eye tracking heat map

This is a Market Research technique where researchers study their target customers through direct observation. Observational methods are used in Research to understand the natural behaviour of the target customer.

Observation is one of the Cost-effective methods in Market Research. The process is specific and systematically arranged in Observational research.

Observation technique can be helpful in identifying various characteristics of the target market segment including:

  • Demographic characteristics such as age, social class, etc
  • Attitudes, preferences, personality traits that described the segment
  • Awareness about a particular brand products, opinions on the brand, etc

This is a preferred technique in Market Research because it helps in understanding the existing customers of a brand and reveals their actual behaviour under normal contexts. Observational research is mostly recommended in these contexts:

  • Sales: When the company faces a decline in Sales and wants to understand the reasons in order to frame growth strategies
  • Business expansion: For an organization that intends to expand its business, Observational Market research is the applicable method to understand the scope for their product, to identify the right distribution channel to target new prospects, etc
  • Buying behaviour: Purchase decisions of the target segment can be observed. As mentioned earlier, this method is mostly used by brands that want to study their existing customers. This is done with the aim of capturing the consumer behaviour of their target market and developing customer retention strategies. Because acquiring a new customer is more difficult than retaining an existing customer.

Mystery Shopping & Retail Audit

These methods are widely used by most of the Market Research companies. Mystery shopping and Retail audit are useful tools for evaluating the services offered by a brand. They also provide an overview of the overall experience from a customer point of view.

Eye tracking

Eye tracking technology is used in Market Research to understand consumer behaviour, consumer decision-making, their responses to Marketing messages and many more. There are many options using eye-tracking technology, but the most common type is using Eye-tracking glasses. In this method, the participants are provided with these eye-tracking glasses and asked to walk around the store. The glasses record the elements with respect to the products, package designs, signs, etc that capture the participant’s eye. This technology is effective in helping us find what marketing elements are captured by the shoppers’ eye and help us differentiate these elements from the ones that fail to grab attention. Eye-tracking methodology can be applied in real stores or in an experimental set-up. This technology is also applicable for understanding consumer behaviour online, for example, to analyze how a visitor navigates around a Website.