, journals, reports, papers and other literature, to understand the theoretical basis of the industrial market related fields, development trends, cutting-edge issues;

In-depth interviews: through face-to-face or telephone one-to-one communication with industrial customers, suppliers, competitors, experts and other relevant personnel, in-depth understanding of their views, feelings, needs, preferences, etc. on issues or opportunities related to the industrial market;

Focus groups: by inviting a group6To10Participants with similar characteristics or experiences, in a relaxed and free atmosphere, under the guidance of a host or guide, discuss issues or opportunities related to the industrial market, and collect their views, feelings, needs, preferences, etc. on these issues or opportunities;

Case analysis: by selecting one or several representative or typical industrial market related problems or opportunities for detailed description, analysis and evaluation, revealing its causes, processes, results, effects, etc;

Observation method: by directly or indirectly observing the behavior, reaction, interaction, etc. of industrial customers, suppliers, competitors and other relevant personnel in the industrial market, to obtain their true reflection of the problems or opportunities related to the industrial market.

Quantitative research methods and techniques are mainly used to collect, process, analyze and present numerical data and information, such as quantity, proportion, frequency, degree, etc. Quantitative research methods and techniques typically include:

Questionnaire: By designing a set of questionnaires containing multiple closed or open questions, it is distributed, recycled or filled out online to industrial customers, suppliers, competitors and other relevant personnel to collect their data and information on related problems or opportunities in the industrial market;

Experimental method: by setting one or more variables in the laboratory or on-site, and controlling other variables unchanged, observing and measuring the relationship between variables, testing the hypothesis or theory of industrial market-related problems or opportunities;

Statistical analysis: through the use of mathematical and statistical principles and methods, the collection of numerical data and information to organize, describe, summarize, infer, forecast, etc., to reveal the industrial market-related problems or opportunities of the law and trends;

Model building: through the use of mathematical and computer principles and methods, the industrial market related problems or opportunities to abstract and simplify, the establishment of one or more mathematical or computer models, simulation and analysis of the current situation and future of the industrial market.

The selection of appropriate research methods and techniques should be based on the purpose and scope of the study, neither too subjective nor too objective, to ensure the effectiveness and credibility of the study. For example, if you want to gain an in-depth understanding of the needs and preferences of industrial customers, you can use qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews or focus groups; if you want to measure the market demand and growth potential of industrial products or services, you can use quantitative research methods such as questionnaires or statistical analysis.

3. in-depth understanding of industrial customer needs and behaviors

Industrial customers are those organizations that purchase industrial products or services for the production of other products or the provision of other services, such as manufacturing companies, service companies, government agencies, etc. An in-depth understanding of the needs and behaviors of industrial customers is an important part of industrial market research because it directly affects how companies develop, price, promote and sell industrial products or services. In-depth understanding of the needs and behaviors of industrial customers requires the following aspects:

Characteristics of industrial customers: including basic information such as the scale, region, industry, and market segments of industrial customers, as well as deep-seated characteristics such as the culture, values, and beliefs of industrial customers;

The purchase process of industrial customers: including the stages of industrial customers from recognizing the existence of problems or opportunities, to deciding to purchase an industrial product or service, to evaluating the purchase results, as well as the decision makers and influencers involved in each stage, information sources and search methods, evaluation criteria and selection methods;

The purchase motivation of industrial customers: including the main reasons and purposes for industrial customers to purchase industrial products or services, as well as the internal and external factors that affect the purchase motivation of industrial customers, such as needs, interests, risks, emotions, society, policies, etc;

The purchasing behavior of industrial customers: including the number, frequency, time, place and manner of industrial customers purchasing industrial products or services, as well as the internal and external factors that affect the purchasing behavior of industrial customers, such as ability, willingness, habits, competition, price, channels, etc.

In-depth understanding of the needs and behavior of industrial customers requires the use of a variety of research methods and techniques, such as in-depth interviews, focus groups, questionnaires, observation methods, etc., to obtain direct or indirect feedback and reactions from industrial customers. At the same time, it is also necessary to combine the characteristics of the industrial market, such as derivative needs, multi-level decision-making, long-term cooperation, etc., to conduct comprehensive analysis and evaluation to reveal the real needs and behavior of industrial customers.

For example, Shangpu Consulting has provided an industrial market research service for a leading domestic high-end CNC machine tool manufacturer in the automotive manufacturing industry, aiming to help the manufacturer understand the demand and preference of the automotive manufacturing industry for high-end CNC machine tools, and How to increase its market share in the industry. Shangpu Consulting used a combination of in-depth interviews and questionnaires to conduct a comprehensive survey of major customers in the automotive manufacturing industry, and collected information on their use of high-end CNC machine tools, satisfaction, demand forecasting, purchase decision-making process, Data and information on evaluation criteria, selection preferences, etc. Through statistical analysis and case analysis of these data and information, Champ Consulting has reached the following main conclusions:

The automobile manufacturing industry has a large demand for high-end CNC machine tools and has growth potential, which is mainly affected by automobile production and quality requirements;

The purchase process of high-end CNC machine tools in the automobile manufacturing industry is more complex, involving multiple decision makers and influencers, such as technicians, purchasers, financial personnel, etc., and needs to go through multiple stages, such as demand identification, program comparison, supplier selection, etc;

The purchase motivation of high-end CNC machine tools in the automobile manufacturing industry is mainly to improve production efficiency and quality, reduce costs and risks, but also affected by emotional and social factors, such as trust, word-of-mouth effect, etc;

The purchase behavior of high-end CNC machine tools in the automobile manufacturing industry is mainly manifested in mass procurement, long-term cooperation, emphasis on after-sales service, and tendency to domestic brands.

Based on these conclusions, Champ Consulting made the following recommendations for the manufacturer:

Strengthen communication and communication with the automotive industry to understand the latest demand changes and technological developments;

Improve the performance and quality of high-end CNC machine tools to meet the high standards of production efficiency and quality in the automotive manufacturing industry;

Adopt flexible and reasonable price strategy, consider the cost and risk of automobile manufacturing industry, provide preferential and guarantee;

Establish and improve the sales and service network of high-end CNC machine tools, and provide timely and professional pre-sales, in-sales and after-sales services;

Enhance the brand image and popularity of high-end CNC machine tools, and use successful cases and word-of-mouth effects to establish a sense of trust and loyalty.

4. analysis of the structure and competitive dynamics of industrial markets

The structure of the industrial market refers to the interrelationships and interactions between various elements in the industrial market, such as supply and demand, competition, and cooperation. The competitive situation of the industrial market refers to the interaction and interaction between various forces in the industrial market, such as competition between suppliers, competition between substitutes, competition between customers, etc. Analyzing the structure and competitive situation of industrial market is one of the important contents of industrial market research, because it directly affects how enterprises formulate and implement the strategy of industrial market. The analysis of the structure and competitive dynamics of industrial markets needs to be carried out in the following ways:

The size and growth of the industrial market: including the overall size and growth rate of the industrial market, as well as the size and growth rate of each market segment, reflecting the demand and growth potential of the industrial market;

Concentration and dispersion of the industrial market: including the number and size distribution of suppliers and customers in the industrial market, reflecting the balance of supply and demand and the intensity of competition in the industrial market;

Differentiation and homogenization of the industrial market: including the degree of difference in performance, quality, price, etc. of industrial products or services provided by suppliers in the industrial market, reflecting the diversity and substitution of products or services in the industrial market;

Barriers to entry and exit of industrial markets: including the conditions and resources required or abandoned to enter or exit the industrial market, such as technology, capital, channels, policies, etc., reflecting the openness and stability of the industrial market;

The influence and coordination of the industrial market: including the degree of influence and coordination of various forces in the industrial market on the demand, supply, price and other aspects of industrial products or services, such as customers, suppliers, competitors, government, society, etc., reflecting the dynamics and complexity of the industrial market.

Analyzing the structure and competitive dynamics of industrial markets requires the use of a variety of research methods and techniques, such as literature reviews, questionnaires, statistical analysis, model building, etc., to obtain data and information on relevant aspects of the industrial market. At the same time, it is also necessary to combine the theories and models of related fields of industrial market, such as Porter's five forces model, Porter's value chain model, Porter's diamond model, etc., to carry out comprehensive analysis and evaluation to reveal the characteristics and trends of the industrial market.

For example, Shangpu Consulting has provided an internationally renowned wind power equipment manufacturer with a structural and competitive situation analysis service for China's wind power equipment market, which aims to help the manufacturer understand the current and future of China's wind power equipment market, and how to formulate and implement the strategy of China's wind power equipment market. Shangpu Consulting used a combination of literature review and questionnaire to investigate the overall size and growth rate of China's wind power equipment market, as well as the size and growth rate of each market segment, and collected data and information on the supply and demand relationship, competition relationship and cooperation relationship of China's wind power equipment market. Through statistical analysis and modeling of these data and information, Champ Consulting has reached the following main conclusions:

The scale and growth of China's wind power equipment market is relatively large, driven by policy support and environmental protection needs, and it is expected that there will still be large room for growth in the future;

China's wind power equipment market is highly concentrated, with oligopoly or oligopoly competition on the supplier side, mainly dominated by domestic brands and difficult for international brands to enter; there is decentralized competition on the customer side, mainly consisting of state-owned power companies and private power companies, with different needs and preferences;

The differentiation of China's wind power equipment market is low, and the wind power equipment provided by suppliers has small differences in performance, quality, price, etc., and customers' selection of wind power equipment is mainly based on cost-effectiveness and reliability considerations;

China's wind power equipment market has high barriers to entry, which require a high level of technology and financial strength, as well as a good relationship with the government, customers, channels, etc.; low barriers to exit, which require less abandonment of conditions and resources, such as technology, capital, channels, policies, etc;

The influence and coordination of China's wind power equipment market is strong, and various forces in the market have a greater influence and coordination ability on the demand, supply and price of wind power equipment, such as the government, customers, suppliers, competitors, society, etc., making the market present dynamic and complex characteristics.

Based on these conclusions, Champ Consulting made the following recommendations for the manufacturer:

Pay attention to the policy changes and environmental protection needs of China's wind power equipment market, and grasp the market growth opportunities;

Improve the technical level and quality level of wind power equipment, and enhance the competitiveness of products in terms of performance, quality, and price;

Seek suitable partners and use their resources and relationships in government, customers, channels, etc. to enter or expand the market share of wind power equipment in China;

Strengthen communication and coordination with various forces in China's wind power equipment market, establish a good reputation and image, and establish a sense of trust and loyalty.

5. evaluate the value and pricing strategy of an industrial product or service

The value of an industrial product or service is the benefit created by the industrial product or service for the industrial customer minus the cost it pays. The pricing strategy of industrial products or services refers to the methods and principles used by enterprises to determine the price or price range for industrial products or services. Assessing the value and pricing strategy of industrial products or services is one of the important contents of industrial market research, because it directly affects the profit and market share of enterprises. Assessing the value and pricing strategy of an industrial product or service needs to be done in the following ways:

Cost of industrial products or services: including production costs, sales costs, transportation costs, inventory costs, etc. of industrial products or services, reflecting the lowest price of industrial products or services;

The benefits of industrial products or services: including the increase in revenue, cost reduction, risk reduction, quality improvement, etc. brought by industrial products or services to industrial customers, reflecting the highest price of industrial products or services;

Differences in the value of industrial products or services: including the advantages or disadvantages of industrial products or services compared with competitors or substitutes, reflecting the relative prices of industrial products or services;

Willingness to pay by industrial customers: including the strength of demand, purchasing power, frequency of purchase, quantity of purchase, etc. of industrial customers for industrial products or services, reflecting the actual price of industrial customers for industrial products or services.

Assessing the value and pricing strategy of industrial products or services requires the use of a variety of research methods and techniques, such as cost analysis, benefit analysis, value analysis, willingness-to-pay surveys, etc., to obtain data and information related to industrial products or services. At the same time, it is also necessary to combine the theories and models of relevant fields of industrial market, such as value pricing model, cost-plus pricing model, competition-oriented pricing model, etc., to carry out comprehensive analysis and evaluation to determine the best price or price range of industrial products or services.

For example, Champ Consulting has provided a value and pricing strategy evaluation service for a leading domestic intelligent storage system provider for its intelligent storage system, which aims to help the provider understand the value created by its intelligent storage system for customers and how to formulate and implement reasonable and effective pricing strategies. Using a combination of benefit analysis and willingness-to-pay surveys, Shangpu Consulting conducted a comprehensive survey of the provider's key customers and collected data and information on the benefits and willingness-to-pay aspects of their use of intelligent warehousing systems. Through statistical analysis and value analysis of these data and information, Champ Consulting has reached the following main conclusions:

The intelligent storage system brings significant benefits to customers, mainly reflected in the improvement of storage efficiency and quality, reducing storage costs and risks, and increasing storage flexibility and reliability;

Compared with the traditional storage system, the intelligent storage system has obvious advantages in terms of efficiency, mainly reflected in saving human resources, space resources, time resources, etc., and improving the level of storage management and competitiveness;

Customers have a higher willingness to pay for intelligent warehousing systems, mainly affected by the intensity of demand, purchasing power, purchase frequency, purchase quantity and other factors, and are generally willing to pay for intelligent warehousing systems compared to traditional warehousing systems.20%To30%The price.

Based on these conclusions, Champ Consulting makes the following recommendations for the provider:

Using the value pricing model, the maximum price of the intelligent storage system is determined according to the benefits created by the intelligent storage system for the customer;

Using differential pricing strategy, according to the different characteristics and needs of customers, the intelligent storage system is subdivided and customized, and the different price range of the intelligent storage system is determined;

Adopt a bundling pricing strategy to bundle the intelligent warehousing system with other related products or services to increase the added value and attractiveness of the intelligent warehousing system;

The penetration pricing strategy is adopted to set the price of the intelligent warehousing system lower when it first enters the market to attract more customers, increase market share, and then gradually increase the price to increase profit margins.

6. explore innovation opportunities and risks in industrial markets

Innovation opportunities in the industrial market refer to the opportunities that exist or potential in the industrial market that can meet or create the needs of industrial customers through the development, promotion or application of new industrial products or services. Innovation risk in the industrial market refers to the factors that exist or potential in the industrial market that may lead to the failure or loss of the development, promotion or application of new industrial products or services. Exploring the innovation opportunities and risks of industrial market is one of the important contents of industrial market research, because it directly affects how enterprises seize and take advantage of the changes and development of industrial market. The exploration of innovation opportunities and risks in the industrial market needs to be carried out from the following aspects:

Trends in the industrial market: including the direction and speed of change in demand, supply, competition, prices, channels and innovation in the industrial market, reflecting the development potential and direction of the industrial market;

The evolution of industrial customers' demand: including the evolution process and evolution law of industrial customers' demand for industrial products or services from existing demand to potential demand, and then to future demand, reflecting the demand difference and demand creation of industrial customers;

Technological progress of industrial products or services: including technological improvements and breakthroughs in performance, quality, price, etc. of industrial products or services, as well as the impact and role of technological progress on industrial products or services, reflecting the technological advantages and technological innovations of industrial products or services;

Identification of opportunities in the industrial market: including the analysis of existing or potential problems or needs in the industrial market, as well as existing or potential advantages or solutions in industrial products or services, to identify opportunities that can meet or create industrial customer needs through the development, promotion or application of new industrial products or services;

Risk assessment in the industrial market: including the assessment of the risks and losses that may be encountered in the development, promotion or application of new industrial products or services by analyzing the existing or potential uncertainties or obstacles in the industrial market, as well as the deficiencies or difficulties in the development, promotion or application of new industrial products or services.

Exploring innovation opportunities and risks in the industrial market requires the use of a variety of research methods and techniques, such as literature reviews, in-depth interviews, case studies, experimental methods, etc., to obtain data and information on relevant aspects of the industrial market. At the same time, it is also necessary to combine the theories and models in the relevant fields of the industrial market, such as innovation diffusion theory, innovation adoption theory, innovation management model, etc., to carry out comprehensive analysis and evaluation to determine the innovation opportunities and risks of the industrial market.

For example, Champ Consulting once worked for a well-known foreign company.3DPrinting equipment manufacturers have provided a plan for China.3DInnovation opportunities and risk exploration services in the printing equipment market to help the manufacturer understand China3DPrinting equipment market trends and demand evolution, and how to develop and promote suitable for China3DInnovative solutions for the printing equipment market. Champ Consulting used a combination of literature review and in-depth interviews to evaluate China's3DThe overall size and growth rate of the printing equipment market, as well as the size and growth rate of each market segment, was investigated and collected about China.3DData and information on demand, supply, competition, price, channel and innovation of the printing equipment market. Through case studies and experimental methods of this data and information, Champ Consulting has reached the following main conclusions:

China3DThe size and growth of the printing equipment market is large, driven by policy support and technological progress, and it is expected that there is still a large room for growth in the future;

China3DThe demand of printing equipment market has evolved rapidly, from the initial education, medical and other fields to aviation, automobile, construction and other fields, from the initial prototype production to parts manufacturing and overall assembly, from the initial functional requirements to individual needs;

China3DThe technological progress of the printing equipment market is relatively fast, from the initial expansion of materials such as plastics to materials such as metals and ceramics, from the initial expansion of monochrome printing to multi-color printing, and from the initial expansion of low-precision printing to high-precision printing;

China3DThere are many innovation opportunities in the printing equipment market, such as the development of suitable for different fields and applications.3DPrinting equipment, develop suitable for different materials and colors3DPrinting equipment, developed for different precision and speed3DPrinting equipment;

China3DThere are also a variety of innovation risks in the printing equipment market, such as encountering challenges from domestic and foreign competitors or substitutes, encountering resistance or poor feedback from customers or channels, and encountering restrictions or changes in policies or laws.

Based on these conclusions, Champ Consulting made the following recommendations for the manufacturer:

Focus on China3DPrinting equipment market trends and demand evolution, grasp the market growth opportunities and demand creation opportunities;

Improve3DThe technical level and quality level of the printing equipment to meet the customer's needs.3DFunctional and personalized needs of printing equipment;

Find the right partner and use its resources and relationships in government, customers, channels, etc. to enter or expand in China3DShare of the printing equipment market;

Strengthening with China3DCommunication and coordination of various forces in the printing equipment market, reduce innovation risks and losses, and improve innovation effects and benefits.