What is consumer research?
Consumer research, also referred to as “business-to-consumer (B2C) research”, is the systematic collection, analysis and interpretation of data about consumers’ behaviours, preferences and needs to drive informed decision making. It involves:
- Analysis of consumer insights: Evaluating consumer motivations, needs, pain points and purchasing behaviours to uncover actionable insights.
- Product and concept testing: Conducting product and concept testing and gathering feedback from consumers to assess product perceptions and performance, as well as concept resonance.
- Monitoring consumer trends: Tracking shifts in consumer preferences, market dynamics and emerging trends to anticipate market changes, coupled with consumer behaviour analysis.
- Consumer segmentation: Identifying distinct consumer segments based on demographics, psychographics and behavioural characteristics to tailor marketing strategies and offerings.
Some of the main benefits of B2C/consumer research are:
Gain insights into consumer behaviour and preferences
Identify market opportunities and emerging trends
Inform strategic decision making and product/ service development
Enhance customer satisfaction and loyalty through consumer insights
Optimise marketing effectiveness and ROI
Key questions that are answered by consumer research
Consumer research aims to answer several key questions to help guide strategic decision making:
- What are the demographics, behaviours and preferences of our target consumers?
- What are the emerging trends and shifts in consumer preferences in our target market?
- How can we improve our products or services to better meet the needs and preferences of our target audience?
- What channels and touchpoints do our target consumers prefer for engaging with our brand?
- How do consumers perceive our brand compared to competitors, and what factors influence their purchasing decisions?
In On Africa’s consumer research services
In On Africa (IOA) has more than a decade of experience in conducting large-scale, multi-country and niche consumer research studies across the African continent. With this experience, we guide our clients in their understanding of consumers to inform their strategic planning and decision making.
Our team has the expertise, experience and dedication to not only answer our clients’ consumer-related research questions through targeted consumer research but to also work with our clients in the refinement of their marketing strategies, product development plans and market expansion ambitions.
Driven by a team of highly skilled research professionals, coupled with access to various consumer panels, survey technology and field research partners across Africa, we provide our clients with a wide range of primary research services (e.g. in-depth interviews, focus groups, online surveys, CAPI and CATI) and secondary research (e.g. desktop research, media monitoring and social listening to inform consumer sentiment analysis).
Our consumer research ranges from once-off or topic-specific consumer research studies with samples as high as 5,000+ respondents through to more on-going consumer research, such as consumer segment trackers and customer experience research.
Consumer research project case study:
Mixed-method consumer research study aimed to guiding market expansion strategy
Client:
Large African retail brand
Country:
Angola
Methodology:
Quantitative survey with +1,200 consumers, followed by 30 key informant interviews, with all research conducted in Portuguese.
IOA was commissioned by one of Africa’s major clothing and homeware retailers to conduct in-depth consumer research in Angola to support the company’s strategic planning and retail expansion efforts.
The study combined quantitative and qualitative research, including a nationwide survey of +1,200 consumers across key urban and peri-urban centres and in-depth interviews with both consumers and industry experts. The research explored consumer spending patterns, apparel preferences, brand perceptions, price sensitivity, store experience, and broader socio-economic factors influencing purchasing decisions.
IOA’s analytical approach provided a multi-layered understanding of the Angolan retail landscape, identifying consumer segments based on attitudes toward affordability, quality, and brand loyalty. The analysis also captured how currency volatility, import dependence, and regional disparities shape retail behaviour and market opportunities for PEP Africa.
Key project outcome:
IOA delivered actionable insights that guided the client in its plans to refine its strategy for the Angolan market. The final report included a range of strategic recommendations which were focused on how the client should differentiate itself in the market, coupled with proposed marketing strategies to drive brand awareness.
Find out more about how IOA can help you with your consumer research needs.
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Read more about IOA’s various service offerings and examples of our past work.