GCSE 1.2 Market Research key terms

A proportion of the population asked for their opinions in order to draw conclusions about the behaviour of the whole population.

• bias

• primary research

• sample

• secondary research

A product or service’s ability to fit in well with a customer’s lifestyle or routine, the ease with which it can be used and/or its easy-to-reach location.

• bias

• convenience

• sample

• lifestyle

Information, particularly statistics, that can be collected and analysed.

• data

• primary research

• sample

• secondary research

The process of gathering information about the market and customers’ needs and wants in order to help inform business decisions, including product design and marketing.

• secondary research

• random sampling

• primary research

• market research

In-depth research into the opinions and views of a small group of potential or actual customers; it can provide insight into why consumers buy what they buy.

• qualitative data

• quantitative data

• observation

• survey

When a business uses research that has already been carried out for general purposes.

• primary research

• focus groups

• questionnaires

• secondary research

Research conducted first-hand; it is tailored to a company’s specific needs, for example a quantitative sales estimate for a brand new chocolate bar.

• secondary research

• market research

• primary research

• quantitative data

Unbalanced or inclined to agree with a particular judgement or idea rather than presenting the evidence fairly.

• data

• unbiased

• reliable

• bias

A group of people who discuss their views on a product, service, advertisement or idea, either face-to-face or online.

• observation

• interview

• questoinnaire

• focus group

Factual research among a large enough sample of people to provide statistically reliable results, for example a survey of 500 people aged 15-24 years.

• qualitative data

• quantitative data

• observation

• sample