«As opposed to qualitative research, quantitative research is mainly concerned with numbers and data easily quantified. The most popular quantitative technique is the survey, often based on a large number of cases, where a broad overview of a market is required. Surveys can be administered by mail, telephone, face to face, or more recently by the Internet or World Wide Web.
They usually take less time to complete by the respondent and most often require choosing between several responses rather than long verbal responses. In market research, surveys often aim to understand a target market better by breaking down the sample by demographics, lifestyle and usage behavior».
Content-analysis based on making conclusions by way of objective and systematic exposure of some characteristics of the text relative to the aims of the study (like frequency of mentioning). The characteristics exposed in the process of the analysis are further used for their mathematical treatment. Content analysis is applied in the case of availability of extensive and non-systematized material.
- E-mail-delivery
- Questionnaires in newgroups
- Internet-forum, teleconference (Bulletin Boards)
- Web-page (Questionnaire in HTML)
- Standard Web-inquirer
- Self-loading inquirer
- Online focus-groups
The choice of technology depends on research objectivity and target group. On-line surveys will let you get information on a wide range of problems.
Face-to-face interviews
For example,
- House interview means a conversation between an interviewer and interviewee. Usually it is realized when it is required to ask a great number of questions, to settle the reaction on visual information: promotional materials, labels, logotypes and etc.
- Street interview – is useful when there is the possibility to conduct a survey in places of gathering of would-be respondents.
- Hall - test (interview in specially rented locations) – usually it is available for testing of different product characteristic, for evaluation of advertising material and the character and the extent of influence on different consumer categories.
- Home-test – is intended for new product positioning, testing of consumer perception of its characteristics, clarifying advantages and disadvantages in comparison with the same products of business rivals.
- Telephone interview is like interviewing of respondents over the telephone with the help of a specially formulated questionnaire (no more than 10 questions).
- Mystery shopping (buying imitation in shop) refers to the inspection of offices, malls and company stores with the aim of describing its activities to determine operating efficiency of employee, to clarify price level and etc.
- Business-to-business interview means an interview with chief executives, deputy directors, heads of departments and others.
