"You cannot be successful if you do not understand what the consumer wants in a soft drink. Thus, in order to introduce new products, initiate marketing activities or find the right time to initiate a new activity in Romania, we verify consumer needs by using both quantitative or qualitative market research studies and then make a decision. It is extremely important that we know what to offer at the right moment," says Ipsos Interactive Services Marketing & Communication Director, Raluca Nicolae.
Market research brings better knowledge not only of the company's position and market share, but also of the consumer, allowing marketing funds to be spent in a manner that would ensure the best possible results. Market research is extremely useful in understanding consumer behavior, according to the Public Affairs and Communication Coordinator at Coca-Cola Roma nia, Cristina Biciila. Further- more, knowledge about the domestic market and consumers are at the basis of marketing strate- gies, which is why market research is a frequently used tool. Market research can also offer a view on the health of a company's brands, products and services, according to Raluca Nicolae.
Some €25 million were spent last year on market research, while in 2005 this amounted to only €19 million. This activity has increased due to company interest in using such market research when developing marketing strategies. The evolution of market research in Romania is comparable with that in other Eastern European countries.
There is a trend on the international market according to which companies are orienting themselves towards online market research. In Romania, market research is used more in relation to production activities (51 percent share of the market), fol- lowed by consumer goods (FMCG), at 40 percent. The pharmaceutical industry, vehicle manufacturing, financial services and retail also use market research on a regular basis. The highest market research costs are in Japan, twice the global average, while cheapest is in Ecuador. Costs for market research in Romania, India and Bulgaria are low compared to the global average.
