Consumer research is an important part of market research, and it is also an essential step before enterprises carry out marketing activities. Consumer research can help companies understand consumer psychology and behavior, identify consumer needs and problems, assess consumer satisfaction and loyalty, predict consumer purchase intentions and behavior, and develop effective marketing strategies and marketing mix. The quality and effect of consumer research directly affect the market competitiveness and profitability of enterprises.

1. classified according to the research object

According to the different research objects, consumer research can be divided into the following types:

Potential consumer research: A survey of people who have not yet purchased or used a product or service, but are likely to purchase or use it in the future. The main purpose of potential consumer research is to understand the number, characteristics, needs, expectations, etc. of potential consumers, so that enterprises can develop appropriate market development strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting once conducted a survey of potential consumers for a new energy vehicle brand. Through questionnaires, interviews, observations and other methods, it collected the basic information of potential consumers, car purchase motivation, car purchase conditions, car purchase channels, car purchase preferences, etc. Data, analyzed the market scale, market structure, market demand and market potential of potential consumers, and provided a basis for the brand's market entry and market promotion.

Existing consumer research: A survey of people who have purchased or used a product or service. The main purpose of existing consumer research is to understand the satisfaction, loyalty, repeat purchase rate, transfer rate, etc. of existing consumers, so that enterprises can formulate corresponding market maintenance strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting once conducted a survey of existing consumers for a home appliance brand. Through telephone, email, text messages and other methods, it collected data on existing consumers' usage, usage feelings, usage problems, and usage suggestions. The existing consumer satisfaction, loyalty, word-of-mouth, complaints and other indicators provide a basis for the brand's product improvement and service improvement.

Competitor consumer research: A survey of people who buy or use a competitor's product or service. The main purpose of competitor consumer research is to understand the characteristics, needs, preferences, satisfaction, etc. of competitor consumers, so that enterprises can formulate corresponding market competition strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting once conducted a competitor consumer survey for a pharmaceutical brand. Through the Internet, pharmacies, hospitals and other methods, it collected the purchase situation, purchase motivation, purchase conditions, purchase channels, purchase preferences and other data of competitor consumers, and analyzed the market share, market influence, market advantages and market disadvantages of competitor consumers, It provides a basis for the market positioning and market differentiation of the brand.

2. classified according to research purpose

Depending on the purpose of the survey, consumer research can be divided into the following types:

Market demand research: refers to a market or product demand, demand structure, demand characteristics, demand changes and other research. The main purpose of market demand research is to understand the market capacity, potential, growth rate, saturation, etc., so that enterprises can develop appropriate market size strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted market demand research for a financial technology brand. Through literature, experts, users and other methods, it collected data on the overall demand, subdivision demand, potential demand and unmet demand of the financial technology market, and analyzed the scale, structure, characteristics and trends of the financial technology market, It provides a basis for the market positioning and market expansion of the brand.

Market satisfaction research: refers to a market or product satisfaction, loyalty, word of mouth, complaints and other research. The main purpose of market satisfaction research is to understand the degree of market satisfaction, loyalty, reputation, complaints, etc., so that enterprises can formulate corresponding market satisfaction strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted a market satisfaction survey for a catering brand. Through questionnaires, interviews, observations and other methods, it collected data on the satisfaction, loyalty, reputation, and complaints of the catering market, and analyzed the satisfaction factors of the catering market., Loyalty factors, reputation factors, complaint factors, etc., provide a basis for the brand's product optimization and service improvement.

Market opportunity research: refers to the research on the opportunities, threats, advantages, disadvantages, etc. of a certain market or product. The main purpose of market opportunity research is to understand the market's opportunities, threats, strengths, weaknesses, etc., so that companies can develop appropriate market opportunity strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company has conducted market opportunity research for an education brand. Through literature, experts, users and other methods, it has collected data on market opportunities, threats, advantages and disadvantages, and analyzed the opportunity points, threats, advantages and disadvantages of the education market, providing a basis for the brand's market innovation and market breakthrough.

3. classified according to research methods

According to the different research methods, consumer research can be divided into the following types:

Qualitative research: refers to the use of non-numerical methods, through in-depth interviews, observation, case analysis and other ways to collect and analyze consumer information, in order to reveal the consumer's motivation, attitude, feelings, ideas, etc., so as to provide enterprises with profound insight and understanding. Qualitative research is mainly applicable to exploratory, open and innovative consumer research. For example, Shangpu Consulting once conducted qualitative research for a cosmetics brand. Through focus groups, in-depth interviews, neural marketing and other methods, it collected and analyzed consumers' purchase motivation, use experience, brand impression, product preference and other information, revealed the psychological and behavioral characteristics of consumers, and provided inspiration and direction for the brand's product design and brand image.

Quantitative research: refers to the use of numerical methods to collect and analyze consumer information through large sample questionnaires, experiments, tests, etc., to quantify consumer demand, satisfaction, loyalty, purchase intention, etc., so as to provide enterprises with objective data and evidence. Quantitative research is primarily applicable to confirmatory, descriptive, and evaluative consumer research. For example, Shangpu Consulting once conducted a quantitative survey for a tourism brand. Through online questionnaires, telephone interviews, on-site surveys and other methods, it collected and analyzed consumers' travel needs, travel satisfaction, travel loyalty, travel intentions and other information., Quantified the consumer's travel behavior and the status of the tourism market, and provided data and basis for the brand's tourism products and tourism marketing.

Mixed research: refers to the use of qualitative and quantitative methods, through a variety of ways to collect and analyze consumer information, in order to integrate the qualitative and quantitative information of consumers, so as to provide enterprises with comprehensive analysis and recommendations. Hybrid research is mainly suitable for comprehensive, multi-dimensional and multi-level consumer research. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted a mixed survey for a clothing brand. Through online live broadcast, social media, consumer diary, online questionnaire and other methods, it collected and analyzed consumers' purchase motivation, purchase channel, purchase preference, purchase satisfaction and other information, integrated the qualitative and quantitative information of consumers, and provided analysis and suggestions for the brand's clothing design and clothing promotion.

4. classified according to the research content

According to the different research content, consumer research can be divided into the following types:

Consumer demand research: refers to the research on consumer needs, expectations, wishes, problems, etc. The main purpose of consumer demand research is to understand the level of consumer demand, demand structure, demand characteristics, demand changes, etc., so that enterprises can formulate corresponding product strategies and price strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted a consumer demand survey for a fitness brand. Through interviews, questionnaires, observations and other methods, it collected consumers' fitness needs, fitness expectations, fitness wishes, fitness problems and other information, and analyzed consumers' fitness demand level, demand structure, demand characteristics, demand changes, etc., which provided a basis for the brand's fitness products and fitness prices.

Consumer behavior research: refers to the consumer's purchase behavior, use behavior, disposal behavior and other research. The main purpose of consumer behavior research is to understand the consumer's purchase process, purchase decision, purchase impact, purchase results, etc., so that enterprises can develop appropriate channel strategies and promotional strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted a consumer behavior survey for a mobile phone brand. Through tracking, recording, analysis and other methods, it collected consumers' purchase process, purchase decision, purchase influence, purchase result and other information, analyzed consumers' purchase behavior mode, purchase behavior factors, purchase behavior effect and so on, which provided the basis for the brand's mobile phone channel and mobile phone promotion.

Consumer psychology research: refers to the consumer's motivation, attitude, perception, learning, memory, personality and other research. The main purpose of consumer psychology research is to understand the psychological characteristics, psychological process and psychological influence of consumers, so that enterprises can formulate corresponding brand strategies and communication strategies. For example, Shangpu Consulting Company once conducted consumer psychological research for a coffee brand. Through experiments, tests, measurements and other methods, it collected consumer motivation, attitude, perception, learning, memory, personality and other information, and analyzed consumers. The psychological characteristics, psychological process, psychological influence, etc., provide a basis for the brand's coffee brand and coffee communication.

Summary:

Consumer research is a complex and important task that requires the selection of appropriate classifications and types for different purposes and scenarios. This paper classifies consumer research from four aspects: research object, research purpose, research method and research content, and analyzes the research needs and characteristics of different industries and markets in combination with the customer service case of Shangpu Consulting Company, which provides reference and guidance for the practice of consumer research.