Market Research for EC

Market research is an important part on the process of placing the right product on the right place at the right price.
On the web, the market research’s main objective is to turn browsers into buyers. Different methods exist that help companies to carry out this challenging task.
They are:

• Web-based surveys.
• Online focus group.
• Hearing directly from customers.
• Customer scenarios.
• Tracking customers movements.

Last year I bought a collection of CDs on http://www.mediashopping.it/ and since then I have been receiving e-mails advertising announcing its new products.
A couple of weeks ago I received an e-mails asking to complete a survey, useful for mediashopping in order to understand my musical tastes.
In less than ten minutes I completed it and sent back.

I would say that online market research works better than the “physical” one for the following reasons:

• There is not the need to send back the survey by post.
• People are always in a hurry and they don’t like to be stopped on the street.
• People may surf the net when they are more relaxed and, therefore, more willing to replay.
• Information can be tracked without the consumer knowing it.