In the US, MR firm MarketTools has launched 'Shopper Impact', which combines virtual shopping technology, advanced research methods and dashboard reporting to provide manufacturers with insights into retail consumer behaviour.
The firm says its new technology can improve retail performance by quantifying and understanding the specific triggers for consumer purchasing. The system allows manufacturers to identify which marketing communications tactics influence new buyers. Working alongside retailers, clients can also gain understanding of merchandising decisions from a retailer's perspective and provide more specific direction for in-store promotions.
Mark Demuro, Senior Vice President, MarketTools explains: 'We've designed Shopper Impact to help manufacturers achieve their business objectives with retailers. In the time it takes to set up a controlled store test, clients can have volumetric and causal results on the impact of new planograms, promotions, retail marketing initiatives, or new product launches.'
Vivian Callaway, Vice President, Centre for Learning and Experimentation at food brand giant General Mills agrees, saying that new technologies, such as virtual store testing, have the potential to help gauge and understand consumer shopping behaviour.
MarketTools was launched in San Francisco in 1997 to offer companies a full range of market research applications and services including online surveys through its Zoomerang subsidiary and consumer data through its online panel of more than 2.5 million individuals. The company recently announced its 'Moms Insight Network', which combines input from the online conversations of millions of 'moms', an online community and a quarterly survey of 500 respondents (www.mrweb.com/drno/news6990.htm ). Web site: www.markettools.com.
All articles 2006-23 written and edited by Mel Crowther and/or Nick Thomas, 2024- by Nick Thomas, unless otherwise stated.
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