marketing research

marketing research The systematic collection and analysis of data to resolve problems concerning marketing, undertaken to reduce the risk of inappropriate marketing activity. Data is almost always collected from a sample of the target market, by such methods as observation, interviews, and audit of shop sales. Interviews (see open-ended question; structured interview) are the most common technique, and can be carried out face-to-face, by telephone, or by post. When the results have been analysed (usually by computer), recommendations regarding the original problem can be made. See also qualitative marketing research; quantitative marketing research.

Market research, which is often used synonymously with the preferred term ‘marketing research’, is more correctly used to refer to research with the restricted objective of discovering the size of the market for a particular brand or product.