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A Concise Guide to Market Research

The Process, Data, and Methods Using IBM SPSS Statistics

• © 2019
• Latest edition
• Marko Sarstedt   ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5424-4268 0 ,
• Erik Mooi   ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3613-1179 1

Faculty of Economics and Management, Otto-von-Guericke- University Magdeburg, Magdeburg, Germany

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Department of Management and Marketing, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia

• Compact, hands-on, and step-by-step introduction to quantitative market research techniques
• Discusses the theory of important quantitative techniques and links directly to their use in SPSS
• Includes a wide range of educational elements, such as learning objectives, keywords, self-assessment tests, and case studies
• Links to additional material and videos via the Springer Multimedia App

Part of the book series: Springer Texts in Business and Economics (STBE)

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About this book

This book offers an easily accessible and comprehensive guide to the entire market research process, from asking market research questions to collecting and analyzing data by means of quantitative methods. It is intended for all readers who wish to know more about the market research process, data management, and the most commonly used methods in market research. The book helps readers perform analyses, interpret the results, and make sound statistical decisions using IBM SPSS Statistics. Hypothesis tests, ANOVA, regression analysis, principal component analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis, as well as essential descriptive statistics, are covered in detail. Highly engaging and hands-on, the book includes many practical examples, tips, and suggestions that help readers apply and interpret the data analysis methods discussed.

The new edition uses IBM SPSS version 25 and offers the following new features:

• A single case and dataset used throughout thebook to facilitate learning
• New material on survey design and all data analysis methods to reflect the latest advances concerning each topic
• Improved use of educational elements, such as learning objectives, keywords, self-assessment tests, case studies, and much more
• A glossary that includes definitions of all the keywords and other descriptions of selected topics
•  Links to additional material and videos via the Springer Multimedia App

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• Market Research
• Research Methods

Table of contents (10 chapters)

Front matter, introduction to market research.

• Marko Sarstedt, Erik Mooi

The Market Research Process

Getting data, descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing and anova, regression analysis, principal component and factor analysis, cluster analysis, communicating the results, back matter, authors and affiliations.

Marko Sarstedt

About the authors

Marko Sarstedt  is chaired professor of Marketing at the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg (Germany). His main research is in the application and advancement of structural equation modeling methods to further the understanding of consumer behavior and to improve marketing decision-making. His research has been published in journals such as Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Organizational Research Methods, MIS Quarterly, and International Journal of Research in Marketing. Marko has co-edited several special issues of leading journals and co-authored several widely adopted textbooks, including “A Primer on Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM)” (together with Joe F. Hair, G. Tomas M. Hult, and Christian M. Ringle).

Erik Mooi i s senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne (Australia). His main interest is in business-to-business marketing and works on topics such as outsourcing, inter-firmcontracting, innovation, technology licensing, and franchising using advanced econometrics. His research has been published in journals such as Journal of Marketing, the Journal of Marketing Research, the International Journal of Research in Marketing, and the Journal of Business Research. He is also program director at the Centre for Workplace Leadership, a fellow at the EU centre for shared complex challenges, as well as a fellow at the Centre for Business Analytics at Melbourne Business School.

Marketing Research, 13th Edition

ISBN: 978-1-119-49758-5

November 2018

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Digital Evaluation Copy

V. Kumar , Robert P. Leone , David A. Aaker , George S. Day

Consistent with these objectives, the 13th edition has undergone some critical changes. The more prominent of these include the following:

1. The chapter objectives have been clearly detailed on the first page of each chapter in order to clearly communicate what is to be covered in the chapter.

2. Chapter 1 (A Decision‐Making Perspective on Marketing Intelligence) has been updated to cover the latest business trends and company examples that aptly reflect the nature and level of changes made throughout the textbook.

3. Chapter 2 (Marketing Research in Practice) offers an updated report of the marketing research industry in the U.S. and around the world.

4. Chapter 6 (Standardized Sources of Marketing Data) contains updated information on marketing data sources that accounts for the rapid changes in technology that impacts data collection. Also, this chapter lists examples of companies using such modes of data sources.

5. Chapter 7 (Marketing Research on the Internet) contains revised and updated information regarding the Internet, and how it impacts marketing research. Also, the prominence of privacy and safety issues on the Internet have been elaborated using recent developments.

6. Chapter 25 (New Age Strategies) has been significantly revised and updated. Reflecting the chapter title, this chapter has undergone changes that reflect the latest trending marketing strategies. Sections that are outdated have been removed, and new sections have been added. Also, new topics such as Internet of Things, big data, and blockchain have been covered in this edition.

7. The examples contained in the Marketing Research in Action throughout the book have been updated with relevant content changes.

8. Statistics and other trend information have been updated. Further, new cases and study questions have been added.

9. The text has also benefitted from additions and updates to new and emerging marketing topics such as lifetime value and measuring the effectiveness of social media campaigns; and technology topics such as artificial intelligence and bots.

10. The web address www.wiley.com/college/kumar can be used for accessing information pertaining to the textbook and its contents. 

Wiley Advantage:

• Presents real-world case studies and discussion topics relevant to the current trends of market research including e-commerce, database and relationship marketing, and social networking
• Emphasizes the value of marketing intelligence and the role it plays in strategic decision-making
• Employs a unique macro-micro-macro level approach to identify, gather, analyze, and apply market research 
• Covers the importance of international market research and provides a clear distinction between international and domestic market research methodologies
• Integrates technology into market research and demonstrates current software’s role in the decision-making process

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9 Best Marketing Research Methods to Know Your Buyer Better [+ Examples]

Published: August 08, 2024

One of the most underrated skills you can have as a marketer is marketing research — which is great news for this unapologetic cyber sleuth.

From brand design and product development to buyer personas and competitive analysis, I’ve researched a number of initiatives in my decade-long marketing career.

And let me tell you: having the right marketing research methods in your toolbox is a must.

Market research is the secret to crafting a strategy that will truly help you accomplish your goals. The good news is there is no shortage of options.

How to Choose a Marketing Research Method

Thanks to the Internet, we have more marketing research (or market research) methods at our fingertips than ever, but they’re not all created equal. Let’s quickly go over how to choose the right one.

Free Market Research Kit

5 Research and Planning Templates + a Free Guide on How to Use Them in Your Market Research

• SWOT Analysis Template
• Survey Template
• Focus Group Template

Download Free

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1. Identify your objective.

What are you researching? Do you need to understand your audience better? How about your competition? Or maybe you want to know more about your customer’s feelings about a specific product.

Before starting your research, take some time to identify precisely what you’re looking for. This could be a goal you want to reach, a problem you need to solve, or a question you need to answer.

For example, an objective may be as foundational as understanding your ideal customer better to create new buyer personas for your marketing agency (pause for flashbacks to my former life).

Or if you’re an organic sode company, it could be trying to learn what flavors people are craving.

2. Determine what type of data and research you need.

Next, determine what data type will best answer the problems or questions you identified. There are primarily two types: qualitative and quantitative. (Sound familiar, right?)

• Qualitative Data is non-numerical information, like subjective characteristics, opinions, and feelings. It’s pretty open to interpretation and descriptive, but it’s also harder to measure. This type of data can be collected through interviews, observations, and open-ended questions.
• Quantitative Data , on the other hand, is numerical information, such as quantities, sizes, amounts, or percentages. It’s measurable and usually pretty hard to argue with, coming from a reputable source. It can be derived through surveys, experiments, or statistical analysis.

Understanding the differences between qualitative and quantitative data will help you pinpoint which research methods will yield the desired results.

For instance, thinking of our earlier examples, qualitative data would usually be best suited for buyer personas, while quantitative data is more useful for the soda flavors.

However, truth be told, the two really work together.

Qualitative conclusions are usually drawn from quantitative, numerical data. So, you’ll likely need both to get the complete picture of your subject.

For example, if your quantitative data says 70% of people are Team Black and only 30% are Team Green — Shout out to my fellow House of the Dragon fans — your qualitative data will say people support Black more than Green.

(As they should.)

Primary Research vs Secondary Research

You’ll also want to understand the difference between primary and secondary research.

Primary research involves collecting new, original data directly from the source (say, your target market). In other words, it’s information gathered first-hand that wasn’t found elsewhere.

Some examples include conducting experiments, surveys, interviews, observations, or focus groups.

Meanwhile, secondary research is the analysis and interpretation of existing data collected from others. Think of this like what we used to do for school projects: We would read a book, scour the internet, or pull insights from others to work from.

So, which is better?

Personally, I say any research is good research, but if you have the time and resources, primary research is hard to top. With it, you don’t have to worry about your source's credibility or how relevant it is to your specific objective.

You are in full control and best equipped to get the reliable information you need.

3. Put it all together.

Once you know your objective and what kind of data you want, you’re ready to select your marketing research method.

For instance, let’s say you’re a restaurant trying to see how attendees felt about the Speed Dating event you hosted last week.

You shouldn’t run a field experiment or download a third-party report on speed dating events; those would be useless to you. You need to conduct a survey that allows you to ask pointed questions about the event.

This would yield both qualitative and quantitative data you can use to improve and bring together more love birds next time around.

Best Market Research Methods for 2024

Now that you know what you’re looking for in a marketing research method, let’s dive into the best options.

Note: According to HubSpot’s 2024 State of Marketing report, understanding customers and their needs is one of the biggest challenges facing marketers today. The options we discuss are great consumer research methodologies , but they can also be used for other areas.

Primary Research

1. interviews.

Interviews are a form of primary research where you ask people specific questions about a topic or theme. They typically deliver qualitative information.

I’ve conducted many interviews for marketing purposes, but I’ve also done many for journalistic purposes, like this profile on comedian Zarna Garg . There’s no better way to gather candid, open-ended insights in my book, but that doesn’t mean they’re a cure-all.

What I like: Real-time conversations allow you to ask different questions if you’re not getting the information you need. They also push interviewees to respond quickly, which can result in more authentic answers.

What I dislike: They can be time-consuming and harder to measure (read: get quantitative data) unless you ask pointed yes or no questions.

Best for: Creating buyer personas or getting feedback on customer experience, a product, or content.

2. Focus Groups

Focus groups are similar to conducting interviews but on a larger scale.

In marketing and business, this typically means getting a small group together in a room (or Zoom), asking them questions about various topics you are researching. You record and/or observe their responses to then take action.

They are ideal for collecting long-form, open-ended feedback, and subjective opinions.

One well-known focus group you may remember was run by Domino’s Pizza in 2009 .

After poor ratings and dropping over $100 million in revenue, the brand conducted focus groups with real customers to learn where they could have done better.

It was met with comments like “worst excuse for pizza I’ve ever had” and “the crust tastes like cardboard.” But rather than running from the tough love, it took the hit and completely overhauled its recipes.

The team admitted their missteps and returned to the market with better food and a campaign detailing their “Pizza Turn Around.”

The result? The brand won a ton of praise for its willingness to take feedback, efforts to do right by its consumers, and clever campaign. But, most importantly, revenue for Domino’s rose by 14.3% over the previous year.

The brand continues to conduct focus groups and share real footage from them in its promotion:

What I like: Similar to interviewing, you can dig deeper and pivot as needed due to the real-time nature. They’re personal and detailed.

What I dislike: Once again, they can be time-consuming and make it difficult to get quantitative data. There is also a chance some participants may overshadow others.

Best for: Product research or development

Pro tip: Need help planning your focus group? Our free Market Research Kit includes a handy template to start organizing your thoughts in addition to a SWOT Analysis Template, Survey Template, Focus Group Template, Presentation Template, Five Forces Industry Analysis Template, and an instructional guide for all of them. Download yours here now.

3. Surveys or Polls

Surveys are a form of primary research where individuals are asked a collection of questions. It can take many different forms.

They could be in person, over the phone or video call, by email, via an online form, or even on social media. Questions can be also open-ended or closed to deliver qualitative or quantitative information.

A great example of a close-ended survey is HubSpot’s annual State of Marketing .

In the State of Marketing, HubSpot asks marketing professionals from around the world a series of multiple-choice questions to gather data on the state of the marketing industry and to identify trends.

The survey covers various topics related to marketing strategies, tactics, tools, and challenges that marketers face. It aims to provide benchmarks to help you make informed decisions about your marketing.

It also helps us understand where our customers’ heads are so we can better evolve our products to meet their needs.

Apple is no stranger to surveys, either.

In 2011, the tech giant launched Apple Customer Pulse , which it described as “an online community of Apple product users who provide input on a variety of subjects and issues concerning Apple.”

"For example, we did a large voluntary survey of email subscribers and top readers a few years back."

While these readers gave us a long list of topics, formats, or content types they wanted to see, they sometimes engaged more with content types they didn’t select or favor as much on the surveys when we ran follow-up ‘in the wild’ tests, like A/B testing.”  

Pepsi saw similar results when it ran its iconic field experiment, “The Pepsi Challenge” for the first time in 1975.

The beverage brand set up tables at malls, beaches, and other public locations and ran a blindfolded taste test. Shoppers were given two cups of soda, one containing Pepsi, the other Coca-Cola (Pepsi’s biggest competitor). They were then asked to taste both and report which they preferred.

People overwhelmingly preferred Pepsi, and the brand has repeated the experiment multiple times over the years to the same results.

What I like: It yields qualitative and quantitative data and can make for engaging marketing content, especially in the digital age.

What I dislike: It can be very time-consuming. And, if you’re not careful, there is a high risk for scientific error.

Best for: Product testing and competitive analysis

Pro tip:  " Don’t make critical business decisions off of just one data set," advises Pamela Bump. "Use the survey, competitive intelligence, external data, or even a focus group to give you one layer of ideas or a short-list for improvements or solutions to test. Then gather your own fresh data to test in an experiment or trial and better refine your data-backed strategy."

Secondary Research

8. public domain or third-party research.

While original data is always a plus, there are plenty of external resources you can access online and even at a library when you’re limited on time or resources.

Some reputable resources you can use include:

• Pew Research Center
• McKinley Global Institute
• Relevant Global or Government Organizations (i.e United Nations or NASA)

It’s also smart to turn to reputable organizations that are specific to your industry or field. For instance, if you’re a gardening or landscaping company, you may want to pull statistics from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

If you’re a digital marketing agency, you could look to Google Research or HubSpot Research . (Hey, I know them!)

What I like: You can save time on gathering data and spend more time on analyzing. You can also rest assured the data is from a source you trust.

What I dislike: You may not find data specific to your needs.

Best for: Companies under a time or resource crunch, adding factual support to content

Pro tip: Fellow HubSpotter Iskiev suggests using third-party data to inspire your original research. “Sometimes, I use public third-party data for ideas and inspiration. Once I have written my survey and gotten all my ideas out, I read similar reports from other sources and usually end up with useful additions for my own research.”

9. Buy Research

If the data you need isn’t available publicly and you can’t do your own market research, you can also buy some. There are many reputable analytics companies that offer subscriptions to access their data. Statista is one of my favorites, but there’s also Euromonitor , Mintel , and BCC Research .

What I like: Same as public domain research

What I dislike: You may not find data specific to your needs. It also adds to your expenses.

Best for: Companies under a time or resource crunch or adding factual support to content

Which marketing research method should you use?

You’re not going to like my answer, but “it depends.” The best marketing research method for you will depend on your objective and data needs, but also your budget and timeline.

My advice? Aim for a mix of quantitative and qualitative data. If you can do your own original research, awesome. But if not, don’t beat yourself up. Lean into free or low-cost tools . You could do primary research for qualitative data, then tap public sources for quantitative data. Or perhaps the reverse is best for you.

Whatever your marketing research method mix, take the time to think it through and ensure you’re left with information that will truly help you achieve your goals.

Don't forget to share this post!

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15+ Market Research Books for Free! [PDF]

Consumers ‘ consumption patterns and interests change over time. It is the responsibility of companies to keep abreast of these changes and orient their sales efforts towards them. This can best be achieved by consulting reliable sources such as our selection of market research books in PDF format , where you will find the perfect guide.

Market research is the process of collecting data that companies do to better understand their consumers and direct efforts in the right direction to offer them what they need. Market research can answer questions such as: What leads consumers to take certain types of actions? What conditions are the choice of one product or another?

Here is our complete selection of Market Research Books:

Market Research

Barry J. Babin, Steven D'Alessandro and others

The Role of Marketing Research

IntoTheMinds

The Importance of Market Research (Article)

All Nations Trust Co

Alla Starostina, Volodymyr Kravchenko and Mykola Petrovsky

Research in marketing strategy

Neil A. Morgan, Kimberly A. Whitler, Hui Feng and Simos Chari

Pondicherry University

Do it Yourself Marketing Research And Data Analysis (Presentation)

Market Analysis Framework

Parco de’ Medici

Nicole Danilova and Yuliia Kuznetsova

Market Assessment and Analysis: Learner’s Notes

EU and the Food and Agriculture ONU

| Accounting Books

| Books about Corporate Image

| Books about Teamwork

| Business Plan Books

| Cryptocurrency Books

| Finances Books

| Hospitality Industry Books

| Investment Books

| Negotiation Books

| Public Relations Books

| Six Sigma Books

Esotericism

Mystery and Thriller

Portuguese Books

Short Stories

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Systems engineer CCNA, CCNP Enterprise, DevNet Associate

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