Primary Market Research

Primary market research is research data that is collected first-hand for a specific research purpose.

Examples of primary research methods

Common methods of obtaining primary market research include:

• Focus groups
• Interviews (online & in-person)
• Surveys & questionnaires
• Mystery shoppers
• Product testing and product trial

Advantages and drawbacks of primary market research

Advantages

Directly focused on research objectives = fit for purpose

Tends to be more up-to-date than secondary research

Provides more detailed insights – particularly into customer views

Drawbacks

Time-consuming and often costly to obtain

Risk of survey bias – research samples may not be representative of the population