The steps of consumer research generally include the following:

Identify research objectives: identify the themes, issues, assumptions and expected results of the research, as well as the purpose and value of the research.

Design the research plan: select the appropriate research methods, samples, tools and indicators, as well as the time, place and budget of the research.

Implementation of research activities: collect, record and sort out data according to the research plan.

Analysis of research results: the use of statistical analysis, text analysis, chart display and other methods, the data processing, induction, interpretation and evaluation.

Writing research report: according to the analysis results, writing research report, includingAbstractbackground, objectives, methods, results,Conclusion, recommendations, etc., as well as appendices, references, etc.

Submit research report: submit the research report to the entrusting party or relevant parties for communication and feedback, and modify and improve it as needed.

The methods of consumer research are divided into two main categories: quantitative research and qualitative research. Quantitative research refers to the description and analysis of consumer characteristics, behaviors and attitudes through numerical data, commonly used methods include questionnaires, experimental design, observation and so on. Qualitative research refers to the exploration and understanding of consumers' motivations, feelings and meanings through non-numerical data, commonly used methods such as interviews, focus groups, and case studies. Quantitative research and qualitative research have their own advantages and disadvantages, generally need to be based on the research objectives, problems, resources and conditions and other factors, choose the appropriate method or use a combination of methods, in order to improve the effectiveness and reliability of the research.

Common Questions and Causes in Consumer Research

Consumer research is a complex and professional work, involving multiple links and multiple skills, and will inevitably encounter some problems and difficulties. According to the experience of Champ Consulting, the common problems and reasons in consumer research are as follows:

The research objectives are not clear or practical: some surveys lack clear themes and problems, resulting in unclear research directions and difficult to design effective programs and tools; some surveys are too ambitious or abstract, resulting in too difficult research and difficult to obtain actionable results. These problems may be caused by insufficient understanding of the needs and value of research, or uncertainty about the scope and depth of research.

Inappropriate or unscientific research methods: some surveys choose methods that are not suitable for the problem and objectives, resulting in inaccurate or incomplete research results; some surveys use unscientific methods, resulting in unreliable or ineffective research results. These problems may be caused by insufficient understanding of the principles and applicability of the research method, or a lack of familiarity with the operation and specification of the research method.

The research sample is not representative or insufficient: some research samples do not represent the characteristics and distribution of the target consumer group, resulting in bias or error in the research results; some research samples are not large enough to support effective analysis and inference, resulting in uncertainty or instability in the research results. These problems may be caused by unfamiliarity with sample selection and extraction methods, or unclear requirements for sample size and quality.

The survey data is untrue or incomplete: some survey data are affected by consumers' subjectivity, arbitrariness, falsity, etc., resulting in distortion or invalidation of the survey results; some survey data are affected by the investigator's negligence, errors, bias, etc., resulting in inaccurate or erroneous survey results. The reasons for these problems may be the lack of understanding of the psychological and behavioral characteristics of consumers, or the non-standard collection and processing of survey data.

The research analysis is not in-depth or unreasonable: some research analysis only stays at the superficial or descriptive level, and does not deeply explore the motivation, feelings and significance of consumers, resulting in lack of insight and inspiration in the research results; Some research analysis has logical errors or reasoning errors, resulting in unreasonable or unreliable research results. The reasons for these problems may be the lack of proficiency in the analysis and interpretation of the research data, or the unclear evaluation and application criteria of the research results.

Solutions and recommendations in consumer research

In response to common problems in consumer research, Shangpu Consulting puts forward the following solutions and suggestions:

Clarify the research objectives and formulate feasible research plans. Before starting the research, it is necessary to fully understand the background and needs of the research, clarify the themes and issues of the research, formulate specific and practical research objectives, and the expected research results and uses. According to the research objectives, select the appropriate research methods, design effective research tools and indicators, determine the reasonable research time, place and budget, and formulate a detailed research plan, including the research process, steps, tasks and responsibilities.

Choose appropriate research methods and follow scientific research principles. When choosing a research method, consider the nature and characteristics of the problems and objectives of the research, as well as the limitations and possibilities of the resources and conditions of the research, choose a method that can effectively collect and reflect consumer information, or use a combination of methods to improve the comprehensiveness and accuracy of the research. When using research methods, we should follow scientific research principles, such as objectivity, effectiveness, reliability, comparability, etc., to ensure the operation and standardization of research methods, so as to improve the credibility and effectiveness of research.

Take representative research samples to ensure sufficient research samples. When taking the research sample, it is necessary to use reasonable sampling methods, such as random sampling, stratified sampling, group sampling, etc., according to the characteristics and distribution of the target consumer group, to ensure that the research sample can represent the target consumer group, in order to reduce the deviation and error of the research results. When determining the number of research samples, appropriate sample size calculation formulas, such as confidence interval method, sample error method, sample variance method, etc., should be used according to the research methods and indicators to ensure that the research samples can support effective analysis and inference to reduce the uncertainty and instability of the research results.

Collect real research data and organize complete research data. When collecting research data, we should pay attention to the psychological and behavioral characteristics of consumers, such as cognitive bias, social expectation, response tendency, etc., and use appropriate incentive and guidance methods, such as reward, confidentiality, randomization, etc., to stimulate consumers' participation and honesty, so as to improve the authenticity and validity of research data. When sorting out the research data, we should pay attention to the negligence and mistakes of the investigators, such as omissions, errors, repetitions, etc., and use standardized data cleaning and verification methods, such as inspection, correction, deletion, etc., to eliminate the anomalies and errors of the research data, so as to improve the integrity and accuracy of the research data.

In-depth analysis of research results, reasonable interpretation of research results. When analyzing the research results, according to the objectives and problems of the research, appropriate data analysis methods, such as descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, causal analysis, etc., should be used to explore and understand the characteristics, behaviors and attitudes of consumers from different angles and levels, so as to improve the insight and inspiration of the research results. When interpreting research results, follow the rules of logic and reasoning, such as induction, deduction, analogy, etc., from data to facts, from facts to facts.Conclusion, fromConclusionrecommendations to improve the reasonableness and reliability of the findings.

Consumer Research Cases of Champ Consulting

Shangpu Consulting has rich experience and achievements in the field of consumer research. The following are some consumer research cases of Shangpu Consulting:

Conduct consumer research on the Chinese market for an internationally renowned sports brand to understand Chinese consumers' cognition, preference, behavior and satisfaction with sports brands, and provide basis and guidance for brand market positioning, product development, channel construction, marketing strategy, etc. Shangpu Consulting adopts a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods. Through questionnaires, interviews, focus groups, etc., it has collected more than 5000 valid consumer data, conducted in-depth analysis and explanation, and put forward targeted suggestions And the plan to help customers increase brand awareness, loyalty and market share.

Conduct consumer research for a leading domestic e-commerce platform, explore consumers' shopping motivation, habits, experience and feedback, and provide reference and reference for the platform's function optimization, service improvement, and user retention. Shangpu Consulting adopted the method of experimental design and observation, collected more than 1000 valid consumer data by building a simulated shopping environment, carried out detailed analysis and evaluation, and put forward innovative suggestions and solutions to help customers improve user satisfaction, activity and conversion rate.

Conduct consumer research for a well-known domestic food company, analyze consumer demand, choice, evaluation and opinions on food, and provide support and help for the company's product innovation, quality improvement, and brand image. Shangpu Consulting adopts the method of case analysis and interview. By collecting and comparing the cases of excellent food brands at home and abroad, it has collected more than 500 effective consumer data, carried out systematic analysis and summary, and put forward practical suggestions and solutions to help customers improve the competitiveness of products, brand influence and market share.

Conclusion

Consumer research is an important part of market research. It is an effective means to understand consumers' needs, preferences, behavior and satisfaction, and provide basis and guidance for product development, market positioning, marketing strategy, brand building, etc. The quality and effect of consumer research directly affect the market competitiveness and profitability of enterprises. There are some common problems and difficulties in consumer research, which need to be solved and improved by clarifying research objectives, selecting appropriate research methods, extracting representative research samples, collecting real research data, and in-depth analysis of research results. As the most influential domestic leading brand in market research in China, Shangpu Consulting has rich consumer research experience and results, and provides professional consumer research services and solutions for companies in the consumer goods and retail industries.