Adventures in In-Store Research

You’ve probably read articles recently about the return to pre-pandemic levels of in-store foot traffic and the general improvement in the supply chain of most consumer products, particularly foods & beverages. On Mission Field’s end of the spectrum, that has translated into the ability to get back to conducting in-person in-store research in the latter half of the summer.

What is currently different in in-store research? We’re following all the Covid protocols - wearing masks & requiring respondents to wear them, maintaining physical distance with the help of a grocery cart, keeping hand sanitizer in the cart and giving everyone their own pens as examples. We’re currently also recruiting consumers for in-store research rather than conducting intercepts, which means having the right target audience clearly identified. Lastly, where applicable, we’re giving sealed product/samples to our recruits to take home and try with follow-up usage interviews rather than asking respondents to try anything in the store..

What hasn’t changed? Consumers are very capable of putting themselves in a pre/post-Covid mindset and thinking about usage occasions in a “back to normal” world. They are back to fairly normal shopping behavior in Grocery, including browsing and perusing the aisles in search of new-to-them products. They still have the same needs, wants and desires in the vast majority of the categories they buy. They are reacting to packaging, product positioning, placement, pricing, benefits, and communications the same way that they were in February, so we’re still getting rich insights and actionable learning for our clients.

Most important? Consumers are still interested in innovations that bring meaningful benefits into their lives.

Are you ready to get your ideas back in front of live consumers? We’re ready to help. Give us a call.