Discuss Internet as a tool to International marketing research Essay

Discuss Internet as a tool to International marketing research - Essay Example This type of research must always have some form of data collection, whether it be secondary research or primary research, which is collected direct from a respondent. There are two types of research: quantitative and qualitative. Quantitative research involves numbers. An example, a fast food chain might ask customers to rate the service as excellent, good, poor or very poor. Qualitative research tries to understand how or why things are the way they are. The research involves more face-to-face contact. An example, a research might ask a consumers why they have decided to buy a certain type of soft drink. The Internet has changed how marketing research has changed internationally. Why, percentage wise, half the homes in the United States have computers. This movement came about for four reasons: the prices of personal computers are decreasing, current home connections, slow, but are now becoming more rapid, companies are spending large amounts of money on small internet- only computers, and the introduction of web television. All these factors have, and will continue to increase the number of people with access to the internet. What will also increase is the potential to gather information from consumers, access secondary data sources, advertise and sell products. This is a great advantage to businesses, and not just big businesses. Another advantage of the internet is that it puts all businesses-small and large- on a level playing field, in terms of marketing to potential customers through the internet. Marketing to customers over the internet requires research which is why market researchers are so important to the process. What are the international implications of internet marketing research International marketing research projects have been extremely complex to control and although researchers can communicate with market participants around the globe doing research on the internet can be expensive. To do effective international research, the researcher must consider two aspects particular to this kind of marketing research translation and culture.First aspect It is important that in different countries experts translate multilingual research because a textbook understanding of a language does not properly capture the required nuances. Also, countries differ in how they may use one particular word. Second aspect It is important that multicultural research requires a careful review as to the cultural tastes, preferences and taboos in each participating country. For example, in the United States and Europe opinion polls about state dignitaries are commonplace and newspapers, and magazines frequently print them. Yet, it is highly unlikely that an opinion poll about the royal family of Thailand would ever be conducted there, or published. Advantages The advantages of the internet and market research is that databases with incomplete addresses, lost international mail, time delays from mailing, and expensive time traveling have all been reduced considerably. Advertising According to a survey conducted by Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, there is a more mainstream audience present on the internet. That means a great deal to the business community. Advantages for advertising on the internet. First, businesses can reach their targeted audiences better. Websites request personal information about the