Qualitative Market Research

Definition: The Qualitative Market Research deals with the feelings, attitudes, opinions, and thoughts of an individual to ascertain their underlying reasons for behavior. In other words, the research conducted to determine what people think or feel about the situation and what are the factors that influence their behaviors is called qualitative market research.

The purpose of the qualitative market research is to study the psychology of an individual and obtain the insights and depth of buyer’s perceptions, behavior, and needs. Majorly the organizations carry out the qualitative research to identify the consumer perceptions, such as

• What do they feel about a product?
• What they like or dislike about it?
• What are their expectations from a new product?
• What do they feel about the competitor’s product?
• What are the barriers that influence their purchase behavior?

The following are some of the widely used qualitative market research methods:

1. Focus Group: Under this method, a small group of people usually comprised of 6-12 members come together to discuss on a common topic. Such as, a group of marketing experts may assemble to discuss the promotional strategy of a product before its launch. Here, the modulator is the person who facilitates the discussion among the group members.
2. Depth Interviews: It is generally a one-on-one interview conducted extensively with a small group of individuals to gain insights of the problem under study. Such as, a small group of potential customers could be asked to share their experience with the new product. Often, the open-ended questions are asked to gather as much information from the individuals as possible.
3. PhotoEthnography: It is an observation method wherein the researcher takes pictures of the behaviors, attitudes, and emotions of individuals under different situations rather than asking questions about them.

Thus, qualitative research is conducted to measure the market in terms of insight and depth of customer perceptions and needs rather than quantity.