Types of Market Research & How to Use Them
“Why did Pepsi launch ‘Pepsi Black’ for health-conscious youth? How does Zomato know when to give discounts? Why do startups test pricing before going live?” The answer lies in types of market research, a process that allows businesses to understand customers, competitors, and future opportunities.
The secret lies in market research—a process that gives businesses the power to understand customers, competitors, and future opportunities. But types of market research isn’t “one size fits all.” It comes in different types, each serving a unique purpose. Let’s dive into the main ones, how to use them, when to apply them, and how they translate into actionable insights. Companies like Simbi Labs India specialize in delivering precise, AI-backed, and human-verified insights to help businesses make smarter decisions.
1. Primary Research (First-hand data collection)
Gathering original data directly from customers or stakeholders.This is one of the most important types of market research because it provides insights tailored to your business.
Methods: Surveys, interviews, focus groups, observation, product testing.
How to Use: Apply when launching new products, understanding customer satisfaction, or testing marketing campaigns.
When to Use: At the idea stage, pre-launch, or while tracking customer feedback.
How to Implement into Insights: Analyze responses (quantitative via statistical methods, qualitative via thematic coding) to identify trends, unmet needs, or improvement areas.
Example: A food startup surveys 1,000 customers to test demand for a plant-based snack before launch.
2. Secondary Research (Existing data analysis)
Using published data, industry reports, trade journals, government filings, and competitor websites. What Are the Types of Market Research that rely on existing information? Secondary research answers this.
How to Use: Conduct for understanding market size, competitor performance, or regulatory impact.
When to Use: At the exploratory stage, when you need quick, cost-effective data.
How to Implement into Insights: Synthesize multiple sources, identify consistencies, and benchmark against competitors.
Example: An EV startup uses government policy reports and industry statistics to forecast growth trends.
3. Qualitative Research (Exploring “why” behind behavior)
Non-numerical insights into motivations, emotions, and perceptions. How many types of market research allow for emotional and behavioral exploration? Qualitative research is one of them.
Methods: Focus groups, in-depth interviews, diary studies, ethnography.
How to Use: Best for understanding why customers behave in a certain way.
When to Use: Early product concept testing, brand perception analysis.
How to Implement into Insights: Identify common themes, emotional triggers, and hidden pain points that numbers alone can’t reveal.
Example: A beauty brand interviews customers to uncover emotional drivers behind skincare purchases.
4. Quantitative Research (Numerical validation)
Structured, statistical research with measurable data. What Are the Types of Market Research that provide measurable evidence? Quantitative research fits this description.
Methods: Large-scale surveys, conjoint analysis, A/B testing, NPS tracking.
How to Use: To measure how many or how much.
When to Use: For market sizing, pricing research, or tracking KPIs.
How to Implement into Insights: Apply statistical tools (regression, segmentation, forecasting) to turn raw numbers into predictive insights.
Example: A SaaS firm uses conjoint analysis to identify which features customers value most.
5. Exploratory Research
Open-ended research to discover unknown problems or opportunities. How many types of market research start with exploration? Exploratory research leads the way.
Methods: Secondary research + qualitative interviews.
How to Use: To uncover areas worth investigating further.
When to Use: At the very start of a project.
How to Implement into Insights: Narrow down broad market questions into focused hypotheses for later testing.
Example: A healthcare startup explores patient concerns before designing an app for medical consultation.
6. Descriptive Research
Structured research to describe customer behavior or market conditions. What Are the Types of Market Research that validate assumptions? Descriptive research does exactly that.
Methods: Surveys, observation, consumer panels.
How to Use: To answer “who, what, when, where” questions.
When to Use: After exploratory research, to validate assumptions.
How to Implement into Insights: Translate customer demographics and behavior patterns into segment-specific strategies.
Example: An FMCG brand uses panel data to understand buying frequency of detergents across regions.
7. Causal Research (Experimental)
Establishing cause-and-effect relationships. How many types of market research involve experimentation? Causal research is one of the key methods.
Methods: Controlled experiments, A/B testing, test markets.
How to Use: To test whether a change in one factor drives another.
When to Use: For pricing, product features, or advertising effectiveness.
How to Implement into Insights: Use results to scale proven strategies (e.g., higher conversions after changing ad copy).
Example: An e-commerce site tests two checkout flows to see which improves conversions.
Step-by-step process of how to do market research
When designing your research approach, understanding types of market research , What Are the Types of Market Research needed. it’s helpful to review frameworks like reliable methods for smarter market insights that emphasize mixed-methods, sampling rigor, and bias control.
1. Define Objectives
Clearly outline research goals, such as understanding customer needs, testing product ideas, or analyzing competitors, to ensure the study has a focused direction and measurable outcomes.
2. Identify Target Audience
Segment customers based on demographics, behavior, or needs to ensure the research focuses on the most relevant and profitable groups for actionable insights.
3. Choose Research Method
Decide between primary (surveys, interviews) and secondary (industry reports, databases) research, or a mix of both, depending on the problem and available resources.
4. Design Research Tools
Create surveys, discussion guides, or data collection instruments ensuring clarity, relevance, and unbiased questions to capture accurate and valuable responses.
5. Collect Data
Implement chosen methods such as online surveys, focus groups, retail audits, or secondary desk research, ensuring quality control and representative sampling for credibility.
6. Analyze Data
Use statistical, qualitative, or machine learning tools to identify trends, patterns, and correlations, converting raw data into meaningful, decision-supportive insights.
7. Interpret & Report Findings
Summarize insights with visualizations, storytelling, and clear recommendations, translating research outcomes into actionable strategies for marketing, pricing, product, or expansion decisions.
Partnering with expert-led companies like Simbi Labs India ensures accurate data collection, advanced analysis, and reliable insights.
Case Study: Launching a Healthy Snack Brand in India
Business Problem
A food startup planning to launch a healthy snack bar in India faces key uncertainties: identifying the right target audience for maximum appeal, determining the optimal pricing strategy that balances affordability with profitability, and selecting the most effective sales channels—whether retail shelves or e-commerce platforms—for rapid market growth. This scenario highlights why understanding types of market research is crucial.
Market Research Process & Methods Applied
1. Define Objective
Understand market size, consumer demand, pricing, and preferred channels for healthy snacks.
2. Primary Research (Surveys & Focus Groups)
Conducted surveys with 1,000 respondents in metro cities. Organized focus groups with health-conscious millennials and working professionals.
3. Secondary Research (Industry Reports)
Used FICCI, Nielsen, and Euromonitor data to estimate the healthy snack market growth.
4. Segmentation & Persona Building
Segmented audience into gym-goers, office workers, and mothers looking for healthy snacks for kids.
5. Pricing Research (Van Westendorp)
Tested willingness to pay: ₹30, ₹50, ₹70 price points.
6. Channel Research (Retail Audits & E-commerce Analytics)
Checked retail shelves for competitors. Analyzed Amazon/Flipkart reviews to see what customers liked or disliked.
Analysis & Findings
Market Size (TAM/SAM/SOM):
TAM (Healthy Snack India) = ₹5,000 Cr.
SAM (Urban Metro Segment) = ₹2,000 Cr.
SOM (Achievable in Year 1) = ₹50 Cr.
Consumer Insights: 70% of young professionals prefer snacks with low sugar + high protein. Mothers value no preservatives as the top feature.
Pricing Insight: Ideal price point: ₹50 (affordable but still premium perception).
Channel Insight: 60% customers prefer online first purchase, but repeat purchases happen via nearby convenience stores.
Resulting Solution & Strategy
The startup positioned its snack bar as a “Protein + Natural Ingredients” option for urban professionals, priced at ₹50 with online bundle discounts. The go-to-market strategy launched on Amazon, Flipkart, and health-focused e-commerce, later expanding into premium retail. Marketing emphasized “guilt-free snacking,” highlighting high protein and preservative-free ingredients.
Conclusion: From Research to Insight
Types of Market research work best when combined. Businesses often start with exploratory research, refine with qualitative/quantitative studies, validate with secondary data, and then test with causal experiments. The real magic is not in collecting data but in turning it into insight. For example, Starbucks used primary research to learn that customers wanted personalization, secondary research to validate mobile adoption trends, and causal research to test its app rewards. Today, Starbucks’ loyalty program is one of the strongest revenue drivers. Companies like Simbi Labs India make this process seamless by offering end-to-end research services, from data collection to actionable insights.
Interesting fact: 74% of companies that use customer insights extensively report better decision-making.
Question to reflect on: Which type of research is your business underusing—and what blind spot might that be creating? Understanding what are the types of market research and how many types of market research exist ensures no opportunity is missed.