Tag: Blog

11 years of growth, 3 lessons for the MR industry  

Posted on by sandra

by Joris De Bruyne, CEO at EyeSee

November is a special time of year; we summarize our insights and consumer behavior trends, workshop plans, and vision boards for the year to come to pin down the increasingly unpredictable (business) future. My mind inevitably goes back to the first ever bucket list EyeSee made in 2012 even before I joined Olivier and the initial team. The team that won me over with their big idea, passion, and dedication they already put into setting the foundation of what we see today. There was only one item on their agenda; launch a platform that would map the eye gaze using webcam and therefore exclude the need for central location testing.   

Although our young core team knew what the goal was, we were yet to understand many things about how the market operates or where we could play our best hand. To say that our initial business strategy needed fine-tuning would be very generous. Thanks to key forward-thinking clients such as Lidl and Smurfit Kappa, we understood that we needed to bridge the technology and insights gap with an integrated offer. 

11 years, 150+ team members, 7 global hubs and countless insights projects for leading clients in our key major industries, I find myself at the helm of the organization. The paradox is that I have way more unanswered questions now than I had in 2012, I’m empowered by the knowledge we’ve picked up as a team along the way. Our strategy is clear and still follows our initial compass of combining scalable behavioral methods.   

Reflecting on our path to sustainable growth, here are three crucial lessons. May these insights inspire and ground your journey to expansion!  

Big idea? Innovation is a marathon, not a sprint. 

In 2012, Olivier Tilleuil (EyeSee’s founder) reflected on different consumer research approaches and noted two things.   

Firstly, most shopping decisions are made in a split second and subconsciously; however, the go-to framework for researching these decisions were explicit methods. In most cases, respondents are not able to verbalize feelings or reasons behind their decisions, so it’s no surprise that surveys ended up being effective in predicting consumer behavior 6 out of 10 times; a little better than rolling the dice.   

Secondly, methods measuring behavior such as eye tracking (mapping the eye gaze) or facial coding (mapping emotions) gave higher predictivity but were cumbersome and commercially inaccessible.   

Developing online Eye Tracking was our first major win which solved the challenges Olivier keenly observed. Very quickly after, while working with our first clients, we were pushed to go beyond eye tracking – facial coding, interactive shelves, and many more methods were launched to meet the research needs of those determined to stay on top of the market. 

Innovation doesn’t stop with the big idea; rather, it is more like an initial bang that will start the chain reaction of transformation and innovation. If it doesn’t provide that “big bang” one may ask, was it a real big idea in the first place? 

Trust your instincts in picking partners  

After our big idea and initial growth and development that led us to travel overseas and open an office in New York, our desire to improve remained strong. However, sometimes, especially when growth is rapid, companies require the assistance of true allies and visionaries. Someone who sees all the possibilities while keeping a bigger picture in mind.  

In our case, that kind of validation, support, and knowledge came from the main investors, ING Corporate Investments, and Smartfin , who acted as our strategic financial partners.

The capital raised was resourcefully invested into building an R&D team, expanding our commercial and operations teams, revamping our organizational structure based on multidisciplinary client pods with agile support teams and opening new markets.  We ended up operating on four continents and providing insights in50+ markets, thanks to our openness and the vision and faith our clients placed in us. We expanded and opened new offices in Mexico and Singapore, all while dealing with a global pandemic. Such results wouldn’t be possible if we were in it alone.  

The partnership was grounded on these solid pillars; trust, and a curiosity for developing new tech that would enable us to take the unbeaten path. 

When in doubt, always set your course forward 

While looking back is grounding, a more important question is – what’s next? If priorities need to be set – what serves the future, as opposed to what we are doing now?   For EyeSee in particular, we plan to continue leading the social media insights game. Our massive collaboration with TikTok in 2023 resulted in the largest behavioral study done on the platform; by testing 60 ads by 20 brands across categories, we were able to discern creative guidelines. 

Cultivating technology is part of our company’s DNA so, for example, it is not surprising that we have released deep learning instead of a machine learning based algorithm for our Eye Tracking methods. Obviously, we are taking that forward across platforms to Mobile. We are also developing a Client Collaboration platform so that our operational efforts can progress smoothly and make insights for our clients more easily accessible with as little friction as possible.  

All these priorities are directly inspired by our clients’ needs. Client-centricity is not only healthy but a key ingredient of success. Stop, listen, collaborate and iterate; it will make you ten-fold better. So, in the future, I see an amazing team of multidisciplinary talented individuals sharing curiosity and eagerness that we are today, to keep making a difference in the exciting market research space of tomorrow.  

Interested in diving deeper into consumer behavior knowledge, tune in and follow our podcast you can acquire here.

    No one-size-fits-all: The many levels to getting the sample size just right

    Posted on by EyeSee Research

    Let’s try something: google ‘sample size’ – what did you get? One of the first search suggestions that come up is definitely a ‘sample size calculator’. But let’s be honest, how applicable is it for real-life research needs?

    To oversimplify, generally, the bigger the sample size, the better – more respondents, more answers, more predictive insights. But is that move always business savvy?

    Let’s take a look at some cases where being smarter and creative adds value when picking the right sample size:

    On your mark, get set, go psychometric

    Ask any researcher, and they will tell you that the guiding light to picking the right sample size is choosing the margin of error (be it 99%, 95%, or 90% – in commercial research, 90% is typical, while in academics, 95% and 99% are the usual go-to’s). Typically, a larger sample size means a smaller error if all other variables are stable.

    Following the basic psychometric principles, you would opt to have (at least) 5 times more respondents than the number of items. While traditionally, the item is a survey question, it can also be the number of SKUs on a virtual shelf. For instance, if you have 100 SKUs – the rule of thumb is to have 500 respondents.

    But for shelf studies, even 300 may be enough when researching the impact on brand and category, which is most often the case. With more respondents, valid and robust insights could be made on an even more granular level of analysis.

    Not every glove will fit the different methods

    Of course, apart from the margin of error, the sample size also depends on the methodology used. While some surveys can include a minimum of 50-75 respondents, Virtual Shopping exercises with a standard-sized shelf need as many as 300 to collect accurate results. To further prove this, a standard (before cleaning the sample) for Facial Coding is 80, while Eye Tracking requires 60 and still yields highly predictive insights.

    Why the vastly different numbers? Well, both Facial Coding and Eye Tracking provide results that are universal for humans and highly biologically determined. This means that we can use smaller samples to determine the way that people perceive specific stimuli. In other words, adding more respondents to the study will not significantly change the results, nor will it enhance the results.*

    Moreover, methods such as RTM, MaxDiff, Conjoint, Findability, etc., require a certain number of people to fully complete the exercise as a minimum to get the insights we need, which can change the starting sample size. 

    It is also essential to keep in mind the analyses that need to be done so that the final output is robust enough at the most granular level of analysis required for the initiative. For example, as our Shopper Insights Director Dobrinka Vicentijevic explained – if you are doing segmentation and want to get 4 segments of consumers with different characteristics, you would start from the group you expect to be least represented and build the sample size from there. If the smallest group you expect to analyze is represented by around 10%, then you will need 1000 people to get 100 of them – and the same logic can be applied to other methods, starting from their minimum sample for the subgroup.

    However, Milica Kovac, EyeSee’s Senior Product Manager, underlines the importance of not having too many quotas and cross-quotas in online studies – it requires real-time monitoring of each and every respondent that comes into the database and knowing exactly which quotas will close when. An alternative for some studies conducted online would be a carefully planned combination of softer quotas and statistical procedures that follow. But what should you do if you need to conduct a specific analysis (e.g., brand split) but don’t have enough users?

    What Heather Graham, Client Service Director at EyeSee, believes is a solution for this is knowing the brand user volume market share. When it comes to testing pack redesigns, for example, this allows us to estimate the natural fallout of users from a category-representative sample and determine just how many are needed to boost the sample. This further ensures an analyzable base size of users for pack redesigns.

    Yeah, statistics are cool, but do you know your consumer?

    But then there are times when the sample size is not dictated just by the analysis – but by the end-user of the study results. For example, in category management studies (planogram and decision tree studies), the main KPI is sales potential.

    So, when the client knows that 1% of real sales growth brings millions in revenue to the company, showing that 15% in sales growth is statistically irrelevant due to a small sample size is simply not the way to go. That’s why the sample is increased for the sake of usability and reliability of the obtained data for such studies.

    However, if the incidence rate of a particular consumer group is extremely low – instead of increasing the sample drastically to naturally capture enough consumers from that group, an adequate sample is taken for all other required target groups instead. Then the number of people with extremely low IR is boosted as a separate sample.

    Be savvy when choosing the right research design

    A monadic research design entails a study in which the respondent evaluates only one product, concept or ad – rather than comparing it to different test stimuli. In doing so, you can ensure that the data you get is not influenced by any other stimuli.

    But there is a good reason why sequential (monadic) designs also exist, and the insights they unlock can be priceless when compared to the standard monadic approach – especially when testing the sales potential of new products. Not only does it require a smaller sample, but by having the same people make two shopping trips, one in a competitive environment before the new product introduction and then another one with the new product launched and implemented on the shelves or webpages, it captures the all-important switching behavior and potential cannibalization effects.

    Why are we talking about the design so much? Well, sample sizes are a part of the research design and having a comprehensive understanding of the design characteristics opens up room for sample size optimization!

    Key takeaways:

    • Don’t throw psychometric principles out the window – but leave space for optimization and sample tinkering to boost the reliability of research findings
    • Different methods have their own rulebook –their requirements can be vastly different, so it is vital to have an in-depth understanding of each one
    • Know who your audience is – both in terms of who will use the data and the target audience you recruit
    • Be picky about research design – it is not impossible to answer more questions with a seemingly smaller sample size

    *For a more detailed breakdown of choosing a sample size for these methods, check out this Proof of Method! 

      One way to become competitive in insights: Ten milestones that defined our behavioral formula

      Posted on by EyeSee Research

      A decade and many milestones ago, a practical yet innovative idea was cooked up by EyeSee founders – make it easier and more predictive for brands to understand how their consumers think and shop. What began with the goal of removing bias in market research data led to the development of proprietary methodology, tools and an entire suite of solutions that provide actionable insights across any consumer touchpoint. Market research has been around for over 120 years, but the real tectonic shift happened just in the last couple of decades – and all the new tech will only continue to transfigure both the industry and EyeSee!

      Here are the 10 formative milestones that have defined our path to impactful behavioral insights – so far:

      #1 Out with the old, in with quant behavioral

      What initially sparked the ambition to seek outside the boundaries of research was knowing that +80% of research uses conscious measurements only – limiting the scope and depth of insights needed to make sound business decisions. This made it clear – to truly understand consumers and what drives their decision-making process, the magnifying glass must be on their behavior.

      So, our first behavioral method, Eye Tracking, was developed – to pinpoint what respondents are (not) seeing and what reels in their attention when looking at a product or an ad. With it came ideas about decoding consumer emotions and the tech for Facial Coding was brought to life. Quickly after, Virtual Shopping and Reaction Time Measurement were introduced to complete our mix-method approach for reliable consumer learnings. And for all of these methods to be on their best behavior (pun fully intended), all that is needed is the respondents’ own laptops and mobile devices.

      #2 Going global and growing further

      And expanding our tools, tech and knowledge further powered our global expansion – with many new talents joining us all around the globe and growing our team from 4 to 144! To guarantee clients across all time zones and regions have accessible behavioral insights, footholds in New York, Singapore, Mexico City, Antwerp, Belgrade, London and Paris were established.

       The truth is, each new region bears new challenges and demands – from the digital-first, mobile-savvy markets in the Asia-Pacific and rising social commerce initiatives to the undeniable global need for omnichannel optimization. So, every EyeSee hub was built with a laser focus on the locations where we identified a critical mass of novel and specific research questions, testing needs, and brand requirements.

      #3 Thinking out of the box and in context

      The number one question in the MR industry is: how does one ensure mighty yet accessible consumer knowledge? The answer – in-context research. While behavioral methodologies uncover the nook and crannies of behavior crucial for understanding consumers, you must make sure that what you are measuring is authentic and natural.

      Guided by this vision, we thought of the tech that would be able to virtually recreate any setting or environment that consumers are familiar with and test – anything from stores, supermarkets, and restaurants to e-commerce shops, websites and fully interactive social media feeds! This could not have been possible without our ever-growing Research & Development team working tirelessly to perfect the complexities behind this tech and innovate internal tools that support client inquiries and research needs.

      #4 Remote measures as a new standard

      When the whole world was forced to stay indoors and find alternatives in many aspects of life and work – we moved into our home offices. The approach behind our research was always online and remote and the turbulent times only underlined the need for alternative methods to the ways everyday things were done – including research.

      These pressures of uncertainty and the unfeasibility of the traditional way consumer research was conducted accelerated the adoption of innovation and pushed many brands to uncover the exciting world of online behavioral research. Now, two years later, as the demand continues to increase, more and more brands are embracing this new way of gathering vital know-how. Online behavioral research has quickly become the go-to for staying on top of trends, demands and needs of consumers – all while creating opportunities for fresh forms of cooperation with clients and allowing a more hands-on and collaborative approach to research.

      #5 Exploring the unexplored and non-traditional

      One of our project milestones was inspired by another milestone that happened in history in the last few years – the record-high participation of women in the Olympics. We joined forces with a social media platform to take a much-needed dive into the way gender roles in sports are portrayed in social media advertising – and, in turn, the impact it has on the brand and its consumers.

      The learnings were unexpected yet compelling – ads featuring female athletes outperformed campaigns with male protagonists on almost all KPIs. Generally, across the tested ads, a definite driver of purchasing behavior was the non-traditional portrayal of gender roles – such as, women’s stamina and engagement in sports that are typically considered masculine and men shown as paternal, caring, and emotional.

      #6 Seizing sustainable shopper behavior

      A growing number of consumers are adamant about making the planet a cleaner place – so, what’s stopping them? We wanted to understand all the plentiful opportunities at which brands can support their consumers in their endeavors to buy, live and act greener.

      The behavioral data was hopeful, showing that over 86% of shoppers are ripe to embrace the change and opt for more eco-friendly products. However, brands must help them in this by utilizing effective communication through the proper product claims, impactful social media content, and tapping into the yet uncharted categories that shoppers want to buy.

      #7 Feeling the consumer’s pulse – at all times

      Consumer behavior is always evolving – and at (un) certain times, it can change in completely unexpected ways. It has always been imperative for brands to keep a close eye on their behavior, but inflation has put consumers under immense pressure causing seismic activities in their sentiments. So, how are the rising prices affecting buying behavior – what can companies do in response? We took a tech-driven approach leveraging virtual shopping to find out.

      By testing in virtual supermarket replicas, we uncovered that one of the factors that impact consumer decision-making is the frequency at which a category is bought – for instance, in the low-frequency category, shoppers now tend to opt for a smaller package within the same brand. But there are some wild card categories to be aware of, like Bacon and Beer, that remain untouchable under inflationary pressures – don’t underestimate the power of self-indulgence!

      #8 The power of knowledge lies in sharing it

      Researching the latest trends, identifying windows of opportunity, and helping clients develop only the best for their consumers is only one side of the market research coin. As much as gathering insights and learnings is critical, being able to share this knowledge is just as, and if not more, important.

      So, over the last decade, we published 130+ blogs and 40+ webinars, 4 (and counting) annual publications and had 70+ speaking opportunities at global events in an effort to make actionable behavioral insights truly accessible to everybody everywhere – and will continue to do so!

      #9 It takes a team effort to push research boundaries   

      Our innovations, tools, and tech would be nothing without the tenacious support and strong partnerships we forged with our clients along the way. Having their unique perspective, requirements and questions continue to spark our drive to create and develop solutions that are changing the research game. 

      Clients like Google, Microsoft, Colgate-Palmolive, Energizer have also played a crucial role in our commitment to sharing knowledge, joining us on stage and in webinars to advocate for behavioral research, and amplify the reach of smart consumer insights.

      #10 The award-winning behavioral framework

      The decade-old mission to help brands better understand their customers and provide them with a competitive edge was initially kickstarted in 2014 when EyeSee won Bizidee’s Belgian startup competition and got first place at the Global Mobile Innovator contest in NYC. And this was only the beginning of an array of recognitions to come! In 2019, we teamed up with Microsoft and won the award for the Global Market Research Project in the Quirk’s Marketing Research and Insight Excellence awards. A year later, our long-lasting partnership with Twitter resulted in an exciting project, ‘(Non)traditional gender roles in sports ads’, that was recognized as the Advertising Research Project of the year.

      That same year, we were honored with Deloitte’s Most sustainable growth award celebrating the most consistent growth across the last several years and with Quirk’s Market Research Supplier recognition! Speaking of the Quirk’s awards, we were also finalists in 2 categories in 2022 – MR supplier of the year and Global Marketing Research Project with Colgate-Palmolive! And just last year, we were shortlisted in the LVMH Innovation Awards showcasing companies with a unique vision of the future of customer experience and had our very own Insights Director, Diego Adolfo Chávez Terrazas, become Quirk’s Fearless Leader! In addition, EyeSee continues to be among the Deloitte Technology fast 50 for the 6th consecutive year and we are thrilled to see what the next 10 years will bring – here’s to growing further and beyond!

        Forecasting innovation success: The power of NPD market share projection

        Posted on by EyeSee Research

        The pressure of launching an NPD is something every company eventually faces – and with massive investments in new product development, many brands might forgo the NPD efforts, especially during economic pressures. But uncertain times have proven to be the mother of innovation, and now is the time to think about pushing out new products and tapping into the changing consumer needs.

        Check out Marija Djordjevic (Product Director) and Milica Kovac (Product Manager) on this latest NPD Market Share Projection framework designed to estimate the in-market success of newly developed products by leveraging virtual environments:

        What is the crucial first step in NPD testing?

        One of the most important steps in every research study is Screening. Recruiting the right target audience is critical – especially for a new product launch strategy. That’s why necessary steps to pinpoint the right target audience for each study and do so diligently.

        Nowadays, most automated research platforms on the market only allow researchers to pick category shoppers, at best. Driven by this, we ensured our solution is highly customizable and tailored to each study – by adding more granular subcategory criteria, including usage frequency, understanding brand awareness and openness to purchasing the new product, and even filtering the geolocation in some cases. With every added testing criteria, the potential risk of a new launch gets smaller.

        On top of this, with the remote research approach, we can conduct studies in over 40 countries across the globe via respondents’ mobile or desktop devices – enabling our clients to tap into any market.

        How does this solution ensure in-store and digital innovation success?

        As the world of e-commerce continues to take the world by storm, more and more brands have been on a mission to establish their online presence. So, it goes without saying that nowadays, most new products end up on both the in-store and digital shelves. But what works in digital might not have the same impact in B&M, and vice versa.

        And this is where the contextual research of our NPD solution comes into play. Given that our tests are conducted remotely and on respondents’ devices to enable the findings’ scalability, developing highly realistic yet virtual shopping environments was essential. So, when it comes to new product launches in stores, we are able to recreate any store or retail environment with high accuracy, allowing shoppers to buy products as they normally would. With eye tracking, we can also measure respondents’ eye gazes to understand what they are or are not looking at and if they are noticing the new product on the shelf.

        The same goes for e-commerce – we can develop websites or webpage mock-ups such as Amazon, Target, Kroger – and let respondents shop and explore as they do in real life while we collect data about their shopping behavior.

        Having the ability and agility to put them in such a context that feels familiar and authentic and do so remotely for any market is undoubtedly the key player in estimating the success of any new product launch strategy.

        Why is a sequential monadic approach king in innovation testing?

        In order to really capture the switching behavior and potential cannibalization effects, EyeSee’s NPD solution rests on the premise of having the same people make two shopping purchases, one in a competitive environment before the new product introduction and then another one with a new product launched and implemented on the shelves or webpages.

        Of course, there can be certain bottlenecks with this approach, which is why it was crucial to develop tactics that overcome the potential downsides of sequential design – such as putting a cognitive load on people’s working memory with different memory tasks between purchases, exposing them to marketing materials, catalogs or newsletters with the NPD incorporated, etc.

        What does an NPD study entail and uncover?

        To help you paint the picture of what a Market share estimation study for brick and mortar looks like, we have conducted an NPD study that aimed to verify the EyeSee NPD solution against real-life sales data. Just like any NPD, the tested product had a specific proposition: it came from a beloved and trusted brand that’s a category leader but aimed to enter a completely new space – the breakfast category. With its type of packaging and position on the shelf, this product represented an alternative to instant oatmeal breakfasts.

        Just a few months before our study, the new product hit the shelves on the local market, allowing us to longitudinally follow the development of its sales on the one hand and conduct the study among consumers unaware of its existence on the other. This, in turn, provided the insights that confirmed our NPD solution based on virtual shelves, gives a reliable estimate of real NPD sales in the first year of launch.

        Additionally, the switching analysis on SKU level uncovered that not only oatmeals but some less expected breakfast categories also represent a relevant competition to this NPD. Consumers don’t switch within the same product category and same packaging type, but within the same flavor, same price range and consumption purpose.

        Interested in maximizing your new product development success? Reach out to us!

            Fresh perspective at EyeSee: Behavioral research as the key player in a crisis

            Posted on by EyeSee Research

            What are some of the innovative ways brands have been supporting consumers during difficult times like economic crises? Which markets and sectors have been benefiting from behavioral research and which ones are still missing out on it? How is tech changing the future of MR and is it really the key to successful innovation – both for brands and research suppliers? To answer these burning questions, we sat down with our new yet seasoned experts, Jason Bradbury (Senior Director of Client Service, EyeSee) and Vinay Rao (Director, Business Development APAC) and picked their brains on the current (and future) market research landscape. With their vast expertise covering the US, and the APAC markets, respectfully, we wanted to dive deep into the differences and opportunities each one has.

            Yes, brands are doing a lot to support consumers – but you can do more

            When talking about the different ways companies and brands have been helping their consumers under these inflationary pressures, Vinay stated that there had been innovative examples of leading brands in the APAC region, such as Lazada, who are paving the way in supporting consumers. Even tech giants like Apple are coming up with ways to ease this transitionary period for their users by introducing various payment plans. However, in Vinay’s opinion more opportunities for retailers lie in teaming up with e-commerce platforms to identify spaces where they can truly align and tap into the consumers’ current needs to drive growth.

            As Jason explained, historically, brands that have been active in promoting social change, community and tackling global issues were able to build more solid connections with their consumers – which in turn, reassured shoppers of their brand choices and provided them with new reasons to continue to support them despite potential changes like price increases. Furthermore, he noted, the state of the current economy presents a moment of “reappraisal” where shoppers reconsider how and where to spend their money. For many brands, this disruptive moment might push more shoppers towards Private Labels due to the lower price points – which only emphasizes the need for leading brands to create added value for their products even more. That’s where innovating comes in – either as introducing new products to market or going beyond the product and connecting with shoppers over bigger issues that create a sense of collaboration and partnership.

            Luxury and digital are actually lagging behind FMCG

            Both Vinay and Jason agreed that behavioral MR has had an undoubtable impact on the FMCG industry – with the virtual shopping environments empowering brands to accurately measure key performance indicators of product visibility, navigation, emotional connection, and sales potential with a remote and scalable approach. For Jason, the manner in which the shopper engages in mainstream FMCG products – either physically in store or in digital marketplaces is generally consistent across retailers and relatively easy to produce – thus making measuring consumer behavior in these areas reliable.

            On the other hand, and maybe paradoxical, one domain Vinay believes is missing out on the fruits of behavioral research is, in fact, e-commerce. His perspective is that tech such as eye tracking and click tracking uncovering how users interact with e-comm platforms – and, more importantly, how they make purchase decisions can go a long way for many e-tailers.

            A few more areas that Jason acknowledges could benefit from behavioral, contextual research: products that have longer purchase cycles – such as, home fixtures, furniture, automotive, etc., and luxury or high-end consumer goods. But as research technology continues to transform and these categories become easier to engage with, more opportunities will arise for behavioral-driven insights to guide marketing decision-making.   

            The true way to democratize MR is driven to embrace novel tech

            From Vinay’s perspective, tech is transforming research in 2 major ways – firstly, the visualization of the shopping experience and that realism that brands typically try to achieve through surveys. With the simulated retail stores, websites and social media feeds, brands can obtain a more predictive response by putting consumers in environments that feel real to them. Another way tech is elevating research is its accessibility – it is faster and more cost-effective. Even reporting has evolved, through dashboards and various platforms, allowing a more nuanced look into the consumer insights.

            The strength of consumer insights that are derived from these immersive testing environments is something Jason finds the most exciting. The more realistic stimuli presentation and truer system-1 focused performance assessments, he notes, are ultimately narrowing the divide between traditional question-and-answer research and that which can be captured from observing actual real-life consumer behavior.

            You must rethink innovation and everything it encompasses

            As Jason stated, innovation must be based on creating benefits and added value for the end-user – both for brands and research suppliers. While brands must focus on enriching the consumer experience through meaningful product enhancements, features and benefits, suppliers’ mission should be to ensure that their solutions yield in-depth insights on how shoppers engage with brands and products. This will result in improved decision-making power, give enhanced agility to the end-user, and allow research professionals to better support their clients via deeper partnership and delivery of relevant thought leadership.

            The key to successful innovation, however, in not relying solely on technology – taking a step back and looking at the entire ecosystem of a business and THEN using tech to fill the gaps that were not possible in the past. Companies should allocate some research budgets to explore new and innovative methods and do so consistently until they become a part of the culture and their KPIs. But what is also crucial at the moment and will be in the upcoming months is the resilience of a business both in terms of economic uncertainties and sustainability – so brands must focus their innovation efforts on that as well.

            Interested in how to stay on top of the recession? Check out our series on the ongoing crisis and the fresh study findings on different pricing strategies!

            Jason Bradbury is the Senior Director of client service at EyeSee and a highly seasoned research professional of 30 years. He partnered with many Fortune 500 firms on marketing communications and shopper insights engagements.

            Vinay Rao is New Business Development Director at EyeSee with a broad experience in the Market research industry across four countries in APAC and with various methodologies in shopper, innovation, and brand research.

              Feeling the consumer pulse: Confidence and sentiment amid crisis

              Posted on by EyeSee Research

              As reports of the plunging consumer confidence continue to emerge in the developing global situation and inflation becomes a challenge across the world – the critical question for marketers and businesses is: what will be the impact on shoppers’ behavior? In a comprehensive study, our team took a closer look at the shifting sentiment in new circumstances using a tech-driven approach leveraging virtual shopping.

              This is part two of a three-part series on global inflation and its impact on consumer confidence – check out part one and get the full report!

              How did we approach this complex question?

              The first wave of this study focused on the US market – but stay tuned for EU results! In order to gain an in-depth insight into consumer confidence, the study included two separate samples. One group was exposed to virtual shopping exercises, while the other sample completed a conjoint exercise – both followed by the same survey aimed to identify new patterns of behavior and understand shoppers’ perspectives on the current situation.

              When the prices change, consumers behave differently

              As inflation brings on new challenges for both businesses and consumers, many brands across industries are faced with pressures to change parts of their businesses in order to combat the effects of the uncertain economic environment. One such strategy is increasing their prices – but this comes with certain risks. For instance, if just some brands increase their costs and it is possible for shoppers to compare the price tags on the shelf, we’ve seen that the most price-sensitive ones walk away from the shelf. However, when the whole category increases the prices, comparison shopping makes the differences in pricing less obvious, so consumer behavior remains consistent. Another factor to keep in mind is how frequently a product is bought – and the changes across these categories are not to be amiss.

              Low frequency category: Body wash and dish detergent

              A noticeable trend for the low-frequency category is that shoppers tend to opt for a smaller package within the same brand. So, when deciding on a body wash and dishwashing detergent, they do stick with a brand they already trust but choose smaller volume packs. On top of this, the findings uncovered that the most significant drop in demand for this category was exactly with the bigger packages from the best-selling brands.

              What is important to remember here is when the best-selling brands are the ones taking the price increase, they stand to see the impact the most – but here the good news is that pack size can still play a role in consumer decision-making. 

              High frequency category: Bacon and Chips

              What happens when  the prices increase for the products that get purchased more frequently? We have noticed a general switch towards alternatives and exploration of different brands​ that didn’t change the costs. So, when talking about chips, most shoppers are quick to jump to a different brand altogether – and since there is a great variety of these products, they’re easily replaced. Therefore, price increase leads to a significant drop in brands’ penetration when 1/3 of the brands increase

              Another reason for the change in consumer behavior might be that the prices are more aligned across the category, so the price increase is easily noticed (3.99 or 3.59 as the standard price).

              Interestingly, the bacon category didn’t see ANY changes – there was no sensitivity to price increases, no switching between brands and the best-sellers remained the best, and some performed even better when the prices jumped.

              Volume changes are risky business

              So, if the price increases, shoppers tend to go for the smaller packs. But, does this mean that brands should decrease the sizes of their products? Well, this tactic can be risky in the long run since consumers might feel tricked if not properly communicated. 

              But there are 2 scenarios where it could be done – if all the brands in a category align and decrease the volumes at the same time OR there is such variation across the category that it’s really not possible to compare the different sizes easily. Overall, volume decreases are another strategy brands could leverage to tackle times of crisis, but keep in mind that consumers become more sensitive to any changes during these periods, so decreasing the volumes without transparent communication could lead to frustration.

              Shoppers would rather skip buying than go for Private Label

              Even when high inflationary pressures do not affect the everyday life of consumers, the biggest challenge brands have to deal with is remaining competitive – especially with the growing penetration of private label brands. With the appealing prices combined with the on-par quality of shopper-favorite products, private label packs have been making their way into consumer carts more and more over the last years.

              Now, in the changed global setting with higher price points, it would be expected that consumers would gravitate even more towards PL brands that are friendlier to their wallets. However, as mentioned above, shoppers actually prefer to stick to the brand they already use rather than trying to find alternatives and switching to a completely new private label product. 

              This is particularly true for the low frequency category – since consumers buy these less regularly and the tested products were for personal care, it makes sense that they want to continue to buy the ones they trust and know perform well. More good news for brands is that the findings showed that sales for the private labels actually stay consistent throughout different price increase scenarios – meaning there is no migration of shoppers!

              If you want to hear how experts at Kraft Heinz are navigating the crisis, make sure you check out the entire webinar:

                  Keeping up with the latest crisis: Consumer confidence and pricing sensitivity

                  Posted on by EyeSee Research

                  Co-written by Vinay Rao, New Business Development Director, APAC at EyeSee. 

                  Two years into the pandemic, the world is faced with another crisis – and the shake in consumer confidence could be felt across all markets. As the gas prices reach record highs, so do the concerns about the cost of daily lives. The long lines at the supermarkets at the start of the pandemic were replaced by queues at the gas stations across the world. The surge in consumer confidence was evident. So what is the first step brands should take to stay on top of this new global complex environment?

                  Every crisis has unique qualities

                  All the new pressures of this crisis have led to similar challenges brands had to make two years ago – shortages, supply chain issues, and consequently, prioritization of product distribution. Due to this, brands had to make complex decisions in terms of trimming their portfolio, reducing pack sizes and counts, or shifting pricing at the same time.

                  Relying on past data is simply not an option now when pricing sensitivity is fluctuating and consumer confidence is unstable. Although previous experiences with different recession periods showed us the various consumer reactions across categories – it is brands’ reactions that are also changing the market landscape.

                  Shifting pricing and sensitivity

                  One of the go-to ways brands have been navigating crisis is by adjusting their pricing strategies due to production and raw material costs. But the biggest question lies in how does this impact consumer behavior? We’ve seen reports of prices doubling up across all industries, and consumers were spending more on groceries and items than the previous year until inflation – but now are mostly resorting to cost-saving measures and new purchase behavior. And our latest study showed that when 1/3 of products prices increase – price sensitive shoppers drop out and the value share decreases.

                  In the current climate of uncertainty, even loyal consumers can seek more cost-effective options. So, prices shouldn’t be the only thing that changes – rethinking the approach to promotions and marketing is a necessary step brands must take to ensure consumer trust.

                  Volume and size changes

                  Under the inflationary pressure, another strategy manufacturers and brands are opt for is reducing pack sizes and product volumes. Because the price of production of individual SKUs increased, downsizing products and distributing lower volume standards is a safe bet for brands – but this can be risky in the long run. However, our comprehensive study uncovered that there are two situations when it makes sense.

                  An effective way to de-risk the impact of both volume and price changes on shopper behavior is to understand how to feel consumers’ pulse in the right context and showcase the brand’s value beyond price.

                  Behavioral methods such as virtual stores offer precise insights into a realistic model of consumer behavior. In order to get a better understanding of the current buying behavior, EyeSee tested 4 different product categories in various shopping scenarios – including price and volume changes.

                    A hard look at eye tracking: What is the ‘best’ solution on the market

                    Posted on by EyeSee Research

                    Written by Milica Kovac (Product Manager) and Jelisaveta Milovanovic (Senior Data Analyst) at EyeSee.

                    This is the first installment of the series focusing on eye tracking solutions and their validation – stay tuned for more!

                    It’s no secret that market research has had a serious glow-up in the past years and with it new methods keep emerging. Eye tracking, although not entirely novel, has been a major area of innovation. However, with a plethora of commercially available solutions comes a familiar challenge – how does one navigate all the options and make a sound business choice? What makes a ‘good’ eye tracking method to begin with?

                    For a little over a year, we’ve set out to test every relevant eye tracking tech. Based on market demand and sophistication, eye tracking tech worth your time can be sorted into 4 main groups:

                    • head-mounted glasses
                    • screen-based portable eye tracking system
                    • smartphone eye tracking
                    • web-based desktop eye-tracking

                    So, let’s gaze at what we’ve uncovered (pun entirely intended):

                    Head-mounted glasses designed for testing in any real-world setting
                    (Commercial eye-tracker market leader)

                    PROS: You can test in any real-world setting just by putting on the glasses and going to a real-life store / or lab-store. It also allows a high sampling frequency which yields good data quality results.

                    CONS: The technology is expensive, and as such, it is not accessible for remote testing and is not scalable. The calibration procedure requires the presence of an examiner next to the respondent as well as high-tech requirements, like using special markers for the calibration procedure.

                    Portable eye tracking system for screen-based eye tracking (EyeLink Portable Duo)

                    PROS: It is a video-based eye-tracker with one of the best accuracy and precision currently available. With a sampling frequency up to 2000Hz, it gives high-quality data results and can be applied in more rigorous areas than marketing – academic research can serve as a “ground truth.”

                    CONS: It is a costly technology that requires testing in a “lab” with controlled conditions – lighting and equipment position is crucial, and the head stabilizer should preferably be used. It is not accessible for remote testing, and as such, it is not scalable. The calibration procedure requires the presence of an examiner next to the respondent and high tech requirements such as using special equipment for testing, a host PC next to the display PC, etc.

                    Smartphone eye tracking technology for remote research studies (Oculid)

                    PROS: It is easily accessible with minimal tech requirements – only some phone memory for installing the app, good lighting and minimal head movements. It is scalable and can be used in remote conditions by virtually anyone who has a smartphone. It requires a simple calibration and can be used in fast and global studies.

                    CONS: There are limitations in the stimuli type – you can’t test shelf studies via mobile. The validation data is still not available, but in our experience, it yields good enough results for testing in a market research context, especially having that mind it is mobile-based.

                    Web-based desktop eye-tracking technology for remote research studies (EyeSee)

                    PROS: The tech is easily accessible with not a lot of requirements – again, only some PC memory for installing the app, good lighting and minimal head movements. It is scalable and can be used in remote conditions by anyone with a PC, enabling fast and global studies. It has a simple calibration process and ensures ethical consciousness – the app erases itself from the PC once the test is done.

                    CONS: A lower sampling frequency than external device eye-trackers. For desktop ET, there are limitations in terms of testing stimuli that are too complex.

                    Ok, how should you pick the ‘ideal’ eye tracking solution for you?

                    With the commercial accessibility of the third-generation eye trackers, both researchers and brands have gained a quite straightforward way of gathering insights. But, while the current eye tracking options on the market aren’t endless, picking the right one for your research needs might seem challenging. So, here is a set of criteria to consider for your particular research needs:

                    All of this can affect data quality, so conducting thorough data cleaning is an important step. What we have noticed is that most tech does not have the option to clean the data, whereas our website-based solution allows both manual and automatic cleaning – and top of that, we accept 50% of the tested sample to secure the highest validity and precision of the obtained insights.  

                    Verdict

                    Our endeavor led to an assessment that the desktop and mobile apps are, generally speaking, convenient and optimized for market research studies. This is especially true for those that need to be done quickly and with numerous stimuli. App-based remote eye tracking is also easier for respondents to use, ensuring a larger study sample and more valid insights. After all, it’s worth remembering that scalability and predictive power are what ROI dreams are made of.

                    If this article sparked your interest in the latest developments in behavioral insights, make sure to check out this blog about attention retention (during polarizing times such as global crises).

                      Let’s connect! Upcoming conferences and latest insights

                      Posted on by EyeSee Research

                      In turmoil between a pandemic and a war affecting the global market, a shake in consumer experience could be felt across all industries. With many changes already affecting the shifting landscape, EyeSee’s brightest Business development Directors are venturing to a couple of events to tackle new behavioral learnings on consumer confidence, price sensitivity, and unique online consumer needs and trends in a digital arena. Here is a breakdown of the upcoming events to keep in mind!

                      First up: ESOMAR webinar | April 7

                      EyeSee’s Directors Dobrinka Vicentijevic and Jie Ying Chow, alongside top insights experts Sanchita Ray (Lazada Group), Natnicha Bhumaratana (Charoen Pokphand Foods), Anindita Mitra (Danone) are untangling how brands can promote sustainability and drive innovations of the online consumer experience. Tune on April 7 at 3PM SGT / 9 AM CET – register here!

                      Stay ahead of global crisis: Quirk’s Chicago | April 11

                      If you are interested to learn on the latest behavioral study insights on what the shaken consumer confidence means for pricing and pack sensitivities, EyeSee’s Business Development Director, Heather Graham and Kraft Heinz Head of Insights, Sarah Zangler, will join the stage at Quirk’s Chicago to tackle the current global crisis that is affecting consumer experience. Join them on April 11 at 9:45 AM in Room 3 here!

                      Seize the opportunity on Social Media: IIEX North America | April 20

                      Join Laura Hoste at IIEX North America on April 20 at 3 PM CDT to learn how brands can optimize ads on social media, stimulate a purchase with their main message, and ensure that ads drive attention and likability. Join us!

                        #FollowInsight: Finishing Women’s Month right!

                        Posted on by EyeSee Research

                        Introducing #FollowInsight – insightful sessions where we will cover all the latest insights brands should know about!

                        With many brands still using the traditional gender representation in advertising, the questions of societal change remain –  how are non-traditional gender roles perceived in advertising campaigns? Can they open new doors to social change while still improving brand equity?

                        In the light of Women’s History Month, we are looking back into how advertising portrayals of gender roles influence brand perception, viewer’s focus, and implicitly affect consumer purchase behavior – with three impactful insights from our work with Twitter. EyeSee’s Digital Insights Director, Morana Kristek, is tackling the sought-after insights that can help brands drive awareness and avoid advertising errors in the future.

                        Here’s a session with three essential insights – but make sure to check out the full study for all the insights:

                        Interested in social media in-feed testing? Reach out to us for more details at [email protected]

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