Users of Marketing Research

The major users are:

1. Consumer:

It goes without saying that, in any competitive environment, consumer is the King. In the final analysis, all sales proceeds flow from consumers. Therefore, knowledge of consumer behaviour of a target market is a must for every business concern. Marketing research locates the consumer requirements of goods and services and the factors upon which they depend.

2. Market Intermediaries:

Market intermediaries are in integral link between the producers and the final buyers. Selling a product requires a channel for bringing it to the market and distributing it to the final buyers. Marketing research helps a manufacturer to select a right kind of channel.

3. Business Firms:

Every business concern is interested in improving its position in the market by:

(i) Increasing its market share, and

(ii) Increasing its profitability. In these cases, marketing research is essential and highly useful tool that is used while taking a decision.

4. Marketing research agencies:

There are numerous specialized agencies engaged in conducting marketing research covering different segments of markets, both actual and potential. They have experts for conducting specialized research. These research agencies can be assigned the relevant projects, by the parties concerned. On the basis of their findings, they prepare research reports for their clients.

5. Government:

Research in various areas is also done by Government. For example: Price indices.

a.     Determination of Gross National Product; Price indices, and per capita income;

b.     Expenditure levels and budgeting;

c.      Agricultural Pricing;

d.     The economic policies of Government; and

e.     Operational and planning problems of business and industry.