What is Market Research? (Continued)
Surveys like Scarborough measure the opinions and behaviors of consumers. This begins with selecting a cross-section of households to represent thousands of consumers in the same area. It isn't possible to talk to every person in an area, so researchers take a scientific approach to select the few households that will stand for many people. Those selected can never be substituted with another household, so when a consumer refuses to do the survey, the research firm has lost that representative for all those with the same habits.

Scarborough hopes that in understanding a little bit about how research helps consumers, those households that are called will be willing to take the time to hear the survey and answer the questions.

Remember - your opinions count!