Consumer research refers to the use of various market research techniques and methods on the basis of the study of the basic characteristics of the market environment, demographic characteristics, lifestyle, economic level, etc., to achieve their own aspirations and needs of consumer groups through cognition, attitude, motivation, choice, decision-making, purchase, use and other stages. Consumer research is one of the most basic and major components of consumer goods market research, which is most widely used in the field of market research, including the study of basic consumer characteristics, the study of consumer behavior and the study of consumer motivation. Through these three levels of research, for the relevant industries and enterprises to provide: market segmentation, product positioning, brand management, pricing strategy, new product development, channel construction, advertising, promotional activities, sales forecasting and other behavior theory, data base.

The purpose of consumer research is to understand consumer needs, preferences, behavior and satisfaction, so as to make sound product development, brand management, marketing strategy and service improvement decisions. Therefore, the goal of consumer research should be specific, clear, quantifiable and achievable, otherwise it will lead to deviation and waste in the research process. For example, if a business wants to understand consumer feedback on its new product, its goal should be to understand consumers' perceptions, attitudes, willingness to buy and use of the new product, and to make product improvements and marketing strategy adjustments based on the results. Such a goal is relatively clear and specific, can guide the follow-up research design and implementation.

Consumer research needs to choose a reasonable method. Methodology refers to the data collection and analysis methods used in the survey. The method should be selected based on factors such as objectives, budget, time and resources to ensure the validity and reliability of the data. Common consumer research methods are: questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus groups, experiments, observations and so on. Questionnaire survey is a method of collecting consumers' answers for statistics and analysis by designing a series of questions, issuing or sending questionnaires to a certain number and type of consumers. The advantages of questionnaire survey are that a large amount of data can be collected, covering a wide range of consumers, the cost is lower, the operation is simpler, and the results are easier to quantify and compare. The disadvantages of the questionnaire survey are that there may be distortion, deviation and invalidity of the data, such as the untrue, inaccurate, incomplete or inconsistent answers of consumers, or the low distribution and recovery rate of the questionnaire, or the wrong design and analysis of the questionnaire. In-depth interview is a one-to-one conversation with consumers face-to-face or telephone, discussing consumers' opinions, feelings, motivations, experiences, etc., collecting consumers' verbal and non-verbal information, and explaining and analyzing them. method. The advantage of in-depth interviews is that they can collect in-depth data, understand the internal psychological and behavioral processes of consumers, discover the potential needs and problems of consumers, and the results are easier to understand and explain. The disadvantage of in-depth interviews is that there may be subjectivity, one-sidedness and incomparability of data, such as consumers' answers are influenced by emotions, environment, interviewers and other factors, or consumers' answers are not representative, or different consumers' answers are difficult to unify and compare. A focus group is a method of induction and analysis by inviting 6-12 consumers with similar characteristics or experiences to have a free discussion on a topic guided by an interviewer, observing and recording consumers' verbal and non-verbal reactions. The advantage of focus groups is that they can collect rich data, use the interaction and influence between consumers, stimulate consumers' thoughts and feelings, and the results are easier to display and convey. The disadvantage of focus groups is that there may be data instability, uncontrollability and unpredictability, such as consumer answers are influenced by other consumers, interviewers, venues, etc., or consumer answers are off-topic, or consumer answers are difficult to quantify and compare. Experiment is a method of inference and analysis of causality through human intervention or manipulation of consumers under certain conditions, observation and measurement of consumers' reactions. The advantage of experiments is that accurate data can be collected, irrelevant variables can be controlled and excluded, and the results are easier to verify and popularize. The disadvantage of the experiment is that there may be artificial, limited and unrealistic data, such as the consumer's answer is affected by the experimenter, experimental environment, experimental operation and other factors, or the consumer's answer is not universal, or the consumer's answer is inconsistent with the real situation. Observation is a method of classification and analysis by directly or indirectly observing the behavior of consumers, recording and describing their actions, expressions, scenes, etc. The advantage of observation is that objective data can be collected to avoid consumer bias and misleading, and the results are easier to present and interpret. The disadvantage of observation is that there may be incomplete, indepth and non-explanatory data, such as consumer behavior is not completely observed, or consumer behavior does not meet the purpose or standard of observation, or consumer behavior does not reflect the consumer's thoughts and feelings.

Consumer research needs to follow certain principles. Principles refer to the basic norms and requirements followed by research. Principles should be developed based on factors such as objectives, methods, data and results to ensure the effectiveness and quality of the research. Common consumer research principles are: validity, reliability, objectivity, applicability and ethics. Effectiveness refers to whether the research can achieve the expected goal, whether it can reflect the real consumer situation, and whether it can provide valuable information and suggestions. Reliability refers to whether the research can be repeated, whether it can produce consistent results, and whether it can eliminate or reduce errors and deviations. Objectivity refers to whether the research can avoid subjective influence, whether it can be conducted fairly and openly, and whether it can use scientific and reasonable methods and techniques. Applicability refers to whether the research can adapt to different situations and conditions, whether it can meet different needs and expectations, and whether it can produce actionable and implementable results. Ethics refers to whether the research can respect the rights and interests of consumers, whether it can protect the privacy and safety of consumers, and whether it can comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Consumer research requires some skills. Skills refer to the specific methods and means used in research. Skills should be selected based on factors such as objectives, methods, principles, and data to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of research. This paper mainly discusses the skills of how to design effective research problems, because research problems are the core of research and the difficulty of research. The design of research questions should follow the following techniques:

Number and order of questions. The number of questions should be determined according to the objectives and methods of the survey. Generally speaking, the number of questions should not be too large, so as not to make consumers feel bored and tired and affect the quality and efficiency of the answers. The order of questions should be arranged according to the importance, difficulty, sensitivity and relevance of the questions. Generally speaking, the order of questions should be from simple to complex, from general to specific, from insensitive to sensitive, from irrelevant to relevant, so that consumers can gradually enter the topic of research, build trust and interest, and improve the accuracy and completeness of answers.

The type and form of the problem. The type of question should be selected according to the objectives and methods of the research, and in general, the type of question can be divided into open and closed questions. Open-ended questions refer to questions that do not give alternative answers and allow consumers to answer freely, such as "What do you think of this product?" The advantage of open-ended questions is that they can collect original and diverse information from consumers, discover new and unexpected ideas from consumers, and the result is easier to show the individuality and differences of consumers. The disadvantage of open-ended questions is that the consumer's answer may be unclear, incomplete, inconsistent or irrelevant, or the consumer's answer is difficult to count and analyze. Closed questions refer to questions that give alternative answers and allow consumers to choose or evaluate, such as "Are you satisfied with this product: very satisfied, satisfied, general, dissatisfied, very dissatisfied?" The advantage of closed questions is that they can collect concise and standard information from consumers, compare consumers' identical and different ideas, and the results are easier to quantify and compare. The disadvantage of closed-end questions is that the consumer's answer may be influenced by the alternative answer, or the consumer's answer does not reflect the consumer's true and detailed situation. The form of the question should be designed according to the type and content of the question. Generally speaking, the form of the question can be divided into single-choice questions, multiple-choice questions, fill-in questions, judgment questions, sorting questions, comparison questions, scoring questions, scale questions, etc. The form of the question should be as simple as possible, clear, easy to understand, and easy to operate, avoiding the use of complex, vague, ambiguous, guiding, suggestive, hypothetical, double negative and other forms that are not conducive to consumer answers.

The content and language of the question. The content of the question should be determined according to the objectives and principles of the survey. Generally speaking, the content of the question should be related to the subject of the survey, consistent with the needs and expectations of consumers, consistent with the knowledge and experience of consumers, and the interests of consumers. Coordinate with rights and avoid involving irrelevant, useless, meaningless, unanswerable or unwilling to answer content. The language of the question should be selected according to the method and object of the research. Generally speaking, the language of the question should use the vocabulary, tone, style and format that consumers are familiar with and like, and avoid using professional, uncommon, abstract, negative, sensitive or impolite language.