Brief Consumers After Easy Surveying

Consumers are more willing than in the past to share opinions with you, but they expect your questioning to be brief and easy.
     These are the findings of a global survey of 1,193 consumers by Swedish-based market research firm Cint. The Cint study assessed methodologies used by brand managers. Here are the implications I see for retailers:

• The increased willingness of your shoppers to share their opinions with you is because they’re convinced you’ll listen to them. They attribute your open ears to what they see as high competition for the purchaser’s dollar in this tight economic climate. To keep the helpful feedback flowing, open up your mind and your mouth as well. Consider how to make best of the information you gather, and tell your target audiences what changes you’ve made because of the information.
• Keep it short. In the Cint study, about 40% of respondents said they’d be willing to spend up to five minutes on a survey of their shopping opinions, and an additional 30% said they’d be willing to spend up to ten minutes. Plan your questions carefully so that you don’t lose those who get impatient.
• Enable your shoppers and potential shoppers to use the internet and mobile device texting to answer your questions. Many, if not most, consumers are more comfortable sharing criticism this way than in face-to-face or telephone interactions. And you do want to know the criticism of your store operations as well as the praise, don’t you?
• Reward respondents. The best reward is evidence you’re considering what the consumer shared with you. Still, a coupon for a discount couldn’t hurt. About 55% of those surveyed by Cint said money would motivate them, and about 40% said free products or vouchers would do it.
• In your questions, hesitate asking about changes you’re highly unlikely to make. Keep expectations realistic. Researchers at University of California-San Diego and Northwestern University found that when retailers overpromise what they can do, consumers quickly become disenchanted with the retailer.

     The evidence is clear that, as long as you make it brief and show you’re using the information, your shoppers enjoy being asked, and they’ll reward the retailers who do ask. In the Cint study, 62% of those surveyed said they were more likely to buy from a merchant after being solicited for their views. Only 3% said the questioning would make them less likely to buy.

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Draw Out Advice & Opinions from Shoppers