Research can embrace these ‘test’ elements, but can do a lot more besides this.

Research is not just about understanding what consumers think, but also about why they have these opinions – particularly within a qualitative research approach.

It allows for more interrogation and probing, and, (increasingly) for a more iterative process that enables ideas and concepts to be developed, evolved and re-examined during its course.

When there is a need to properly understand how consumers think, act and behave within a market sector, exploratory research is definitely the best way forward. If there is a requirement to shape the positioning or presentation of a brand, and to understand how different audience segments respond to and engage with that brand, then qualitative research is an effective tool to provide the required direction.

And often, an element of testing can be integrated within a broader research project – for example, we’ve used different scoring methodologies within online forum research at the end of an elongated study to deliver ‘test results’ to complement the attitudinal preferences that have emerged across the course of the forum.

• Why do you think you need to do this piece of testing or research?
• What do you need to find out?
• What are you hoping/planning to do with the findings?
• What is the budget, and when do you need the results by?

Answer these questions properly (and although they appear simple, the answers sometimes need a bit of thought!) and it should become clear as to whether you need ‘testing’ or ‘research’, and what kind of methodology will best meet your needs.

We’d be very happy to help you to plot your course.

Immediate feedback

As the client you will be able to log into the forum at any point to effectively ‘observe’ the study. It is a completely transparent methodology. This means that, from the comfort of your office or home, you can have immediate feedback on consumer responses, and the ability to (via the moderator) probe on any issues that emerge.

Typically, this means we can begin by understanding how consumers buy and use products within your category and their attitudes towards products, brands and retailers. We can understand their thought processes at the fixture and identify the key motivators for purchase. We can then prompt them with stimulus to reflect your brand proposition, product range, packaging and/or proposed communications platforms to understand the strength and nature of your brand’s appeal. We can even ship product out to respondents for them to try within their household environment during the course of the study.

React & adjust

Because of the extended period of the forum we are also able to react and adjust to the responses we receive – if any part of the brand offering isn’t working for consumers it can be amended and new stimulus can be introduced. If issues or questions arise during the course of the study then we can quickly introduce them into the research. The agenda for the forum is completely flexible.

We can use any visual stimulus that will help meet the study’s objectives – fixture images, packaging visuals, advertising concepts, video etc. We can also encourage respondents to post their own photos or videos to show how they use the products.

Client observation

As the client you will be able to log into the forum at any point to effectively ‘observe’ the study – it is a completely transparent methodology. This means that, from the comfort of your office or home, you can have immediate feedback on consumer responses, and the ability to (via the moderator) probe on any issues that emerge.

Finally, but perhaps most importantly, the cost of undertaking this kind of study is significantly cheaper than combining more conventional methodologies. We estimate that this is around a third of the cost of delivering a similarly comprehensive market opportunity study via other separate methodologies that would be required to deliver a similar breadth and depth of insight.