Experiment
In the list of marketing research methods, the most important tool is the experiment. Depending on the conditions of the experiment, it can be field or laboratory. The main goal of a marketing experiment is to analyze the dynamics of the object's behavior in terms of output indicators when changing input conditions. The latter can be adjusted either by the researcher (laboratory experiment) or by the surrounding reality (field method). For example, the structure of consumers is assessed depending on the use of different PR tools, the cost of the product, or the behavior of competing firms.
In practice, field experiments are viber database the most popular, in which tests are conducted under conditions typical for the observed process. This method is used for research in the field of marketing of products, means of production and consumption. When conducting laboratory experiments, researchers artificially create special conditions for observing the object.
There is a classification of research by the nature of the relationship of the observed to the conditions of the conduct. According to this feature, 4 types of experiments are distinguished:
open (the subject is informed about the goals and conditions of the study);
observations in a situation that is unclear to the test subject (he may be aware of the experiment being conducted, its objectives, but have no information about the goals);
imaginary: the researcher is aware of the goals and objectives of the analysis, but not the conditions for its implementation;
vague observations: the subject knows nothing about the goals, objectives and conditions of the experiment.
Experiment in Marketing
In real marketing practice, experiments in the form of testing are often encountered, which are divided according to a number of criteria. This may be the location of the research (home, retail outlet, studio), the object of observation (test of goods, cost, etc.), the identity of the object (real or potential buyer, expert), the duration of the test (long-term, regular, short).
Imitation
One of the methods of laboratory experiments. Marketers often single out such studies as a separate group. Imitation methods have become widely used with the development of computer and computing technologies. In such an experiment, conditions are recreated using various marketing factors on IT equipment using special software.
At the first stage, researchers build a model of factors that the enterprise faces (uncontrolled and subject to verification). All the obtained combinations are processed by a computer program to determine the degree of their influence on the overall marketing strategy. Simulation as an experimental method does not require interaction with the target audience. Such analysis allows for a wide range of interrelated factors to be taken into account. The difficulties with the use of simulation are due to the dependence on the initial conditions that form the basis of the model.
This experiment uses mathematical models and calculations to collect marketing data and requires highly qualified specialists to conduct it.
Simulation as a research method involves the analysis of relationships between different marketing variables. Such an experiment is not conducted in real conditions, but on mathematical mode