Into the wild


Editor's note: Kelly Heatly is president of Heatly Custom Research LLC, Dallas. Jill Matthews is president of Bright Cactus LLC, a Dallas research firm.

Understanding buyer behavior; exploring purchase motivations; evaluating product concepts. Ideally, meeting these research objectives involves observing and talking to consumers within the purchase environment – in the moment, on the scene.

How does a brand perform at point of purchase, in its retail habitat? Marketers and researchers alike have become accustomed to answering this question in a structured setting, away from the purchase environment, such as a research facility, online discussion board, via Webcam or by phone. With widely-used mobile technology at hand, a good dose of know-how and more than an ounce of courage, qualitative researchers can step out of the comfortable facility and into the wild with consumers, where their reactions, behaviors and attitudes count most.

This article focuses on when to take qualitative research into the wild and how to approach the overall design. Into-the-wild research, herein referred to as in situ research – meaning, on-site research – is conducted specifically within the purchase environment, where products and services are selected, experienced and/or purchased by consumers, excluding online or in-home environments. In situ research includes shop-along interviews, small-group discussions and observational research led by a moderator. In situ research can also capture consumer behavior when the moderator is not present, via mobile technology tools.

See firsthand

In situ research has a distinct advantage over other research methodologies in that it mirrors real-life variables and influences in the environment: staff interaction, visual merchandising, sensory components, store traffic and the presence of other shoppers. Additionally, depending on the category, in situ research provides an opportunity to see firsthand how shopping companions, such as kids or partners, influence the shopping and purchase decisions. This approach helps clients understand what targeted consumers see, hear, smell, touch and feel in the actual environment.

Overall, in situ research is most appropriate when brands need to gain insights at the point of purchase. As a rule of thumb, if a brand, product or service cannot be easily or logically separated from its environment, then in situ research is the ideal approach.

If research objectives involve evaluating consumer packaged goods or other tangible products, then there is inherent risk in gathering consumer insights outside of the purchase environment. How authentic are the findings? For example, consider the consequences of evaluating a new package design in a traditional facility when, in reality, the product will always be observed on a shelf in a grocery store among the competitive set of products.

If the study is focused on a multifaceted service experience such as a restaurant or entertainment venue, then key elements and influences are very likely to be missed if talking to consumers outside of the environment. Plus, behavior, attitudes and perceptions are based largely on recall of past experiences without the stimuli of the actual environment present. For example, tasting new menu items without the restaurant ambiance, aroma, music and presentation of the meal on plates served by wait staff may or may not accurately reflect “real” consumer preferences.

When deciding to go in situ, researchers should think about the following:

  • Are research objectives directly related to consumer choice of products and services in a retail setting?
  • How and where does the consumer interact with the product at point of purchase?
  • Can the product or service experience be replicated in a focus group facility?
  • Can you feasibly conduct the research in the purchase environment, even if inconvenient or challenging?

Following is a set of guidelines for determining whether to take studies into the wild or into a different setting.

Consider going into the wild for:

  • studies that seek to understand the shopper purchase path;
  • studies that explore the consumer/shopper experience in a retail setting;
  • store layout and visual merchandising tests;
  • product concept, packaging and shelf design tests, depending on scope;
  • taste tests for food and beverages served in restaurants.

Consider another method for:

  • advertising research;
  • extended product usage or usability tests;
  • taste tests for packaged food items;
  • studies exploring a broad category of products or topics not found in a single environment;
  • when a large sample size is required;
  • when access to the purchase environment is restrictive;
  • when a large client team must be present.

Extra bonus: Conducting research in the actual purchase environment often reveals insights about consumer behavior and environmental elements beyond the study objectives, a nice value-add!

Approaches for taking research into the wild

Broadly, we categorize in situ research into studies where the moderator is on-site and studies where the moderator is online, behind-the-scenes in order to make the study successful.

Moderator on-site: These studies include interviews, focus groups, shop-alongs or other methodologies where the moderator is in-person with the respondent(s) in the purchase environment.

Moderator online: The rapid growth of mobile qualitative research, with smartphone usage and platforms to support this relatively new industry, has resulted in a huge opportunity to gain insights in situ with the moderator leading the project virtually.

Moderator on-site: In-person with respondents

In situ studies where the moderator conducts research on-site generally allow for greater depth of discussion with respondents, allowing for ample opportunities to observe behavior and dig deep in the moment.

In situ research with a moderator on-site has several key advantages:

  • The moderator can ask probing follow-up questions to clearly understand the respondent’s point of view.
  • Behavior and decisions are made in the actual purchase environment not based on memory/recall or on a simulated or mocked-up representation.
  • The moderator can observe the respondent in the environment along with external influences present in the overall environment.
  • The moderator can control the research flow and structure, ensuring all research objectives are met.

Study design. Designing an in situ study where the moderator is on-site requires meticulous planning. Plan the details: In what type of environment will you conduct the study? In which markets? What retail channels make sense to meet objectives? How will the schedule run considering length of interviews and store traffic patterns? What methodology works best – individual depth interviews or small groups? What is the best way to recruit respondents and boost show rate? How will you capture findings? Be creative and flexible; develop a plan that accommodates the specific purchase environment while meeting research objectives!

Recruiting respondents. Like any study, in situ respondents should represent target consumers. Screening questions must be thoughtfully designed to ensure the desired respondents participate in the research. Beyond demographic qualifications, consider screening for retail visit frequency, competitive set loyalty and category or brand attitudes. Ensure that respondents are willing to participate in a study at a retail setting, which is typically not a deterrent.

There are two recruiting options for in situ research: traditional pre-recruiting to the purchase environment (store, restaurant, venue) and intercept-recruiting in the purchase environment.

Pre-recruiting. With this approach, respondents are recruited in advance of the discussion, similar to recruiting for studies in traditional facilities. Respondents meet the moderator at a specific location in the test environment such as a grocery store, restaurant, health clinic or music festival. The research discussion takes place in a single location or multiple locations such as a client store plus a nearby competitor store.

Choose your recruiting partner carefully, as the recruiter must not only find targeted respondents but also be detail-oriented in communicating logistics associated with meeting a moderator outside a traditional facility. Recruiting instructions should clearly state where to meet (store address and specific meeting spot), what to expect on-site and how the incentive will be paid.

Intercept-recruiting. Recruiting respondents on-site at the time of research creates the most natural setting by talking to authentic consumers who are truly “in the wild” and likely new to research participation. Customers are approached before, during or following a purchase or brand experience. This method can be an effective way to control budget by eliminating recruiting costs, especially if respondents are difficult to recruit (i.e., attendees at a music festival). The trade-off is the inability to target specific segments of consumers based on specific criteria (i.e., demographics, brand loyalty). Consider pre-screening upon approach for elements such as product usage, demographics or store visitation, using caution not to dishearten a customer who does not qualify. In general, if research objectives do not require in-depth discussion and can be conducted quickly, such as a taste test, then intercept recruiting works well.

In field. Before conducting an in situ study, the moderator should think through all elements including the flow of the interview on-site; what to wear and carry; how to present stimuli; how to capture notes and audio/video; and how to involve the client.

Because a “live” environment includes many variables and moving parts, the moderator should always have a backup plan. Examples include backup respondents (over-recruit), alternative locations and fluid methodologies or approaches. If something unexpected happens on-site – and it will – then having a Plan B keeps the study moving in a successful direction.

Ground rules and considerations:

• Strategically choose locations that represent the company or broader market with regard to customer profile, traffic level and layout/design.

  • If the interview will be conducted standing or walking, screen for the respondent’s willingness and ability to participate or plan for alternate accommodations.
  • Consider interviewing two or three customers who are shopping or visiting together and who typically do so (i.e., spouses, friends). While the dynamics of the dyad or triad can yield rich insights, be prepared to allocate more time for the interview and pay all equally.
  • In advance of the in-field date, the moderator should attempt to walk through the environment at the same time as the scheduled interviews to get a sense of store layout, customer traffic and presence of employees. Capturing observations during these advance walk-throughs is also beneficial to the client team, both to set expectations up front and to gain additional insights.
  • The moderator and research team should identify themselves as independent researchers to encourage candor.
  • Develop a clear plan for client involvement or participation. Since the environment is vastly different from a focus group facility viewing room, additional planning must be taken to involve clients as appropriate without disturbing the conversation or making respondents feel uncomfortable.
  • Attitude is key. You have to go into in situ research knowing that things could likely happen beyond your control. Have a backup plan and remain calm!

Case study: Family entertainment center maps guests’ “fun” journey

A family entertainment center company wanted to better understand how current and competitors’ guests perceive the brand experience including attractions, value proposition, ambiance, food/beverage offerings and service. Respondents were pre-recruited for the interviews – 10 centers in four different markets – and invited to bring anyone with whom they would normally visit a family entertainment center, typical of an actual visit. The 60-minute interview included a pre-work assignment and time spent with and without the moderator. Respondents received a cash incentive at the conclusion of the interview. The moderator recorded notes, photos and videos from the interview for a final presentation to the client, rich with new insights.

Case study: Fast-casual restaurant tests new menu board on-site

A fast-casual restaurant wanted to update its menu board to achieve a modern, streamlined design that showcased more items while speeding up the order process. The new menu board was installed in the store and compared alongside the current board. Customers were approached upon entry to the restaurant and invited to participate in a 10-minute survey in return for an instantly-redeemable gift card. Each respondent completed a ratings questionnaire followed by a brief qualitative interview to understand ratings and elicit ideas for menu board enhancements. Time spent ordering was recorded for each respondent from start of approach to menu to placing an order. In-store elements such as waiting in line, lighting, other store signage, loud music and involvement of the cashier in the ordering process were crucial to understanding how the new menu board worked. Added bonus: the customers appreciated being asked to provide their opinions, reinforcing brand loyalty.

Moderator online: Mobile tools in the environment

With 72 percent of the U.S. population owning a smartphone (Pew Research Center 2015), there is significant opportunity to capture shoppers’ impressions and purchases while already in-store on shopping trips, directly from their points of view.

By leveraging mobile platform partners, you can tap into a panel of consumers who have opted in to be potential respondents. Each panel member has a special mobile app loaded on his or her phone, ready for a potential study. Some mobile platforms work best for one-time surveys, while other platforms shine at documenting an entire experience or a series of purchases. Matching the right platform based on study objectives for desired output is critical when determining methodology.

Mobile qualitative research has several key advantages. It:

  • provides feedback in the moment while on an actual store visit (not scheduled);
  • allows quick turnaround from survey launch to data collection;
  • enables a larger, more cost-efficient sample size than in-person interviews;
  • draws from a nationally representative or targeted geographic area quickly;
  • eases the challenge of finding qualified respondents for low-incidence categories; and
  • enables respondents to answer anonymously, not face-to-face – ideal for sensitive topics.

A major downside to using a mobile qualitative approach is the limited opportunity ask follow-up, probing questions to better understand the respondent’s feedback.

Recruiting respondents. Like other studies, the goal is to recruit respondents that represent the target consumer. Unlike in-person studies, recruiting for a mobile study requires extra care in screening in order to validate qualifications of an unseen respondent. Mobile in situ studies require specialized recruiting by a partner experienced in recruiting for mobile qual studies. Many partners have panels of consumers equipped with the proper smartphone technology and proficiency in using it for this type of study.

In field. Once recruited into the study, respondents answer questions during their shopping or visit experience using their own mobile device. Their responses are uploaded electronically and the researcher can review responses, including photos and videos, from a designated portal.

Ground rules and considerations:

  • The research team should carefully design the study and test the app several times to ensure the logic follows the desired objectives.
  • Consider multiple types of survey questions to gain a range of insights and feedback. Examples include closed-end, multiple-choice or yes/no questions; open-end questions with short responses (very few will type a paragraph from a smartphone when shopping); and photos and videos. Varying the types of questions will also keep respondents engaged in the survey to prevent burnout.
  • Include a survey question asking respondents to take a selfie of themselves with the products they intend to purchase. This helps to personalize respondent feedback, shows the face of the brand’s consumer and validates each respondent’s stated purchase.

Insights analysis. Upon completion of data collection, the research team will have a mountain of data to analyze. With a mix of closed- and open-end questions, along with photos and videos, analysis of insights can become a daunting process often experienced with other online studies, depending on project scope. While the time in field may be relatively quick, the research team must set reasonable expectations with regard to data analysis and the time required to deliver an insightful and actionable report.

Think “and” not “only.” A mobile in situ approach works well as a supplement to in-person shop-along interviews in order to gain further breadth of insights and boost up the sample size. A hybrid on-site/online approach allows the moderator to engage respondents in deep in-person discussions combined with added context provided by a larger sample of mobile respondents focused on key areas. Consider conducting the mobile qual phase first and then cherry-picking the “best” respondents for the second in-person phase, as appropriate.

Case study: CPG brand explores in-aisle behavior

A private company that manufactures a low-incidence packaged food product wanted to understand how category shoppers make decisions in-aisle. We partnered with a mobile survey provider and easily sourced 50 shoppers from all over the U.S. to understand their reactions during real-time shopping visits.

How it worked: The platform uses geolocation to identify potential respondents who may be in the right place at the right time. When panel members entered one of the specified retail locations during the span of the study, they received push notifications inviting them to participate. Upon opening the app, each panel member was screened for validation of store location, intent to purchase the category of interest (masked in a list of several categories) and other questions related to shopping habits and demographics. Once qualified, each respondent headed straight to the aisle to complete the mobile survey. All surveys were completed within a few days. Insights were instrumental to the client, providing direction on shelf set merchandising, packaging design, brand perceptions and product elements. Additionally, the client learned about regional differences that will help them in their sales story to the retailer.

Step into the wild

In situ research is not a new concept; it is simply underutilized by many researchers who have never ventured out into the wild or who lack the experience or willingness to try it. In situ research is just one methodology, conducive to being a part of a hybrid approach required to meet objectives. As qualitative research evolves with the fast growth of mobile technology, the opportunity to take research into the purchase environment becomes easier, more standard and an ideal approach in many cases. The purchase environment awaits, so step into the wild and enjoy the adventure!