1. what is consumer research?

Consumer research (Consumer Research) refers to the process of collecting, analyzing and interpreting consumer-related information in order to provide a basis for marketing decisions. Consumer research is aimed at consumers, I .e., those individuals or organizations that purchase or use products or services. Consumer research information includes consumer characteristics, needs, motivations, attitudes, perceptions, preferences, behaviors, and satisfaction.

The main purpose of consumer research is to help companies understand consumers in order to develop products or services that meet their needs and expectations, as well as effective pricing, distribution and promotion strategies. Consumer research can help companies achieve the following goals:

Identify and divide the market segment, find out the target market and potential market;

Assess the size, growth, competition and opportunities of the market;

Understand consumer needs and preferences, and the factors that influence consumer decisions;

Develop and test the concept, design, packaging and name of new products or services;

Determine and optimize the price, quality and characteristics of products or services;

Select and manage distribution channels and logistics methods;

Design and execute promotional activities such as advertising, PR, sales promotion and direct marketing;

Evaluate and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of marketing activities;

Enhance consumer loyalty and satisfaction, establish and maintain good customer relationships.

Types and Methods of 2. Consumer Research

The types of consumer research can be classified according to different criteria. According to the purpose and scope of the research, consumer research can be divided:

Exploratory research: Research aimed at identifying and understanding consumer problems, usually used to initially understand market conditions and provide direction and assumptions for subsequent research. The results of exploratory research are often qualitative, not universal and representative, but can provide in-depth insight and inspiration.

Descriptive research: Research designed to describe and quantify consumer problems, usually used to determine the characteristics, size, structure, trends, and relationships of the market. The results of descriptive research are often quantitative, with a certain degree of universality and representativeness, but they cannot provide a causal explanation.

Causality research: Research designed to analyze and verify the causes and consequences of consumer problems, usually used to test the effectiveness and impact of marketing strategies. The results of causal research are often quantitative, with high universality and representativeness, and can provide evidence and inference of causal relationship.

According to the data source of the survey, consumer research can be divided:

Secondary data research: The process of conducting research using existing data, such as government statistics, industry reports, academic research, and online information. The advantages of secondary data research are low cost, fast speed and wide range, but the disadvantage is that the quality, reliability, relevance and timeliness of the data may not meet the requirements of the research.

First-level data research: The process of conducting research using data collected specifically for research purposes, such as questionnaires, interviews, observations, experiments, etc. The advantages of primary data research are the high quality, reliability, relevance and timeliness of the data, but the disadvantages are high cost, slow speed and narrow scope.

According to the nature of the data, consumer research can be divided:

Qualitative research: The process of conducting research using non-numerical data, such as text, images, sound, video, etc. The advantage of qualitative research is that it can reveal the deep motivations, attitudes, feelings and experiences of consumers, but the disadvantage is that the analysis and interpretation of data is subjective, complex and vague, and difficult to promote and summarize.

Quantitative research: The process of conducting research using numerical data, such as numbers, percentages, grades, etc. The advantage of quantitative research is that it can measure and compare consumer behavior, preferences, satisfaction, etc., and the analysis and interpretation of data is objective, simple and clear, easy to promote and summarize, but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to capture the subtle and complex psychological processes of consumers.

Consumer research methods refer to specific techniques and tools for collecting and analyzing consumer data, which can be selected and combined according to different types and data. Commonly used consumer research methods are:

Questionnaire: A method of collecting data from a certain number and type of consumers by designing and distributing a series of questions. The questionnaire can be in paper or electronic form, and can be conducted by mail, telephone, Internet, face-to-face, etc. The advantage of questionnaire survey is that it can collect a large amount of standardized and structured data, which is suitable for descriptive and causal research, but the disadvantage is that there may be problems such as untrue, incomplete and inconsistent answers of consumers, and it is difficult to explore the deep reasons and feelings of consumers.

Interviews: A method of collecting data from an individual or a small number of consumers through dialogue with them. Interviews can be structured, semi-structured or unstructured, and can be conducted by telephone, online, face-to-face, etc. The advantage of interview is that it can deeply understand consumers' thoughts, feelings and experiences, which is suitable for exploratory research. However, the disadvantage is that it takes more time and energy, and the analysis and induction of data are difficult, so it is not easy to promote and compare.

Observation: A method of collecting data from a small or large number of consumers by observing and recording their behavior and environment. Observations can be direct or indirect, explicit or implicit, artificial or mechanical, and can be carried out in the field, laboratory, network, etc. The advantage of observation is that it can directly reflect the real behavior of consumers and avoid the deviation of consumers' answers, but the disadvantage is that it is difficult to capture the psychological process of consumers, and there may be subjective influence and moral problems of the observer.

Experiment: A method of collecting data from a small or large number of consumers by controlling and changing consumer behavior and environmental variables. Experiments can take the form of a laboratory or on-site, and can be performed manually or mechanically. The advantage of experiment is that it can determine the causality of consumer problems and is suitable for causal research, but the disadvantage is that it requires more resources and technology, and there may be problems with the validity and universality of the experiment.

3. Consumer Research Process and Precautions

The process of consumer research refers to the general steps of conducting consumer research, which can be adjusted and optimized according to different types and methods. Generally speaking, the process of consumer research includes the following stages:

Determine the purpose and questions of the research: clarify the objectives and scope of the research, as well as the specific questions to be answered, such as "what is the consumer's demand, preference and satisfaction with a certain product or service?" "what is the consumer's response and impact on a certain marketing strategy?" and so on.

Design research plans and methods: select appropriate research types and data sources, such as exploratory, descriptive or causal research, secondary data or primary data, as well as specific research methods, such as questionnaires, interviews, observations, experiments, etc., and determine the sample, time, place, budget, etc. of the research.

Collect research data: According to the research plan and method, implement data collection, such as designing and distributing questionnaires, arranging and conducting interviews, installing and using observation equipment, setting up and performing experiments, etc., while ensuring the validity and reliability of the data.

Analysis of research data: According to the purpose and problem of the research, appropriate data analysis techniques, such as descriptive statistics, inferential statistics, regression analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, etc., are used to organize, summarize, compare, interpret and verify the data, and test the representativeness and consistency of the data.

Report research results and recommendations: based on the analysis of research data, summarize and present the main findings of the research andConclusion, such as consumer characteristics, needs, preferences, behavior, satisfaction, etc., as well as the causes and results of consumer problems, while making suggestions and opinions for marketing decisions, such as product or service improvement, price or quality adjustment, distribution or promotion optimization.

Precautions for consumer research refer to some principles and norms that need to be followed when conducting consumer research, which can ensure the quality and effectiveness of the research. In general, consumer research considerations include the following:

Clarify the purpose and problems of the research: the purpose and problems of the research are the starting point and destination of the research, they should be clear, specific, feasible and valuable, and avoid vague, general, unrealistic and meaningless purposes and problems.

Choose appropriate research programs and methods: research programs and methods are the core and key of research. They should be suitable, effective, economical and scientific, and avoid unreasonable, ineffective, wasteful and arbitrary programs and methods.

Ensure the quality and reliability of data: Data are the basis and basis of research. They should be true, accurate, complete and consistent, and avoid false, wrong, missing and contradictory data.

Use appropriate data analysis techniques: Data analysis is the process and means of research. They should be reasonable, simple, clear and convincing, and avoid unreasonable, complex, vague and unfounded analysis.

Summarize and present the main findings of the research andConclusion: Research findings andConclusionAre the results and values of research, they should be objective, useful, interesting and enlightening, avoiding subjective, useless, boring and meaningless discoveries andConclusion。

The Case of 4. Consumer Research

In order to better demonstrate the practical application and value of consumer research, this paper combines some consumer research cases provided by Shangpu Consulting Company for customers, and briefly introduces the background, purpose, method, results and suggestions of the research. Shangpu Consulting is a professional marketing consulting company, providing customers with a full range of marketing solutions, including market analysis, market strategy, market execution and market evaluation. Shangpu Consulting's clients cover various industries and fields, such as consumer goods, automotive, electronics, medical, education, etc.

Case 1: Research on new product development of a consumer goods company

Background: A consumer goods company is a company that produces and sells daily necessities. Its main products include shampoo, shower gel, toothpaste, laundry detergent, etc. The company plans to develop a new shampoo product to meet consumer demand for natural, healthy and environmentally friendly products.

Objective: To understand consumers' demand, preference and acceptance of new products, as well as the factors that affect consumers' purchasing decisions, and to provide reference and basis for the development and promotion of new products.

Methods: Using primary data and quantitative research methods, a questionnaire containing questions about consumers' basic information, shampoo usage habits, expectations and attitudes about new products was designed and distributed to 1000 urban consumers aged 18-45.

Results: According to the analysis of the questionnaire data, the following main findings andConclusion：

Consumers have high demand and preference for new products, with 67% of consumers saying they are interested in natural, healthy and environmentally friendly shampoos, 52% saying they are willing to try new products, and 43% saying they have high expectations for new products.

Consumer acceptance of new products is influenced by a variety of factors, the most important of which are the product's price, brand, composition, effect and word of mouth, which account for 32%, 25%, 18%, 15% and 10% of consumers' purchase decisions, respectively.

Consumers' willingness to buy new products is significantly affected by the price and brand of the product. The lower the price, the more well-known the brand, the higher the consumers' willingness to buy.

Suggestions: According to the results of the survey, the following suggestions are put forward for the development and promotion of new products:

In the design of the product, we should highlight the natural, healthy and environmentally friendly characteristics of the product, choose high-quality raw materials and ingredients, pay attention to the efficacy and safety of the product, and pay attention to the appearance of the product and the attractiveness of the packaging.

In the pricing of products, we should consider the consumption ability and psychology of consumers, adopt reasonable price strategies, such as permeable, competitive or psychological pricing, and provide certain discounts and concessions to increase consumers' purchase motivation.

In the promotion of products, we should make use of the influence and reputation of the brand, adopt effective promotion means, such as advertising, public relations, sales promotion and direct sales, and make use of social media, network platforms and opinion leaders to expand the popularity and reputation of the products.