When markets in an industry change somehow, either from new ideas or technological changes, successful organizations quickly begin new research projects to develop conclusions on how they should react to the change. Market research allows these organizations new insights on how changes in their own company can benefit from shifts in the market. Different circumstances can arise that lead to organizations being indecisive about how to react, and, therefore, they are essentially unable to benefit from new market movements.

Knowing whether or not your product is something that will sell is one of the biggest questions in marketing. You might think your new product or service is going to sweep the market away, but without having a foundation of information about your customer’s wants and needs, you can’t know if your product is going to do well.

In the past two years, we have watched the Big Data phenomenon lead the market research industry in a new direction. Organizations have built immense databases with information on everything from science to retail, from government to consumer opinions. As growth continues and big data plays a larger role in marketing decisions, suggestions that big data will push out traditional market research have been discussed. But, in all reality, that simply will not happen.

The U.S. weight loss market has hit a plateau, experiencing  little growth over the last 6 years. After the downsize of the economy, consumers have decreased their purchases of diet drinks, health club memberships, medical programs, diet books, and exercise videos and moved forward to a more do-it-yourself (DIY) approach. Yet, small niches in the industry are starting to boom.

According to a report by publisher Marketdata Enterprises Inc., the value of the U.S. weight loss market declined by 1.8% in 2013, down to $60.5 billion. The market is expected to increase in 2014 with the increased DIY dieting trends and as organizations sort out the effects of the Affordable Care Act.

Market research projects can be a long and grueling task, requiring extreme dedication in order to obtain all the information you need to move your company in a positive direction. Market research allows organizations to get a better and deeper understanding of the market that surrounds their products so they can adjust their strategies accordingly. Even with the difficulties that market research can create, the hardest part isn’t until the end of the process: the market research presentation.

Developing a new business idea, and then turning that idea into a reality, is one of the most exciting events in an entrepreneur’s career. However, starting a new business venture can be extremely difficult, even when it might be something you are knowledgeable and passionate about. When a company struggles with any one aspect of the business, recognizing the need for a change of direction can be referred to as pivoting. Failing to have an accurate understanding of the market for your product can lead to problems that cannot be fixed easily.  Pivoting for a company can be a dramatic or small change, with either way having the overall goal to change the business model for a product, strategy, or idea that promotes company growth.

When your company launches a product, the marketing needs are going to evolve alongside the product as it progresses through its life cycle. There are four main stages of the product life cycle: introduction, growth, maturity, and decline. Each stage of a product’s life cycle will require different forms of market research to most effectively market your product in the industry.

As you might have heard, the 2014 FIFA World Cup kicked off last week with Brazil’s win over Croatia. While the outcome didn't surprise many (Brazil was a heavy favorite coming into the game as the third seed), the game itself was of great importance to the rest of the world. The first whistle signified the onset of a world event that has been in the planning process since Brazil was awarded the hosting rights in 2007. Of course, like other major events, countless hours, days, months, and years of preparation have gone into this tournament, along with the $11.7 billion put toward its production, making this years’ event in Brazil the most expensive ever. And, after that $11.7 billion went toward funding the actual games, what about the other industries?

After spending more than 12 years as a Partner of a market strategy consulting firm in Chicago, I am continually reminded of the value that purchasing flexibility would have offered our firm as we worked to solve business issues for clients engaged in a wide variety of industries, ranging from high-tech, building materials, consumer goods, electronics, etc. Plus, consultants are required to obtain very diverse information, very often and very quickly. This can make buying market research a nightmare. The ability to customize market research purchases would have saved us time and money by focusing in on only the specific information we needed. Yet, MarketResearch.com's Profound platform offers the capability to solve this issue through tailored market research purchases and reporting.

Today's fastest selling seasonal merchandise quickly becomes the "stuff" on tomorrow's sales racks. We’ve all passed the shelves full of drastically marked down Halloween candy, Christmas decorations and stuffed Easter bunnies. Overstock like this results in lost revenues, takes up precious real estate and marks a missed opportunity for merchants hoping to capitalize on the hottest items of a holiday season.