Types of Market Research: A Complete Guide With Examples
The types of market research grouped by data source, data type, objective and business goal, with a worked example of each type from Indian consumer brands.
In brief
The different types of market research are grouped in four ways: By data source, by data type, by objective and by business goal. The four core types are primary, secondary, qualitative and quantitative research. Most studies combine at least two of them, such as primary quantitative research to measure how many buyers prefer a new pack.
What are the types of market research?
The types of market research are ways of grouping research by how the information is collected and what it is used for. Some guides list four types, some eight and some ten. They don't disagree with each other. They just group the same research in different ways.
| Grouping | Types | Question it answers |
|---|---|---|
| By data source | Primary, secondary | Where does the information come from? |
| By data type | Qualitative, quantitative | Is the answer a reason or a number? |
| By objective | Exploratory, descriptive, causal | How much is already known about the problem? |
| By business goal | Brand, customer, product, competitor, pricing, advertising, packaging and more | Which business decision is the research for? |
A single study always belongs to more than one group. A survey of 600 tea buyers about a new pack is primary, quantitative, descriptive and product research at the same time. The different kinds of market research are labels for different sides of the same study.
Types of market research by data source: Primary and secondary
Primary and secondary market research differ in who collects the information. Primary research is collected by a business for its own question. Secondary research already exists, collected by someone else for another purpose.
Primary market research
New information collected directly from buyers through surveys, interviews, focus groups or tests. Example: A coffee brand surveys 500 buyers in Mumbai, Delhi and Bengaluru to find out which of two names for its cold brew range sounds more premium.
Secondary market research
Information that already exists in reports, government data, company filings or published studies. Example: A snack brand reads Census data and industry reports on household spending before deciding which cities to launch in.
Most projects begin with secondary research, because it is fast and cheap, then use primary research to answer the questions no report covers. Flickly's guide on what market research is compares the two in more detail.
Types of market research by data type: Qualitative and quantitative
Qualitative and quantitative market research differ in the kind of answer they give. Qualitative research explains why people behave as they do. Quantitative research measures how many people behave that way.
- Qualitative market research: Open conversations with a small number of people, usually through in-depth interviews or focus groups. Example: A haircare brand interviews twelve customers who stopped buying, and learns that many felt the product took too long to show results.
- Quantitative market research: Set questions asked to hundreds or thousands of people, giving percentages that can be compared across groups. Example: The same brand then surveys 800 lapsed customers to find out how many left because of slow results, price or a competitor.
The two work best together. Qualitative research finds the possible reasons, and quantitative research shows which of those reasons matter most. Flickly's guide to quantitative market research covers how large studies are planned.
Types of market research by objective: Exploratory, descriptive and causal
Exploratory, descriptive and causal research differ in how much a business already knows about its problem. Each one usually picks up where the one before it stops.
| Types | Exploratory research | Descriptive research | Causal research |
|---|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | What is going on? | Who buys, how many, how often? | Does one change cause another? |
| Usual method | Interviews, focus groups, desk research | Surveys | Controlled tests and A/B tests |
| Kind of data | Mostly qualitative | Quantitative | Quantitative |
| When to use it | When the problem is still unclear | Once the problem is clear | Before committing to a change |
Exploratory research
Exploratory research is used when a problem is still unclear and a business needs to understand it before measuring anything. It is open and flexible, and usually qualitative. Example: A tea brand sees sales falling in Tier 2 cities but doesn't know why, so it talks to shopkeepers and buyers to find possible reasons.
Descriptive research
Descriptive research measures what is happening in a market: Who buys, how often, where and at what price. It is structured, and usually quantitative. Example: The tea brand then surveys 1,000 tea buyers across Tier 2 cities to measure how many have switched brands, and which brands they moved to.
Causal research
Causal research tests whether one thing directly causes another, by changing one factor and measuring the effect while keeping everything else the same. Example: The tea brand shows half its buyers the current pack and half a new pack, to see whether the new pack alone raises purchase intent.
Types of market research by business goal
Types of market research by business goal are named after the decision they support. This is the grouping brands use most day to day, and it is often what people mean by types of marketing research.
- Brand research: Measures how well buyers know a brand and what they think of it, covering awareness, image and loyalty. Example: A footwear brand checks whether buyers in Pune link its name with comfort or with style.
- Customer research: Studies existing buyers, covering who they are, why they buy and what would make them buy more. Example: A pet food brand surveys its subscribers to find out which pack sizes they want.
- Product research: Tests whether a product meets buyer needs, before and after launch. Example: A mattress brand asks recent buyers which features they would give up to keep the price down.
- Competitor research: Looks at rival brands through the eyes of buyers, covering what rivals offer, what they charge and why buyers choose them. It is the buyer-facing side of competitive analysis. Example: A protein bar brand asks buyers of the market leader what would make them switch.
- Pricing research: Finds the price buyers expect, and the point at which a price starts to put them off. Example: A juice brand tests three price points for a new one-litre pack.
- Concept testing: Shows buyers a new product idea before it is made, and measures how appealing it is. Example: A breakfast cereal brand tests three recipe ideas to pick one for development. Flickly's concept testing page explains how these studies run.
- Advertising research and ad testing: Checks whether an ad is noticed, understood and remembered, and whether it makes people want the product. Example: A mobile phone brand tests two video ads before choosing one for its festive campaign.
- Packaging research: Tests which pack design stands out on the shelf and explains the product most clearly. Example: A ketchup brand compares three pack designs with category buyers. Flickly's packaging A/B testing page covers the method.
- Market segmentation research: Splits buyers into groups with shared needs, so each group gets the right product and message. Example: A two-wheeler brand finds that first-time buyers and buyers upgrading from an older model want very different things.
- Usage and attitude study: A broad study of how people use a category and how they feel about it, often run before entering a new market. Example: A water purifier brand studies how buyers in Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities choose, use and service their purifiers. Flickly's category deep-dive page covers this kind of study.
- Customer satisfaction research: Measures how happy buyers are, and what makes them recommend or leave a brand. Example: A food delivery app tracks satisfaction every quarter to catch problems early.
Examples of market research
Examples of market research are clearest when one study uses several types together.
- Finding what buyers really value: Flickly's 2026 study of washing machine buyers in urban India was primary, quantitative and product research in one. Buyers traded sixteen features against each other, and removing tough stains ranked first while value for money ranked seventh. The full findings are in Flickly's report on what Indians want in a washing machine.
- Choosing which cities to enter: A snack brand uses secondary research to shortlist cities by household spending, then a primary survey to check demand for its flavours in each one.
- Setting a launch price: A juice brand combines concept testing with pricing research, showing the same product idea at different prices to separate groups of buyers.
Which type of market research should you use?
The right type of market research depends on the business question. The same question almost always points to the same type and method.
| Business question | Type of research | Common method | Relative cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Why are buyers leaving? | Qualitative, exploratory | In-depth interviews | Low to medium |
| How many people want this product? | Quantitative, descriptive | Online survey | Medium |
| How big is this market? | Secondary | Reports and government data | Low |
| Which product idea should we build? | Concept testing | Concept test survey | Medium |
| Which of three pack designs works best? | Packaging research, causal | Pack test with separate groups of buyers | Medium |
| What price should we charge? | Pricing research | Price testing survey | Medium |
| How do we compare with rivals? | Competitor research | Survey of category buyers | Medium |
| Is our brand gaining or losing ground? | Brand research | Repeated brand survey | Medium to high |
One rule covers most cases. Start with secondary research, use qualitative research when the question is "why", and use quantitative research when the question is "how many".
Running market research on Flickly
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