Classification of the Purpose of 1. Market Research

According to the purpose of market research, market research can be divided into the following three types:

Exploratory market research: The purpose of exploratory market research is to identify and define market problems or opportunities, and to provide direction and assumptions for subsequent research. Exploratory market research is usually conducted when the market situation is not clear or changes greatly, in order to obtain the basic situation of the market, the needs and motivations of consumers, the strategies and advantages of competitors and other information. The results of exploratory market research are often descriptive and qualitative and cannot be used directly for decision-making, but can provide reference and basis for decision-making.

Descriptive market research: The purpose of descriptive market research is to describe the current situation and characteristics of the market, such as market size, structure, trends, distribution, segmentation, etc. Descriptive market research is usually conducted when market problems or opportunities have been identified to obtain market-specific data and indicators, such as market share, market growth rate, consumer satisfaction, brand awareness, etc. The results of descriptive market research are often quantitative and statistical and can be used directly for decision-making, but cannot explain the causes and influencing factors of market phenomena.

Causal market research: The purpose of causal market research is to explore the causes and effects of market phenomena, such as the causal relationship between market variables, the effects and effects of market strategies, etc. Causal market research is usually conducted when market problems or opportunities are clear and there are certain theoretical assumptions to verify and evaluate market assumptions and strategies, such as the impact of product characteristics on consumer preferences, the impact of price changes on market demand, and the impact of advertising on sales. The results of causal market research are often inferred and experimental, and can be used for decision-making, but the influence of other interfering factors needs to be controlled and eliminated.

Classification of 2. Market Research Methods

According to the method of market research, market research can be divided into the following two types:

Qualitative market research: Qualitative market research refers to the collection and analysis of market-related qualitative information, such as opinions, feelings, attitudes, motivations, etc., through unstructured or semi-structured methods. Qualitative market research is characterized by a small sample size, a more flexible research process, and more subjective research results, which are suitable for exploratory market research or in-depth understanding of market phenomena. Common methods of qualitative market research include in-depth interviews, focus groups, project methods, situational methods, and observation methods.

Quantitative market research: Quantitative market research refers to the collection and analysis of market-related quantitative information, such as data, indicators, ratios, etc., through a structured approach. Quantitative market research is characterized by a large sample size, a more standardized research process, and more objective research results, which are suitable for descriptive market research or the verification and evaluation of market phenomena. The common methods of quantitative market research include questionnaire survey, experimental method, mathematical statistics, mathematical modeling and so on.

Object Classification of 3. Market Research

According to the object of market research, market research can be divided into the following four types:

Product market research: product market research refers to the characteristics of the product, function, performance, quality, design, packaging and other aspects of market research to understand the advantages and disadvantages of the product, consumer needs and preferences, competitors' product strategy, so as to provide a basis for product development, improvement, pricing, promotion and so on. Common methods of product market research include product testing, product concept testing, and product pricing testing.

Consumer market research: consumer market research refers to the characteristics of consumers, behavior, attitude, motivation, satisfaction and other aspects of market research, in order to understand the needs and expectations of consumers, consumer purchase and use process, consumer loyalty and word of mouth, so as to provide the basis for market segmentation, positioning, target selection, marketing mix. The common methods of consumer market research are consumer segmentation, consumer portrait, consumer journey, consumer satisfaction survey, etc.

Channel market research: channel market research refers to the market research on the characteristics, structure, efficiency and relationship of product distribution channels, so as to understand the current situation and problems of channels, the advantages and disadvantages of channels, the needs and expectations of channels, so as to provide the basis for the selection, management, incentive and coordination of channels. Common methods of channel market research include channel analysis, channel satisfaction survey, and channel reward program testing.

Competitor market research: competitor market research refers to the characteristics of competitors, strategies, performance, advantages and other aspects of market research to understand the goals and trends of competitors, strengths and weaknesses of competitors, threats and opportunities of competitors, so as to provide a basis for formulating their own competitive strategies and countermeasures. Common methods of competitor market research include competitor analysis, competitor intelligence, competitor simulation, etc.

Classification of the scope of 4. market research

According to the scope of market research, market research can be divided into the following two types:

Macro market research: Macro market research refers to market research on the overall situation and development trend of the entire market or industry to understand the size, structure, growth, competition, opportunities, threats, etc. of the market, so as to provide a basis for market entry, exit, expansion, contraction, etc. Common methods of macro market research include market overview analysis, market forecast analysis, market opportunity analysis, market threat analysis, etc.

Micro-market research: Micro-market research refers to market research conducted on a certain segment of the market or a specific issue to understand the characteristics, needs, satisfaction, loyalty, innovation points, etc. of the market, so as to provide a basis for market positioning, target selection, marketing mix, effect evaluation, etc. Common methods of micro-market research include market segmentation analysis, market positioning analysis, market portfolio analysis, and market effect analysis.

Conclusion

Market research is an important market management tool that can help companies or organizations obtain market-related information in order to make better decisions. Market research can be classified according to different standards. Different types of market research have different purposes, methods, objects and scopes, as well as different characteristics and advantages and disadvantages. This paper summarizes and compares the industry classification of market research from the four aspects of research purpose, method, object and scope, and analyzes the characteristics and advantages and disadvantages of different types of market research in combination with some cases of Shangpu Consulting Company, with a view to providing some reference and enlightenment for the practice and development of market research.