Online Market Research Techniques

Online surveys have their problems, but for certain products or services, they can provide a valid and reliable technique with a broader international sample reach at a lower cost

Stop-Press (September 2002): After 6 months of testing, Orient Pacific Century is now pleased to announce that we now offer online surveys (Web surveys) to our clients, extending our suite of data collection methodologies to the Internet. Our first survey is already underway with one of our major clients with exciting results with a multi-country sample. Our customised software and procedures provide a high standard of security and respondant verification. Our on-line surveys offer both public (anybody can complete the questionnairre with security controls against double voting) as well as pre-qualified respondants only (respondants are invited to complete the survey and are advised a secure URL and an access pass). Response formats include qualitative input, multiple response (one or many), images (meaning logos and ad layouts can be tested), rating scales, simple Yes/No responses and many more. Clients can view summarised real time results in progress. It is presently available in English, French, Spanish, Bahasa Malaysia and Indonesia, and German with pans for extension to Japanese, Chinese, Thai and other Asian languages soon.

On-line surveys can offer much more than the quick polls that you find scattered throughout the Web at present.

Sampling problems abound, but these problems are related to random sample selection from large groups. For smaller targeted groups where depth rather than breadth is the main concern, especially those in high tech, high income, internet-savvy sectors, on-line techniques hold some promise.

Obviously Web based surveys are limited to samples who have access to the World Wide Web. On the plus side, they are a cheaper data collection technique than many other research techniques.

OPC is at present testing several online research techniques including on-line structured surveys and focus groups.

As part of the development, we are testing some structured survey methods online from the Asian Business Strategy Surveys section of the Asia Pacific Management Forum. These on-line forms capture biographical information and incorporate controls to limit double responses, and other data collection errors.

The surveys you see are public surveys which can be modified to incorporate private surveys and completion by selected respondents only.

While these systems seem stable enough for the fairly informal surveys run by the APMF, more development and testing is being undertaken before we incorporate them in the professional setting.