Durable goods
GfK Ukraine applies different methods for durable goods market research, tailored to the goals of each study:
- Estimation of market volume, based on data provided by state authorities: production volumes, volumes of import and export
- Sellers’ side evaluation (retail auditing)
- Ad Hoc studies – evaluation from the consumer point of view and "mystery shopping” (evaluating shop staff’s recommendations)
Desk research
Firms considering entering the market or collecting data on general market conditions need only desk research – analysis of data available from open sources. Ukrainian researchers – in comparison to their peers in many European countries – can avail themselves of excellent export and import data analyses, as well as statistics on production.
This type of research takes a snapshot of a market and demonstrates yearly dynamics. In addition, desk research shows the main competitors in the industry, their market shares and the dynamics of their deve;opmental dynamics.
Armed with expert survey findings, desk researchers may also address certain "qualitative” issues in the further development of a particular market segment, as well as provide forecasting.
Retail & Technology
If desk research findings are a "snapshot” of the market, then detailed retail audits are the "video,” with every frame showing considerable detail.
Retail and Technology panel data on sales of durables are collected monthly and contain detailed product information right up to the color of units sold. The GfK retail panel now covers 80% of the market, with data collected Ukraine-wide, in cities with a population of 20000 or more.
Product groups include audio-, video- and photo equipment (TV sets, cameras, auto accessories, players, play stations, etc.,) domestic appliance goods (refrigerators, washing machines, microwave ovens,) small personal appliances (kettles, vacuum cleaners, health care goods, etc.,) and IT and telecom products (PCs, laptops, printers, faxes, and mobile phones.)
The clear advantage of studies based on retail panel data lies in dynamic detailed analysis (right down to models sold,) with data collected since 2004, when the panel operated in only 8 cities, and covered less than 40% of the market.)
Detailed retail audits are useful to companies looking to spot monitor market conditions over a given period, using available data on their own sales and those of their competitors.
Ad Hoc studies
Companies that need more than the "big picture” – showing market conditions and trends – in order to gain a deeper understanding, will find our "Ad Hoc” studies (custom research carried out to the specifications of the client) useful.
Ad Hoc research methods are broad, but two main methods are paramount: consumer surveys and "mystery shopping”.
Consumer surveys may be conducted in several ways: both qualitatively (focus groups, in-depth interviews, cash desk interviews,) and quantitatively (phone and face-to-face interviews, online surveys.)
We thus identify the factors affecting purchase decisions and choices of specific brands or models, customer loyalty and brand perception. In addition, these such studies identify the most attractive target group of customers and the means to appeal to them.
It is commonly accepted that the advice of shop assistants plays a key role in determining what goods a shopper will choose. "Mystery shopping” evaluates the brands and models proposed and the arguments applied in making sales. The scenario envisages the interviewer behaving like a usual consumer, constructing the dialogue with the sales assistant in such a way as to elicit all required information. By comparing the findings of "mystery shopping” and retail panel data, we gain valuable insight into the relationship between what shop assistants sell and what consumers buy.
Anrdiy Svirskiy
Anastasiya Shurenkova