Small Scale Consumer Research
B2C companies are well aware of the need for consumer research to design products, test products, design marketing and advertising, manage the business, and understand customer satisfaction. Once the volume of customers or the potential market exceeds a certain size, the majority of B2C companies rely primarily on large scale quantitative studies to uncover answers and validate findings. This is the right choice most of the time. However, in some of the most critical times, small scale research and more in depth methodologies are the right, and often overlooked, answer.
Small scale consumer research enables companies to explore more open ended topics, to dive deeper into targeted segments and experiences, to try new methodologies and formats, and to find greater innovations than large scale quantitative studies.
In addition to large B2C companies, smaller B2C companies that don’t have very large customer bases or employee bases often forgo research when large quantitative studies seem too big for their need. Small scale studies provide these companies with the chance to collect critical insights that are necessary at all stages of business growth.
_________________________________________________________________________________
Research Approach
Ceatro Group works with its clients to determine the best research methodologies and project structure to deliver the necessary insights and business results. Our goal is to get our clients the best information and insights possible. The only way to do that is to custom design each project.
Though we don’t have one go-to research methodology that we apply to all situations we do favor qualitative methodologies and smaller studies because they usually provide the best access to underlying insights that are otherwise hard to see.
Examples of Recently Used Research Methodologies and Channels
| Sample Methodologies | Sample Locations/Channels |
| One on one interviews | In person |
| Ethnography | In home/ In office/In field |
| Observation | In a research facility |
| Journaling | At conferences |
| Product testing | Online |
| Concept testing | Video |
| Gamification | Social |
| Surveys | Online survey |
| Conjoint Studies | Virtual or real communities |