Saylor URL: http://www.saylor.org/books Saylor.org
In addition, the marketing research firm will be responsible for collecting the data or contracting with a
company that specializes in data collection. Data collection is discussed next.
Step 5: Collect the Data
As we have explained, primary marketing research data can be gathered in a number of ways. Surveys,
taking physical measurements, and observing people are just three of the ways we discussed. If you’re
observing customers as part of gathering the data, keep in mind that if shoppers are aware of the fact, it
can have an effect on their behavior. For example, if a customer shopping for feminine hygiene products
in a supermarket aisle realizes she is being watched, she could become embarrassed and leave the aisle.
This would adversely affect your data. To get around problems such as these, some companies set up
cameras or two-way mirrors to observe customers. Organizations also hire mystery shoppers to work
around the problem. A mystery shopper is someone who is paid to shop at a firm’s establishment or
one of its competitors to observe the level of service, cleanliness of the facility, and so forth, and report his
or her findings to the firm.
Survey data can be collected in many different ways and combinations of ways. The following are the
basic methods used:
- Face-to-face (can be computer aided)
- Telephone (can be computer aided or completely automated)
- Mail and hand delivery
- E-mail and the Web
A face-to-face survey is, of course, administered by a person. The surveys are conducted in public
places such as in shopping malls, on the street, or in people’s homes if they have agreed to it. In years
past, it was common for researchers in the United States to knock on people’s doors to gather survey
data. However, randomly collected door-to-door interviews are less common today, partly because
people are afraid of crime and are reluctant to give information to strangers. [11]