What are the common biases in market research?

Common biases in market research include confirmation bias, sampling bias, response bias, and non-response bias.

Confirmation bias is a common issue in market research. This occurs when researchers subconsciously favour information that confirms their pre-existing beliefs or hypotheses. For example, if a researcher believes that a new product will be popular among young people, they may unintentionally focus on data that supports this belief and ignore data that contradicts it. This can lead to inaccurate results and misguided business decisions.

Sampling bias is another common problem. This happens when the sample of people surveyed is not representative of the overall population. For example, if a company only surveys its existing customers, the results may not accurately reflect the views of potential customers or the wider market. This can lead to a skewed understanding of customer needs and preferences.

Response bias is a type of bias that occurs when respondents do not provide truthful or accurate answers. This can happen for a variety of reasons. For instance, respondents may want to present themselves in a positive light, or they may not fully understand the questions. They might also be influenced by the way questions are worded or ordered. This can lead to misleading results.

Non-response bias is the bias that results from a large number of people not responding to a survey. Those who do not respond may have different views or characteristics than those who do, leading to a non-representative sample. For example, if a survey is sent out via email, people without regular internet access or those who rarely check their emails may be underrepresented.

In conclusion, biases in market research can significantly impact the accuracy of the results and the subsequent business decisions made based on those results. Therefore, it's crucial for researchers to be aware of these biases and take steps to mitigate them.