Conventional Primary Research Techniques

Abstract

Although it can be a prolific source of data, secondary research is rarely enough for marketing problem solving. This means that most projects make use of primary research techniques to collect original data from participants in markets. The main advantage of primary research is that it can be directed at all types of respondents that possess information and can ask questions which are directly relevant to the problem in hand. The main disadvantage is that primary research is inevitably expensive. It therefore needs to be planned carefully, particularly with respect to the techniques that are used, in order to ensure that data is collected cost effectively (Box 10.1).