Observational Techniques - in Marketing Research

In Marketing Research

In marketing research, the most frequently used types of observational techniques are:

• Personal observation
  • observing products in use to detect usage patterns and problems
  • observing license plates in store parking lots
  • determining the socio-economic status of shoppers
  • determining the level of package scrutiny
  • determining the time it takes to make a purchase decision
• Mechanical observation
  • eye-tracking analysis while subjects watch advertisements
    • oculometers - what the subject is looking at
    • pupilometers - how interested is the viewer
  • electronic checkout scanners - records purchase behaviour
  • on-site cameras in stores
  • Nielsen box for tracking television station watching
  • voice pitch meters - measures emotional reactions
  • psychogalvanometer - measures galvanic skin response
• Audits
  • retail audits to determine the quality of service in stores
  • inventory audits to determine product acceptance
  • shelf space audits
• Trace Analysis
  • credit card records
  • computer cookie records
  • garbology - looking for traces of purchase patterns in garbage
  • detecting store traffic patterns by observing the wear in the floor (long term) or the dirt on the floor (short term)
  • exposure to advertisements
• Content analysis
  • observe the content of magazines, television broadcasts, radio broadcasts, or newspapers, either articles, programs, or advertisements