Experimental methods in market research : from information to insight

Experimental methods have a relatively low penetration into market research practice, despite their many inherent strengths. We review the strengths and weaknesses of four major experimental and quasi-experimental designs for market research applications. We then describe three case studies of the use of experimental logic in field-based research studies. Two examine the impact of customer profitability measurement on customer management strategies; the third studies the effect on customer satisfaction and other variables of introducing desk-based account managers into a field sales organisation. We argue for increased take-up of such experimental and quasi-experimental methods if the market research community is to tackle the twin challenges of multiple sources of data and the need to evaluate what happens within the firm as well as within its resellers and retailers and customers. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved