Research Methods
In addition to conventional qualitative and quantitative methods such as interviews, focus groups and surveys, we use a range of specialist research techniques. Many of these are designed to reach beyond the subjectivity of self-reporting and to access real-life behaviours, motivations, and desires. We are widely recognised for our broad experience in shopper research.
Click on one of the below for more information on our techniques.
Visuality executives spend time in-store observing shopper behaviour at the fixture. As the shopper moves away from the display, they are intercepted, and we conduct a short, informal interview to understand factors driving the behaviours we have observed.
This technique provides a rapid, cost-effective “snapshot” of positive and negative shopping behaviours and the issues that cause them.
- CCTV cameras are placed in an area of the store and record all shopper activity over an agreed period. These recordings are analysed to produce data on shopper interactions with products, fixtures and displays. Above all, this data enables us to measure the efficiency of a display in converting shoppers into buyers.
- This approach is ideally suited to trialling new category solutions and initiatives, and can be scaled up to research entire stores.
- Our investment in new camera technology means that no identifiable personal information whatsoever is collected relating to individual shoppers, so this method is absolutely compliant with all GDPR legislation.
- In store filming is the best way of obtaining a quantitative understanding of shopping behaviour and identifying bridges and barriers to purchase.
- Visuality executives are positioned in-store and capture details of shopper movement and interactions with products, fixtures and displays on a hand-help tablet. Aggregated data enables us to understand all aspects of engagement and conversion and is the ideal way of gaining insights into category dynamics without installing cameras.
- ShopperTab is entirely GDPR compliant and involves no installation.
- Attention is a limited resource; if we are paying attention to one thing, we can’t pay attention to something else.
- Along the path to purchase, many objects and messages compete for our attention; most are screened out by our subconscious.
- Eye Tracking provides an objective, science-based way of understanding the attention-grabbing potential of visual communication, including advertising, packaging, and Point-of-Sale.
- Visuality use two, complimentary Eye Tracking systems:
Mobile Eye Tracking
Mobile Eye Tracking provides us with real-life insights into shopper interaction with visual messaging (packs, pricing, POS) as the shopper travels through the store
Screen-Based Eye Tracking
EyeTrak™ is a screen-based system that enables us to evaluate the relative visibility of “virtual” merchandising scenarios. Eye Trak allows us to assess new packaging or POS without the need to print expensive prototypes and can be used where in-store testing isn’t an option.
- A panel of respondents is briefed to provide feedback on occasions when they come into contact with specific brands or a product category in their everyday lives. The definition of “contact” is very open, taking in advertising, promotional activity, in-store, in-home, or simply stumbling across.
- Feedback is via mobile phone and respondents are encouraged to provide video or photos to illustrate submissions. The result is very personal, in depth feedback on points where and ways in which the test subject impacts on individual lives along the path to purchase.
Where appropriate, we will make use of advanced statistical techniques, such as Max-Diff, Conjoint Analysis, Regression and TURF Analysis, to answer specific questions and provide more nuanced answers to complex problems.