Consumer research refers to the collection and analysis of consumer information through scientific methods to understand consumer needs, preferences, behaviors, attitudes, perceptions, satisfaction, etc., so as to provide a basis and recommendations for corporate decision-making. Consumer research is an important part of market research, and it is also the basis and premise of enterprise marketing activities.

Shangpu Consulting is a well-known independent third-party research and investment and financing consulting agency in China, dedicated to providing professional solutions for corporate strategic decision-making. As a foreign-related investigation and licensing unit of the the People's Republic of China National Bureau of Statistics, Shangpu Consulting not only serves Chinese domestic enterprises, but also helps foreign enterprises achieve greater success in the Chinese market. Shangpu Consulting provides industry research, market segmentation and user behavior research, channel model research, competitor research, market entry research, consumer research, investment decision evaluation, ipo segmentation market research, fund-raising project feasibility study, business financing plan and other segmentation consulting services.

Shangpu Consulting has rich experience and professional team in consumer research. It has provided professional market research and related consulting services to more than 5000 customers. Its service customers cover many industries. It has become the most influential domestic leading brand in China's market research and won the "Best Brand Award for Customer Satisfaction in China Market Research". In the process of consumer research, Champu Consulting follows the following four steps and processes:

Step 1: Determine the purpose and scope of the survey

The first step of consumer research is to clarify the purpose and scope of the research, that is, to answer the following questions: why do the research? What do you want to research? Who do you want to research? How much do you want to research? How long do you want to research? These questions involve the background, objectives, objects, samples, time and other elements of the research, which are the basis for formulating the research plan. There are many ways to determine the purpose and scope of the research, such as literature analysis, expert consultation, brainstorming, hypothesis testing, etc.

Take the consumer research service provided by Shangpu Consulting for an international clothing brand as an example. The brand plans to launch a series of new product lines in the Chinese market to meet the needs and preferences of different consumer groups. After communicating with customers, Shangpu Consulting has determined the purpose and scope of the research, as follows:

-Research purpose: to understand the demand and trend of clothing consumption in the Chinese market, evaluate the market potential and competitive advantage of new product lines, and provide customers with suggestions on market segmentation, product positioning, brand strategy, channel selection, price strategy, etc.

-Research object: clothing consumers in the Chinese market, including existing customers and potential customers, as well as customers of competitors.

-Research sample: According to the characteristics of the Chinese market, such as region, income, age, gender, occupation, education, etc., a stratified random sampling method was used to select about 2000 clothing consumers as a research sample to ensure the representativeness and effectiveness of the sample.

-Research time: According to customer requirements and market changes, the research time is determined to be from June to July 2023, a total of two months.

Step 2: Design research programs and tools

The second step of consumer research is to design research schemes and tools, that is, to answer the following questions: how to do research? What methods to use? What tools to use? What questions to ask? What data to collect? These questions involve research methods, tools, content, data and other elements, which are the guidance for the implementation of research. There are many ways to design research programs and tools, such as logical analysis, experimental design, questionnaire design, index construction, etc.

Taking the consumer research service provided by Shangpu Consulting for an international clothing brand as an example, Shangpu Consulting has designed the research plan and tools according to the purpose and scope of the research, as follows:

-Research method: A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods is used, that is, through questionnaires and in-depth interviews, to collect and analyze consumer information.

-Research tools: According to the research content and data type, two research tools are designed, namely questionnaire and interview guide. The questionnaire includes the basic information of consumers, clothing consumption behavior, clothing consumption demand, clothing consumption preference, clothing consumption perception, clothing consumption satisfaction and other aspects of the question, using single-choice, multiple-choice, scale questions, sorting questions and other forms, a total of 30 questions. The interview guide includes questions about consumers' cognition, attitude and intention of the new product line, which is in the form of open questions, with a total of 10 questions.

-Research content: according to the purpose and scope of the research, the main contents of the research are determined, namely: clothing consumption demand and trend in the Chinese market, market potential and competitive advantage of new product lines, market segmentation, product positioning, brand strategy, channel selection, price strategy, etc.

-Survey data: According to the survey content and tools, the main data of the survey are determined, namely: basic information of consumers, clothing consumption behavior, clothing consumption demand, clothing consumption preference, clothing consumption perception, clothing consumer satisfaction, new product line cognition, attitude, intention, etc.

Step 3: Conduct research and collect data

The third step of consumer research is to implement research and collect data, that is, to answer the following questions: who will do the research? Where to do the research? How to do the research? How to collect the data? How to ensure the quality of the data? These questions involve the implementation of the research, site, method, data collection, data quality and other elements, is the key to ensure the effectiveness of the research. There are many ways to conduct research and collect data, such as training, supervision, testing, verification, cleaning, etc.

Taking the consumer research service provided by Shangpu Consulting for an international clothing brand as an example, Shangpu Consulting is implementing research and collecting data according to the research plan and tools, as follows:

-Research implementation: The professional research team of Shangpu Consulting is responsible for the implementation of the research, including questionnaire investigators and in-depth interviewers. They have undergone strict training and assessment, and have good communication skills and professional qualities.

-Research site: According to the distribution of research samples, suitable research sites were selected, including clothing shopping malls, clothing stores, clothing exhibitions, clothing factories, clothing design institutes, etc., in order to reach different types of clothing consumers.

-Research methods: According to the characteristics of research tools, the appropriate research methods are selected, including face-to-face questionnaire, telephone questionnaire, online questionnaire, face-to-face in-depth interview, telephone in-depth interview, online in-depth interview, etc., in order to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the research.

-Data collection: According to the type of research data, a reasonable data collection method is selected, including paper questionnaire, electronic questionnaire, audio recording, video recording, notes, etc., in order to ensure the integrity and accuracy of the data.

-Data quality: According to the requirements of the research data, a variety of measures have been taken to ensure the quality of the data, including pre-testing, post-testing, logic testing, consistency testing, validity testing, reliability testing, cleaning, coding, etc., in order to eliminate data errors and deviations.

Step 4: Analyze the data and write the report

The fourth step of consumer research is to analyze the data and write the report, that is, to answer the following questions: how to analyze the data? how to write the report? how to present the report? how to provide suggestions? these questions involve the analysis of data, the writing of the report, the presentation of the report, the provision of suggestions and other elements, is the focus of the research results. There are many ways to analyze data and write reports, such as statistical analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, cross-analysis, text analysis, chart analysis, structured writing, logical presentation, and strategy recommendations.

Taking the consumer research service provided by Shangpu Consulting for an international clothing brand as an example, Shangpu Consulting is analyzing the data and writing reports based on the research data, as follows:

-Data analysis: According to the research content and data type, a variety of data analysis methods are used, including descriptive statistical analysis, inferential statistical analysis, factor analysis, cluster analysis, cross-analysis, text analysis, chart analysis, etc., in order to extract valuable information and insights from the data.

-Report writing: According to the purpose and scope of the research, a structured report writing method is adopted, includingAbstract, background, purpose, method, result, analysis, suggestion,Conclusion, appendices, etc., in order to clearly show the process and results of the research.

-Report presentation: According to the needs and preferences of customers, the appropriate report presentation methods are adopted, including written reports, oral reports, slide reports, video reports, etc., in order to effectively convey the information and significance of the research.

-Suggestion: According to data analysis and report writing, it provides targeted suggestions, including market segmentation, product positioning, brand strategy, channel selection, price strategy, etc., so as to provide reference and support for customers' decision-making.

Through the above four steps and processes, Shangpu Consulting provides professional consumer research services for an international clothing brand, helps customers understand the demand and trend of clothing consumption in the Chinese market, evaluates the market potential and competitive advantages of new product lines, and provides customers with suggestions on market segmentation, product positioning, brand strategy, channel selection, price strategy, etc, it provides strong support for customers' market entry and development. The customer expressed high satisfaction and appreciation for the consumer research service of Shangpu Consulting, and believed that Shangpu Consulting is a trustworthy and cooperative market research organization.