Basic concepts of 1. consumer research

Consumer research, also known as consumer market research, refers to the study of the basic characteristics of the market environment (politics, law, society, culture, technology), demographic characteristics, lifestyle, economic level, etc., and the use of various market research techniques And methods, research on the realization of their own wishes and needs of consumer groups through the stages of cognition, attitude, motivation, choice, decision-making, purchase, and use.

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 better understand the needs and satisfaction of consumers, so as to improve the quality and competitiveness of products or services, increase market share and profits, establish and maintain good customer relations, enhance the brand image and reputation of enterprises, and promote the sustainable development of enterprises.

Methods and techniques for 2. consumer research

The methods and techniques of consumer research can be divided into qualitative and quantitative categories. Qualitative research is mainly through in-depth interviews, observations, case studies and other ways to explore consumer psychology, emotions, attitudes, motivations and other factors that are difficult to quantify, to obtain deep insight and understanding. Quantitative research is mainly through questionnaires, experiments, mathematical statistics and other ways to collect and analyze the number of consumers, frequency, proportion, differences and other quantifiable data, to obtain objective and verifiable.Conclusion。

The choice of consumer research methods and technologies should be based on the purpose, object, content, scope, time, cost and other factors. Generally speaking, qualitative research is suitable for exploratory and descriptive research, and quantitative research is suitable for confirmatory and inferential research. The two can complement and combine each other to improve the effectiveness and comprehensiveness of the research.

Reference Resources for 3. Consumer Research

Consumer research is a comprehensive research involving multiple disciplines and fields. It requires practitioners and learners of consumer research to continuously update their knowledge, improve their skills, and expand their horizons. To this end, this article recommend some useful reference resources, including books, websites and institutions, for reference.

1. Books

Books are an important source of theory and practice of consumer research, the following are some of the more classic and authoritative books, covering the basic principles of consumer research, methods, techniques, cases and other aspects, can help consumer research practitioners and learners systematically learn and master the knowledge and skills of consumer research.

Consumer Behavior (12th ed.), by Schfman and Kanamsky, Mechanical Industry Press, 2019. This is a comprehensive and in-depth consumer behavior textbook, from the consumer's cognition, emotion, behavior, environment and other angles, introduced the basic theory of consumer behavior, models, applications and cases, as well as consumer behavior research methods and techniques, suitable for consumer behavior teaching and learning.

Market Research Practice (7th Edition), by Malholt and Barnes, Renmin University of China Press, 2018. This is a very practical market research materials, from the market research process, design, data collection, data analysis, report preparation and other aspects, a detailed introduction of market research methods and techniques, as well as market research cases and examples, suitable for market research teaching and practice.

"Consumer Insights: From Data to Strategy" (3rd Edition), by Wade and Ferrell, Mechanical Industry Press, 2017. This is a book that combines consumer behavior and market research. From the aspects of consumer demand, motivation, attitude, decision-making, etc., it introduces how to obtain consumer insight through data collection and analysis, so as to formulate effective market strategy, which is suitable for the research and application of consumer insight.

2. Website

The website is an important source of information and data for consumer research. The following are some valuable and authoritative websites, which provide the latest developments, research reports, data analysis, case sharing and other contents of consumer research. It can help practitioners and learners of consumer research to understand and master the development and trend of consumer research in a timely manner.

iResearch: iResearch Consulting is China's leading Internet market consulting company, providing market research, data analysis, consulting services, etc. in the Internet industry, covering e-commerce, social media, financial technology, consumer behavior and other fields, is an important reference resource for consumer research.

Analysys: Analysys is a well-known big data analysis service provider in China. It provides big data analysis, artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other technical solutions, covering telecommunications, finance, retail, education, medical and other industries. It is a consumer research Important reference resources.

Google Trends: Google Trends is a free online service provided by Google. It can view and analyze global and regional search popularity, trends, relevance, etc., reflecting consumers' search behavior and interests, and is an important reference resource for consumer research.

3. Institutions

Institutions are an important source of service and support for consumer research. The following are some of the more influential and professional institutions that provide consumer research consulting, training, certification, associations and other services that can help consumer research practitioners And learners improve their professional level and practical ability.

Shangpu Consulting: Shangpu Consulting is a professional market research and consulting company, providing customers around the world with consumer research, competitive analysis, market forecasting, strategic planning and other services, involving automotive, medical, education, tourism, finance and other industries, is an important service provider for consumer research. For example, Shangpu Consulting once provided consumer research services for a well-known automobile brand. Through in-depth analysis of the needs, preferences, and satisfaction of consumers in the target market, it helped the brand formulate effective product positioning, Brand image, marketing strategy, etc., increased the brand's market share and profit.

Accenture: Accenture is a world-leading management consulting, technical services and outsourcing company, providing customers around the world with consumer research, digital transformation, innovative design, data analysis and other services, involving retail, communications, media, energy, finance and other industries, is an important service provider for consumer research. For example, Accenture once provided consumer research services for a well-known media company. Through in-depth insight into the behavior, motivation and experience of consumers in the target market, Accenture helped the company design digital products and services that meet the needs and expectations of consumers, and improved the company's user loyalty and revenue.

ESOMAR :ESOMAR is a global market research and data analysis association, which aims to promote the development and standards of market research and data analysis. It provides global members with consumer research training, certification, activities, publications and other services, involving consumer goods, medicine, media, tourism and other industries, and is an important supporter of consumer research.

Conclusion

Consumer research is an important part of market research, which requires practitioners and learners of consumer research to constantly learn and update their knowledge, skills and vision. This article introduces the basic concepts, methods and techniques of consumer research, and recommend some useful reference resources, including books, websites and institutions, hoping to be helpful to practitioners and learners of consumer research.