An A/B test is a randomized experiment in which different versions of an idea, concept or product can be tested independently of one another through a structured division of the target group. For this purpose, a group of consumers is divided into several subgroups with identical demographic composition. Each of these subgroups is presented with its own version of an idea, about which questions are answered. Afterward, the answers to the different versions are compared and the strongest ideas are highlighted. The advantage of the method: In contrast to comparison tests, the direct liking of the idea is measured in the monadic test. This means that you are not dependent on other tested products. The disadvantage: Dividing the respondents into subgroups requires a larger number of participants in order to provide statistically representative information.

Market researchers accompany consumers while they shop, observing them and asking questions at critical moments. In this way, direct insights can be gained into conscious and preconscious decision-making processes during purchasing, as well as into the presentation and perception of goods and offers.

Augmented reality describes the computer-assisted expansion of the perception of reality. Here, real perception is usually expanded visually to include additional information or displayed content by overlaying this information or image elements onto the recorded image of reality on a device with a camera and screen. In contrast to VR, where complete virtual spaces or realities are depicted, AR can also be used without a complex headset, for example via tablets or smartphones. The superimposed elements can be, for example, automatic translations of text on filmed objects, or additional information such as distances to objects in the camera's focus. However, AR systems are still tied to an end device: they require a camera, tracking systems and supporting software. Furthermore, AR applications can expand human sensory perception, e.g., in the form of representations of infrared images, distance measurements or radar information. Objects that do not actually exist can also be projected virtually in order to interact with them. Areas of application can be found, for example, in medicine, art, architecture, project management, advertising/marketing, learning or navigation. Combining AR systems with image recognition and search engines can also provide additional information on objects in the field of view quickly and reliably. However, similar to VR, applications in social and market research have not yet been fully developed, as it still has to be proven how reliable and valid the results generated with AR are. In the coming years, AR systems are likely to be increasingly integrated into scientific contexts in order to understand them better and to be able to use them more purposefully.

Participant and non-participant observation come from ethnography and are also increasingly used in market research. The researchers enter a social space and document what is happening. This is done by densely describing different situations. Everyday situations, social interactions or the use of social spaces can be analyzed in this way. The focus here is on reconstructing lifeworlds or interactions. Different types of observation also provide researchers with different approaches to the object of study. A distinction is made between open and covert observation, as well as between participant and non-participant observation. Most observations are open, participant observations, in which the researchers reveal their identity (as scientists) and actively take part in the events to be examined, perceive and record them, and later reflect on them. Events are recorded in field notes, individual situations are described in more detail where relevant, and individual people involved can even be interviewed briefly in order to record their perception of the situation. In market research in particular, it is advantageous to record the respondents' living environment not only through interview material but also by means of observation. For example, you can find out how the respondents integrate certain products into their everyday lives, whether they use all the functions and how important certain products are in everyday life. Observations can therefore provide important insights that give interview situations more context and help to better embed the statements of the interviewees in social reality.

A process designed to ensure a consistent brand image. At all points of contact with the brand, online and offline, consumer expectations should be met and a consistent value proposition conveyed.

Image of a brand and its dimensions in the competitive environment, or a structured graphical representation of all aspects of a specific brand.

Human characteristics associated with a brand. The brand personality is formed over time from the experiences and impressions of customers and stakeholders.

An analysis method in which the purchasing behavior for a specific product is compared with competing products and conclusions can be drawn about the brand value. The test person is given a choice of products with their price and decides which product he would most likely buy. The price of the selected product is now increased by a fixed interval and the subject selects again. This is repeated until the subject would no longer buy any of the available products at the corresponding price. Example: We tested the maximum willingness to pay for a new e-book reader and found that customers would spend 27% more for a branded product than for an unbranded product.

The extension of an established brand into new product or service categories. Examples: Nivea expanded its product range from pure skin care products to cosmetics; Porsche also offers sunglasses, writing instruments, knives and leather goods (Porsche Design) in addition to sports cars.

The strength of the impression an advertisement makes on the consumer. How much does the advertising experience encourage further engagement with the product or brand and how is brand perception influenced?

A procedure to determine how much individual properties of a product contribute to its overall rating. Respondents are asked to rank product alternatives (e.g., a black car from brand A for €15,000, a red car from brand B for €18,000). This process is repeated several times with different combinations of attributes and attribute levels, so that the influence of the individual attributes can be determined statistically at the end. As a result, the provider can concentrate on particularly value-adding features.

Desk research is the collection of secondary data from internal sources, the internet, libraries, professional associations, government agencies and authorities, and published reports. It is often performed at the beginning of a study to determine whether more extensive primary research is warranted.

Dialogue groups are all groups that a company interacts with, but primarily customer groups. The customer groups used to be called "target groups" because companies targeted a specific group with their communication and product development. Today, however, product development and communication take place more as an interaction (design thinking, social media).

Dyads and triads maintain the depth of an in-depth interview but add an interactive element to the discussion. Dyads involve two participants and can be structured in different ways. The first option is to recruit pairs of participants, i.e., two people who may know each other. This can be a couple, a parent and a child, two friends or two work colleagues. This is often the first choice when working with younger participants. The second option is to bring together two strangers who either have similar attitudes and behaviors or hold opposing views; the latter is known as a conflict pair. Conflict pairs are used to uncover and emphasize polarizing beliefs between participants.

Here, the subjects are not invited to a test studio, but observed at home or at work and (deviating from scientific ethnography) questioned in an exploratory manner. In this way, insights into the handling of products in the real context of use are obtained. Examples from our practice: basic study on the use of loose tea, study on the use of multifunction printers in everyday office life, lifestyle analysis of particularly wealthy people, support for drivers in different driving situations as a basic study for the development of new technologies.

The careful planning and development of the content of an online questionnaire or a discussion guide for interviews or focus groups. This includes, for example, a logical order of questions, concise, precise and unambiguous wording, and neutral phrasing so that respondents are not influenced.

Central location tests (CLTs), known in the UK as hall tests because they take place in a rented hall or central venue, are used when there is a need to get responses to a product or concept that is difficult to show to participants at home or in the studio, for example, when food and beverages need to be carefully prepared and presented under the right conditions to create an appropriate testing environment. For this purpose, a suitable venue or studio at a central location is rented to conduct the study. A key point in conducting a central location test is the need to show respondents something. Usually this is a product, but packaging and promotional material can also be tested. Central location tests are usually conducted with around 10-15 participants. "Clinics" refers to a similar methodology, but the term is used primarily in the automotive industry.

Using creative processes to develop new ideas. After defining the goal, idea generation is the second step in a systematic innovation process, which ideally ends with the successful launch of a product.

Examination of associations with a brand. What are the strengths and weaknesses of a brand, how does the brand stand in the competitive environment. See also: Brand Mapping

In an in-home use test (HUT), consumers are given samples that they can try out at home. The testers are then asked about their product testing experiences using qualitative or quantitative methods. HUTs are often used for cleaning and care products; CURTH+ROTH uses HUTs primarily for consumer electronics and IT peripherals.

A cyclical process in product or campaign development. First concepts/prototypes are optimized immediately after direct customer feedback (e.g. through focus groups or in-depth interviews) and then tested again. This process is ideally repeated until the product/concept is ready for the market.

Pretest of a marketing concept with regard to its market opportunities. A concept test provides not only information about product acceptance (acceptance test) and the uniqueness of the concept, but also insights for the positioning of the concept/product.

These methods are often used in moderated innovation workshops to generate ideas, develop visions or solve problems. The aim is first to generate as many ideas as possible, then to discuss them and combine them if necessary in order to come closer to the best possible solution. Examples: brainstorming, brainwriting, collages, role-playing, provocations, improvisational theater, etc.

Laddering is an interview method in which specific questions are used to uncover the connections between product features and their subjectively significant benefits. The term "laddering" describes a so-called "cognitive ladder" which the interviewer climbs higher and higher with the respondent (e.g., the buyer of a car brand). A typical ladder begins with attributes (rational level), followed by direct benefits (functional level), followed by higher-order benefits (emotional level), followed by fundamental values (emotional level). To do this, the moderator works out the individual meaning of each attribute ("Why is that important to you?", "What would be missing if X didn't exist?", ...) in order to find out the ultimate subjective value that a product benefit has for the customer at the end of the chain of questions. In this way, it can be worked out why, for example, Volvo buyers attach so much importance to safety and why Volvo addresses the underlying need better than its competitors. The basis for valid results is a very meticulous questioning technique and a lot of patience on the part of respondents, researchers and clients, since the results only take shape slowly (e.g., questioning must continue until the ladders contain clear if-then links in both directions). In international projects, an extremely careful translation of the terms is crucial for the comparability of the results. In practice, laddering is rarely used for time and budget reasons.

The targeted, systematic creation and presentation of strengths and qualities that clearly and positively differentiate a brand from other brands in the target group's assessment. (Wikipedia)

Wikipedia defines brand management as follows: Brand management (originally: brand technology) refers to the development and further development of a brand over time. The main aim of brand management is to distinguish one's own performance from that of the competition and to differentiate oneself noticeably from the competition through one's own products or services. This is based on the knowledge that a brand has a higher recognition value and that the consumer associates characteristic properties, attributes or services with a brand. In this way, the brand should help consumers to better orient themselves among the available offerings and radiate trust. By developing and managing a brand, a company expects to gain a competitive advantage that should result in higher market share and higher profits. Today, a brand is often also represented in monetary terms in the form of a brand value that is attributed to the company's assets. The aim of brand management is then to achieve an increase in this brand value and thus the company value through suitable measures. Successful brand management is no longer possible without systematic market research.

Denotes the monetary value of a brand, taking into account intangible properties such as consumers' image/associations. This explains, for example, why one car manufacturer can charge a higher price than another for an identical model with identical equipment (e.g., SEAT Mii, VW up!, Škoda Citigo).

Market intelligence describes the comprehensive and systematic collection and evaluation of internal, external, central and decentralized information about competitors, core and target markets, technologies, trends, customers, customer preferences, etc. Your advantage: At CURTH+ROTH, we make use of the implicit and explicit knowledge available in your company and consolidate this knowledge for decision-making. The result: relevant market insights and concrete recommendations for action. Implementation: ad hoc analysis or continuous monitoring.

Market Navigation is a structured consulting process for the efficient development of new or improved technical products and innovative services. With Market Navigation, product development is geared toward the real needs of the relevant target group at a very early stage by specifically integrating findings from market research into the development process. In this way, costly mistakes in development are avoided and optimized products are brought to market more quickly. As a result, Market Navigation delivers important decision-making factors: the strengths and weaknesses of a product, defined customer requirements, the concrete market potential, and price thresholds for marketing the product. This is how Market Navigation creates important competitive advantages: low investment risk, reduced time to market, and earlier return on investment. Market Navigation consists of individual modules, which can be used independently.

Qualitative and quantitative social and market research offers a wide range of analysis methods, survey procedures and theoretical orientations. In practice, these different tools are adapted to the subject matter in order to deliver the best research results. Therefore, in addition to the major methods and statistical analysis processes in their pure form, mixed forms are increasingly seen in practice, which are used in so-called mixed-method designs or multi-method designs. Mixed-method designs combine survey methods, data collection and analysis methods from both qualitative and quantitative social research. This combination can be done in different ways within a study, for example, in the form of qualitative preliminary studies, which are intended to open up a subject area for a subsequent quantitative main study. Here, the preliminary study is used, among other things, to create a more precise questionnaire for the survey phase and later to enrich the results of the statistical analysis with interview data. A quantitative preliminary study can serve to identify relevant characteristics of a study group, which are then explored hermeneutically in the qualitative main study. These procedures are sequential and weighted. Other mixed-method approaches run qualitative and quantitative research strands in parallel in order to be able to compare the results later. Models that fully integrate both approaches are also possible in order to carry out a tailor-made and precise analysis of a complex subject area.

Whether it's a project meeting, workshop or group discussion, moderation is an essential part of market research. Various organizational and interviewing techniques are used here and are constantly being further developed. What all applications have in common is the creation of a pleasant, respectful and productive atmosphere in which a wide variety of goals can be worked out. The focus here is on good, professional moderation in order to achieve these goals. The art is to include all participants in the conversation in an equally appreciative manner, without ignoring anyone or putting them in uncomfortable situations. The moderator is usually responsible for working through the items on the agenda, guiding the various workshop phases or covering all desired topics during a group discussion. Only through good moderation are project goals presented transparently and actually achieved. Good moderation requires a lot of empathy, training and knowledge of conversation dynamics, participant roles, activation strategies, discussion processes and questioning techniques.

Such research designs describe the application of different survey and analysis methods within a methodical discipline. For example, combinations of different qualitative survey methods such as group interviews, participatory observations and individual interviews can already be evaluated as multi-method approaches. The combination of interview data with a body of material consisting of legal texts, newspaper articles or political speeches also falls under this research design. With regard to the evaluation, for example, coding techniques from grounded theory and content analysis can be combined with description techniques from ethnography or elements of discourse analysis in order to be able to carry out a more comprehensive analysis.

Statistical methods in which relationships or dependencies between several variables can be examined at the same time.

Narrative interviews are the most open variant of common interview procedures. They are often used in lifeworld analysis or life course research and are characterized by maximum openness. Here, a short, topic-focused narrative prompt is given, from which respondents can develop their story. The interviewers take on a listening role, try to maintain the natural flow of the interviewee's narrative and only ask follow-up questions once a narrative has been completed. This form of interviewing makes it possible to generate natural narratives about certain topics, such as experiences in school, which provide deep insights into, for example, the self-image or coping strategies of the respondents.

The NPS is a business indicator that measures the willingness of consumers to recommend a product or service. The NPS was developed by Satmetrix Systems, Inc., Bain & Company and Fred Reichheld in 2003 and can correlate with company success in some industries. To measure the NPS, a representative group is asked how likely they would be (on a scale of 0-10) to recommend a particular company/brand/product to a friend or colleague. Participants are divided into three groups based on their answers: promoters (score of 9 or 10), detractors (score of 0 to 6) and passives (score of 7 or 8). The NPS is then calculated from this breakdown as follows: NPS = promoters (% of all respondents) − detractors (% of all respondents). The NPS always has a value between -100 and +100; the higher the number, the greater the willingness to recommend.

A quality criterion in empirical research. The results of a study should not depend on who conducts it.

The participants in the study document their daily experiences with a product, brand or service over a certain period of time in a digital diary. The written impressions are often supplemented by photos or videos. This method enables changes in the behavior and attitudes of the participants to be examined over a longer period of time. Diary apps support direct documentation.

The participants fill out a questionnaire on their own computer or mobile device. With this method, a large sample can be surveyed quickly. Good results are only possible with professional questions and careful target group selection. As with all statistical methods, a sufficient size of the individual cells is a basic requirement for a valid analysis.

A method that explores reactions to packaging. It can be used to determine how appealing the packaging design is and how well it fits the brand (brand fit) or the packaged product (product fit).

A persona represents a prototypical customer of a brand or user of a specific product. A persona usually includes characteristics, needs, knowledge, skills, desires and rejections of the target group(s) and is intended to help keep the end customer in focus during product development. A persona is ideally a construct of quantitative user data and insights from qualitative and ethnographic research.

Conducted after the campaign launch to check whether the objectives have been met and the desired effect has been achieved. The results can also be used for campaign management/media optimization.

Can be used in the early stages of campaign development. Subjects can be presented with several alternatives. In this way, it can be checked which concept is most likely to achieve the desired effect, and adjustments can be made early to ensure the best possible success.

The Price Sensitivity Meter or Van Westendorp analysis is a market research method used to determine the optimal price of a product or service based on consumers' willingness to pay. Survey respondents are asked to provide four different prices for the product or service under investigation: • The amount below which the price is so low that it raises doubts about the quality. • The amount above which the price becomes too high. • A reasonable but still affordable price. • A high but still reasonable price. The participants' price assumptions are compared in a diagram. The intersections of the curves define the acceptable price range. The upper limit of the price range is the optimal price for the product or service. The advantages of the procedure are that it can be carried out quickly and inexpensively and that the pricing is easy to understand. The methodology is particularly well suited for pricing new products; note, however, that the PSM does not take into account the influence of the prices of other products or the effect on the quantities sold of other products.

Problem-oriented interviews focus on a specific topic, which is examined from different angles. Confrontational questioning techniques are sometimes used here to prompt respondents to engage intensively with a specific problem. This serves to reconstruct problems in dialogue as well as the respondents' prior knowledge and problem-solving strategies. The interviewees' prior knowledge should be compared with that of the interviewers in order to fill in any gaps and gain new perspectives on the problem at hand. In addition, interview guides can be used to list certain aspects of the problem that are to be covered in the interview. This type of interview combines aspects of open, narrative interviews with guide-based interview procedures in order to repeatedly ask respondents about new solution strategies or problem perceptions.

Qualitative research is about "understanding" the (potential) customer. It is about perceiving connections and capturing and interpreting less tangible constructs such as desires, feelings and needs. Qualitative research is not a survey. The questions are designed to learn more about the person rather than to get straight answers. The analysis of the situation and the interviewee is decisive: "The really psychological thing is expressed in the groaning in between..." The most common methods are focus groups and in-depth interviews. In focus groups, 6-10 people are interviewed and analyzed at the same time. The group dynamics, which must be taken into account when interpreting the results, amplify emotional and non-verbal reactions (e.g., surprise or anger). In individual interviews, deeper motives can be explored in more detail, and embarrassing or socially sensitive topics can also be addressed. Qualitative research is often used to generate ideas. It can be used to develop relevant items for questionnaires, which are then checked for their relevance in a quantitative study.

Quantitative research is based on surveys and statistics. Responses are measurable because response categories are usually predefined. A statement about the situation can then be made with a certain statistical accuracy. Quantitative methods are essential when it comes to assessing potential (e.g., price tests) or when factors are to be weighed against each other (e.g., conjoint analyses). Care must be taken to ensure that the questions are formulated clearly and concisely. Questionnaires can be protected from targeted manipulation using so-called "lie items" or other control mechanisms. Recommendation: Talk to us about your goals! First, we will work out together which type of study result best answers your question. Both methods have their advantages. The rule of thumb is: If I want to understand my customer or generate ideas, I should conduct qualitative research. If I want to estimate a fact statistically (sales potential, prices, etc.), then quantitative research is appropriate.

Contacting and inviting subjects for a research project. The candidates are selected based on predetermined criteria (screening). Among other things, care is taken to ensure that the participants do not take part in market research projects too often and do not come from the market research client's industry. Since assumptions about the target group often miss reality, the feedback from the recruiting process can serve as a reality check and an important building block of the results. Good recruitment is the basis for good research (wrong person = wrong answer) and is ideally carried out by a call center that works to high, transparent quality standards.

Reliability is a quality criterion in empirical research and refers to whether you get the same answer when you use an instrument to measure something more than once. Put simply, reliability is the degree to which the research method produces stable and consistent results, i.e., the degree of repeatability of the study. A measurement method (e.g., a survey design) is considered reliable if applying it repeatedly to the same object of measurement leads to the same results. To ensure the reliability of a study, a solid research design, the selection of the appropriate methodology and sample, and careful and consistent conduct of the research are necessary.

A remote user test is a usability study that is carried out autonomously by the participant on a computer, tablet or smartphone without the presence of a UX expert. As a rule, the participants are provided with software/app and possibly a camera. With remote tests, certain questions can be evaluated relatively inexpensively and quickly. Remote tests are a useful addition to basic UX investigations, in which motives and emotions are also evaluated.

Study results are obtained from samples. If the sample corresponds to the population with regard to the distribution of certain criteria (e.g., sociodemographic data or milieu criteria), the results are statistically representative. Psychological representativeness is based on the morphogenetic theory that each part contains the information of the whole or group. If you analyze motives, desires and needs qualitatively, a smaller sample is sufficient to obtain all the information, because you ask more deeply and analyze more precisely.

Das Repertory Grid ist eine Methode der qualitativen Marktforschung. Sie zeigt, wie Menschen Marken, Produkte oder Situationen unterscheiden. Und zwar in ihren eigenen Worten.Laut George A. Kelly ordnen Menschen ihre Welt über eigene Gegensatzpaare. Etwa "modern – traditionell" oder "alltäglich – besonders". Diese Paare heißen Konstrukte.So läuft ein RepGrid abZuerst werden passende Elemente ausgewählt. Das können Marken, Produkte, Verpackungen oder Nutzungssituationen sein.Dann werden Konstrukte erhoben. Meist bekommen die Befragten drei Elemente vorgelegt. Sie sagen, welche zwei sich ähnlich sind. Und worin sich das dritte unterscheidet. So entsteht ein Gegensatzpaar. Der Vorgang wiederholt sich mit wechselnden Triaden. Am Ende liegt ein persönliches Set an Konstrukten vor.Anschließend bewerten die Befragten alle Elemente auf ihren Konstrukten. Daraus entsteht eine Matrix, das "Grid".Oft folgt ein Laddering. Dabei fragen wir nach dem Warum hinter einem Konstrukt. So werden tiefere Motive und Werte sichtbar.So werten wir ausDie Auswertung verbindet Qualitatives und Quantitatives. Clusteranalysen zeigen, welche Elemente als ähnlich gelten. Eine Hauptkomponentenanalyse macht die Bedeutungsräume als Karte sichtbar. Inhaltsanalytisch werden die Konstrukte zusätzlich in Themen gebündelt. Erst die inhaltliche Deutung gibt den Zahlen ihre Bedeutung.Wofür sich RepGrid eignet- Markenwahrnehmung und Positionierung verstehen- Produkte und Verpackungen im Wettbewerbsumfeld vergleichen- Produktideen und Konzepte auf ihre Wirkung prüfen- Sprache und Denkweise einer Zielgruppe kennenlernenBeispielSechs Kaffeekapsel-Marken werden in Triaden vorgelegt. Eine Person sagt: "Diese zwei wirken hochwertig, die dritte eher beliebig." So entsteht das Konstrukt "hochwertig – beliebig". Weitere Konstrukte folgen. Am Ende zeigt die Karte, wo die Marken im Denken der Zielgruppe stehen.Stärken- Befragte nutzen ihre eigenen Begriffe. Es gibt keine vorgegebenen Kategorien.- Der Vergleich ist systematisch. Das reduziert sozial erwünschte Antworten.- Die Ergebnisse lassen sich zwischen Personen und Gruppen vergleichen.- Viele Teilnehmende empfinden die Reflexion als angenehm.Was zu beachten ist- Ein Interview dauert meist 60 bis 90 Minuten.- Die Auswertung braucht Erfahrung.- Konstrukte können sich mit der Zeit wandeln.- Die Auswahl der Elemente prägt die Ergebnisse. Sie sollte sorgfältig begründet sein.- Für statistische Verfahren wie die Hauptkomponentenanalyse braucht es eine ausreichende StichprobengrößeSiehe auch: Laddering, Brand Mapping, Image-Analyse, Markenpositionierung, Qualitative Marktforschung

A step in selecting subjects for a research project. Candidates are admitted or excluded from participation based on a predetermined questionnaire with criteria. This step is particularly important so that the results found can actually be transferred to the right target group.

Standardized interview procedures follow an interview guide closely and are designed to work through it along its structure as far as possible. This type of interview is increasingly used in quantitative studies to obtain a large number of statements on fixed items and rating scales and to keep the results as reproducible as possible. Standardized interviews can also often be carried out in a few minutes or have a predetermined duration. Extensive testing of the questionnaire ensures, for example, that each interview lasts a maximum of 15 minutes. Interviewers are given very little freedom here; even the more open questions can usually be answered in 1-2 sentences and leave no room for extended narratives. Also, these interviews are often not recorded, since the interviewers only fill out scales according to the respondents' answers and write down the values ("On a scale from 1 to 5, how satisfied are you with the following services...?") or, for open questions, write down short keywords. Typical applications of standardized interviews are, for example, telephone interviews on customer satisfaction or passenger surveys on public transit. Open interview procedures dispense entirely with an interview guide or use topic guides to provide the interviewers with assistance and reminders for relevant subject areas or question wording. The focus here is entirely on the statements of the respondents. The aim is to reconstruct the attitudes, motives and reasons of the respondents and to give them the greatest possible freedom to articulate their views. Narrative stimuli are used here to evoke narratives on certain topics. Open interviews form the core survey method of many qualitative research methods. They are needed to reconstruct constructions of meaning from which metatheories can later emerge, or to reconstruct the lifeworlds of the interviewees on the basis of their stories. Open interviews can vary greatly in length. Expert interviews can sometimes last up to two hours, while narrative interviews about life stories can take even more time, depending on how willing the respondents are to provide information.

In market research, a studio is understood to be a central test location that usually has specially equipped group discussion rooms in addition to test rooms for individual interviews. A one-way mirror (view from the auditorium into the discussion room), modern audio and video recording technology, whiteboards, flipcharts and other materials for creative groups are standard here. When selecting studios, the market research institute ideally pays attention to an ambience that suits the target group. For creative groups, for example, some studios also offer rooms furnished like living rooms. Popular locations for market research studios are the inner cities of Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Nuremberg. However, since some target groups in these cities take part in studies too often, CURTH+ROTH is also happy to use less frequented locations such as Essen or Mannheim for qualitative market research studies.

Triads include three participants, allowing the benefits of both a focus group and an in-depth interview to be enjoyed simultaneously. The moderator has the opportunity to deepen the topics and at the same time to get different opinions due to the group situation. Like dyads, this method is useful when there are controversial elements to explore or for engaging in conversations where respondents can exchange ideas with each other. In this way, the influence of group dynamics on consumer behavior can be tested. In addition, the triangulation between the participants can reveal new perspectives that companies can take into account when creating marketing plans.

This is about finding out how easy it is to use a website, software or app. Users are observed when carrying out typical tasks and thus weaknesses in the intuitive operation are identified (and the conversion is improved).

Describes how intuitive software, a website or a mobile app is to use. The higher the usability, the more effectively, efficiently and satisfactorily users can achieve their goals. Good usability can lead to a stronger emotional bond with a brand; Apple is a prime example.

Emotional experiences of the user when dealing with a product (often related to websites, software or apps) or a service. The term also includes pre-interaction expectations and post-use reactions.

In marketing and sales psychology, a unique selling proposition or unique selling point (USP) is the outstanding performance feature that clearly distinguishes an offering from the competition (Wikipedia). Or, in short: Which relevant needs of my target group does my company meet better than the competition? However, it is not enough to have a USP; it must also be communicated properly.

Validity expresses how valid the results of a study are. Results are valid if the study actually measures what it is intended to find out. Test results can be distorted. To ensure that such errors do not invalidate a result, a study must meet the criteria of repeatability (reliability) and independence from the researcher (objectivity). Disruptive factors within surveys (e.g., someone is short on time, someone answers in an irritated manner, etc.) are compensated for in quantitative studies by making the sample as large as possible. It is assumed that the disruptive factors balance each other out "on average." In qualitative studies, there are two criteria to ensure validity: 1. A good selection of participants (recruitment) ensures that members of the target group are actually surveyed ("wrong person, wrong answer"). 2. Psychologically trained moderators and researchers can recognize disruptive factors (e.g., someone is pushing their opinion to the fore, someone is getting tired, etc.) and react accordingly.

Virtual reality refers to artificial spaces or artificial reality created by hardware and software and will become increasingly important for various industries in the coming years. With new screen technology, easier control and more powerful end devices, VR technology will increasingly find its way into society and thus open up new possibilities for making spaces, products, services, interactions and processes interactive and tangible. For example, new room and store concepts or product prototypes can be tested, design processes are revolutionized and architectural concepts can be made accessible using VR even before construction begins. So far, however, there have been few applications in the context of social research or market research, since it has not yet been scientifically verified how reliably the results obtained using VR can be transferred to reality. But with the advancing technical progress, VR can soon find its way into market and social research. For example, group discussions can be held in VR regardless of location or product presentations can be made more tangible.

Studies of advertising materials (TV commercials, print ads, etc.) with regard to their impact, likability and recalled content. Tests can be conducted before (pretest) or after the launch (posttest) of a campaign.

An FAQ section answers frequently asked questions about your business, e.g., "Where do you deliver?", "What are your business hours?" or "How do I book a service?" An FAQ section makes it easier for visitors to navigate your website and also improves your SEO.