Consumer research is an important means of marketing, which can help enterprises understand the needs, preferences, behavior and satisfaction of consumers, so as to formulate effective market strategies. However, there are also some common misconceptions in consumer research, which lead to distortion or waste of research results. This article will introduce the four misconceptions of consumer research, namely:

Myth 1: Over-reliance on questionnaires

Questionnaire survey is one of the most commonly used methods in consumer research, which has the advantages of low cost, wide range and simple operation. However, the questionnaire survey also has its limitations, such as: the quality of the questionnaire design, the representativeness of the sample, the impact of the recovery rate, the honesty of consumers and so on. Excessive reliance on questionnaires and neglect of other research methods, such as in-depth interviews, observation, and experimental methods, may lead to one-sided or biased research results.

For example, Shangpu Consulting conducted consumer research for a fast-food company to understand consumers' acceptance and willingness to buy new products of the company. Champ Consulting uses two methods: questionnaire survey and in-depth interview, and finds that there is a big difference between the results of the two methods. The questionnaire survey shows that consumers have a high evaluation of new products and strong purchase intention. However, in-depth interviews found that consumers' cognition and understanding of new products are not clear enough, and some consumers even doubt or distrust the functions and advantages of new products. After analysis, Shangpu Consulting believes that the reason for this difference may be: the questions in the questionnaire survey are too direct and simple, and they do not deeply explore the real thoughts and feelings of consumers; while in-depth interviews, through open questions and scenario simulations, Can better guide consumers to express their views and needs. Therefore, Shangpu Consulting suggests that before launching new products, the company should strengthen consumer education and guidance, improve consumer awareness and trust, and thereby enhance consumers' willingness to buy.

Myth 2: Ignoring the Irrationality of Consumers

Consumer behavior is not always rational, sometimes affected by emotional, psychological, social and other factors, and make decisions that are inconsistent with rational expectations. If consumer research ignores the irrationality of consumers and only focuses on the rational needs and preferences of consumers, it may ignore the potential motivations and hidden needs of consumers, thereby reducing the effectiveness and practicality of the research.

For example, Champ Consulting conducted consumer research for a luxury brand to understand consumers' perceptions and attitudes towards the brand and the factors that affect consumer buying behavior. Shangpu Consulting found that consumers did not think highly of the brand, believing that the brand's design lacked innovation, the price was too high, the quality was unstable, and the service was unprofessional. However, the purchase behavior of consumers is inconsistent with their evaluation, and there are still many consumers who are willing to buy the brand's products, even at the high cost of purchasing agents. After analysis, Shangpu Consulting believes that the reason for this behavior may be: consumers buy products of the brand not only to meet their own aesthetic and functional needs, but also to meet their own social and psychological needs, such as showing identity, Enhance self-confidence, pursue identity, etc. Therefore, Shangpu Consulting suggests that while improving the quality of products and services, the brand should pay more attention to the irrational needs of consumers, and enhance consumers' emotional connection and loyalty by creating a unique brand story and culture.

Misconception 3: Lack of consumer segmentation and positioning

Consumers are a very complex and diverse group, and different consumers have different needs, preferences, behaviors and values. If consumer research treats consumers as a whole, rather than subdividing and positioning according to certain standards, it may lead to generalization or ambiguity of research results, and cannot provide companies with targeted and differentiated market strategies.

For example, Shangpu Consulting conducted consumer research for an electronic product company to understand consumer demand and satisfaction with the company's products. Shangpu Consulting found that consumers' overall evaluation of the company's products is medium, with no obvious advantages and disadvantages, and no obvious loyalty and recommend. After analysis, Shangpu Consulting believes that the reason for this result may be: consumer research does not subdivide and position consumers, but examines all consumers as a whole, thus ignoring the differences and characteristics between consumers. Therefore, Shangpu Consulting suggests that when conducting consumer research, the company should divide consumers into different market segments according to consumers' age, gender, income, education, region, lifestyle and other factors, and conduct in-depth research and analysis according to the characteristics and needs of each market segment, so as to formulate more accurate and effective market strategies.

Misconception 4: Ignoring the application and feedback of research results

The ultimate goal of consumer research is to provide valuable information and suggestions to help companies improve products and services and enhance market competitiveness. However, some enterprises put the research results aside after completing the consumer research, did not translate them into specific actions and improvements in time, or did not track and evaluate the effect of the research results, resulting in waste and failure of the research.

For example, Shangpu Consulting conducted consumer research for an automobile company to understand the satisfaction and loyalty of consumers to the company's cars, as well as the factors that affect consumers' purchase and recommend again. Shangpu Consulting found that consumers' satisfaction and loyalty to the company's cars are not high. The main reason is that the company's after-sales service is not in place, which leads to consumer complaints and dissatisfaction. Shangpu Consulting recommends that the company should strengthen the quality and efficiency of after-sales service, improve consumer satisfaction and loyalty, and increase the possibility of consumers buying and recommend again. However, after receiving the survey results, the company did not take any measures to improve after-sales service, but continued to use the original service processes and standards, resulting in no improvement in consumer satisfaction and loyalty, and even a downward trend. In the follow-up research, Shangpu Consulting found that the company's market share and reputation have declined, and the gap with competitors is also growing.

To sum up, consumer research is a valuable marketing activity, but there are some common misunderstandings that need to be paid attention to and avoided by enterprises and research institutions. As a professional market consulting company, Shangpu Consulting has rich consumer research experience and methods, which can provide enterprises with high-quality and high-effect consumer research services, help enterprises better understand and meet the needs of consumers, and enhance the market competitiveness of enterprises.