Field research/Primary research
Field research is information that is first-hand information. It has been collected by the business for a specific purpose.
Advantages | Disadvantages |
Only firm that collects data has access to it | Expensive to collect |
Collected for a specific purpose | Time consuming |
Advantages | Only firm that collects data has access to it |
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Disadvantages | Expensive to collect |
Advantages | Collected for a specific purpose |
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Disadvantages | Time consuming |
Methods of collecting field research include:
- face-to-face interviewA method of market research conducted personally by an interviewer and respondents.
- postal surveyA method of market research conducted via the mail in the form of a questionnaire.
- focus groupA group of people who are the target market of a product whose opinions are sought.
- hall testA method of market research conducted where respondents try or taste the product/service and offer instant feedback.
- telephone interviewA method of market research conducted over the phone by an interviewer who will ask respondents set questions from a questionnaire.
- online surveyA method of market research conducted over the internet in the form of a questionnaire.
- observationA method of market research conducted by watching consumer behaviour.
Method | Advantages | Disadvantages |
Face-to-face interview | Two-way communication | Personal interviews can be expensive |
Researcher can encourage respondent to answer | Researchers have to be selected and trained | |
Mistakes and misunderstandings can be cleared up right away | Home interviews unpopular with consumers | |
Postal survey | Inexpensive | Questions must be simple and easy to answer |
No interviewer training needed | Response rate very low, incentives sometimes needed | |
Focus group | Qualitative information provided in the form of opinions, feelings and attitudes | Can be difficult to analyse qualitative information |
Topics can be explored in some depth | Expensive | |
Hall test | Qualitative information provided in the form of tasting or demonstrations | Respondents may be too positive as they feel obliged to give favourable opinion |
Telephone interview | Can reach a large geographical area | Response rate may be low as people may view it as a 鈥渘uisance call鈥 |
Inexpensive | ||
Online survey | Large sample sizes | Limited to people with internet access |
Inexpensive | ||
Observation | Quantitative information gathered | Samples are often random and not representative of all customers |
Real life and behaviours in action | Only shows actions, does not explain attitudes and feelings |
Method | Face-to-face interview |
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Advantages | Two-way communication |
Disadvantages | Personal interviews can be expensive |
Method | |
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Advantages | Researcher can encourage respondent to answer |
Disadvantages | Researchers have to be selected and trained |
Method | |
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Advantages | Mistakes and misunderstandings can be cleared up right away |
Disadvantages | Home interviews unpopular with consumers |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Postal survey |
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Advantages | Inexpensive |
Disadvantages | Questions must be simple and easy to answer |
Method | |
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Advantages | No interviewer training needed |
Disadvantages | Response rate very low, incentives sometimes needed |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Focus group |
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Advantages | Qualitative information provided in the form of opinions, feelings and attitudes |
Disadvantages | Can be difficult to analyse qualitative information |
Method | |
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Advantages | Topics can be explored in some depth |
Disadvantages | Expensive |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Hall test |
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Advantages | Qualitative information provided in the form of tasting or demonstrations |
Disadvantages | Respondents may be too positive as they feel obliged to give favourable opinion |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Telephone interview |
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Advantages | Can reach a large geographical area |
Disadvantages | Response rate may be low as people may view it as a 鈥渘uisance call鈥 |
Method | |
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Advantages | Inexpensive |
Disadvantages |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Online survey |
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Advantages | Large sample sizes |
Disadvantages | Limited to people with internet access |
Method | |
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Advantages | Inexpensive |
Disadvantages |
Method | |
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Advantages | |
Disadvantages |
Method | Observation |
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Advantages | Quantitative information gathered |
Disadvantages | Samples are often random and not representative of all customers |
Method | |
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Advantages | Real life and behaviours in action |
Disadvantages | Only shows actions, does not explain attitudes and feelings |