Shopper Research

A powerful toolbox of integrated methodologies

Today's shoppers are more empowered and challenging to reach/influence than ever. They are constantly elevating their expectations of manufacturers and retailers daily. So it is no surprise that the value of shopper insights has never been higher. Industry players who successfully get inside the shoppers' heads are winning.

But this is indeed a complex challenge. Shopper insights span a complex web of attitudes, behaviors, and purchase influencers - both in store and well beyond. In this environment, it is vital to work with a research partner that encompasses a broad range of powerful research methodologies and a commitment to generating actionable insights that impact real business issues.

We often start shopper research engagements with an insights assessment by comparing the existing insights to best practice industry benchmarks. From there, we can create a learning roadmap and recommend the most appropriate and cost effective methods.

We can also conduct many stand-alone research studies if this approach better suits our client's needs. While all our studies are customized to our clients, there are several methodologies that are commonly used.

In-store & in-home ethnographies

Leveraging a network of graduate-level social sciences students and arming them with handheld computers enables us to gather the highest quality ethnographic insights in the industry. Ethnographers are intellectually curious about shopper behavior and handhelds enable them to employ sophisticated skip patterns, product scanning, voice recording and photography. Shoppers can be pre-recruited to start in-home and then shop-a-long in store or can be intercepted in the store to capture real-time experience and purchase.

Direct-response methodologies

In addition to in-store interviews, GfK also offers other technologies to uncover new insights through shoppers' direct (versus reported) responses. We have experience with tools such as eye-tracking, video mining and neuro/bio science monitoring.

Online tools

GfK routinely uses a wide variety of online tools to gain shopper insights. We employ online surveys, focus groups, online communities, and web monitoring to solve many shopper insight gaps and gain access to both large and small samples. We apply state-of-the art marketing science to analyze data, enabling us to deliver the right insights as well as tools and simulators to make findings actionable.

Customized Shopper Insights Solutions

Assessing and connecting the dots from existing insights.
Blending a full range of leadership shopper research methodologies:

– In-store intercepts
- POS & loyalty data analytics
– In-store/in-home ethnography
– Virtual shop & focus groups
– Shop-a-longs
– Mobile technologies
– Focus groups
– Neuro-sensory technique
– Quantitative online
– Eye-tracking & cognitive response

Providing end-to-end solutions to drive activation

Simulated shopping

In situations where the real environment lacks appropriate controls or where new directions are being explored, we turn to virtual shopping methods or bricks & mortar idea labs. Shoppers can navigate the shopping experience, zooming into categories and specific SKU/product information to navigate their purchase. Results can then be quantified in terms of sales and share impact.

Syndicated sources

GfK has powerful and experienced analytic teams with expertise in syndicated data analysis of POS and panel databases. We bring a unique ability to integrate these sources with other, often disparate, data such as plan-o-gram information, item-level cost, and audit data to create a complete picture. We are adept at analysis of store-level retailer POS and can easily take on massive data sets. We can also mine loyalty card data supplied directly by retailers or via 3rd parties.

GfK solutions are more than research inputs

We interpret the results with experienced sales and marketing eyes and minds to bring real-world implications and recommendations, enabling us to get from the "what" to the "so what." Our experience across hundreds of categories and channels informs our ability to offer solutions from opportunity identification to the right insight to the right solutions and, ultimately, the right activation plan.

We work with our clients to apply the right tool for the job and have wide-spread experience across many categories to solve critical insight needs. As industry veterans, we pride ourselves on interpreting the results using the real world lens and delivering strategically sound recommendations and activation ideas.

Getting Started

To learn more about GfK Shopper Research Studies, contact us today.