By David Schneer
3-Minute Read
When describing Merrill Research services to others, I often fall into the trap of telling them what we do. Rather, I should be telling people the problems we can solve. After all, that’s why they’ve reached out to us—to help solve some sort of problem. And that’s the point of this blog—to discuss the problems research can solve—and those it can’t.
When companies reach a crossroads—whether launching a new product, repositioning a brand, or entering a new market—they often turn to research for clarity. But too often, they expect research to do things it simply wasn’t designed to do. That’s like trying to map the galaxy with a microscope.
In this post, I’ll outline the purpose, appropriate uses, and common misuses of both qualitative and quantitative research. First, let’s define each. Let’s start with qualitative research.
Qualitative Research: Seeing the “Why” Behind the “What”
Definition: Qualitative research is exploratory in its nature and at its very core. It’s about depth of information, not breadth. Using in-depth, face-to-face interviews, ethnographies, diary studies, bulletin boards, and focus groups, we unearth the underlying motivations, beliefs, perceptions, and emotional drivers behind consumer behavior.
When to Use Qualitative Research:
Use it when you want to understand: Why customers are defecting from your brand. Equally interesting is why customers are flocking to your brand. What is it that you are doing right? This is often called “Win-Loss” Research.
Or how do people experience your product in real life? What are the common use-cases and satisfaction with those capabilities? Does the product work as advertised? Does this dog hunt?
Moreover, with qualitative research, you can identify unmet needs that your target audience is struggling with. Are there processes or protocols that could be improved?
Qualitative research is often used to understand brand dynamics. That is, how is your brand being interpreted? Does your communication resonate? Is it clear or confusing? Is it relevant? On-brand or off-brand?
Qualitative research is a powerful tool to understand how emotional or social context shapes buying behavior. What is the process, and who is involved? What are the barriers? What product research is done prior to purchase, and what are the go-to sources?
Gauge early reactions to a new product concept. Use qualitative research to gather quick field data on product usage. Nip issues in the bud. What do I mean? See the inset below.
When Not to Use Qualitative Research:
Don’t expect qualitative research to give you statistically projectable data, prioritize features or benefits with numeric precision. Neither would it be effective to use focus groups to prioritize benefits with any accuracy. Predicting market size or product penetration would be dangerous using qualitative research. And you just can’t replace a pricing study or segmentation model with qualitative research.
Think of qualitative research as your compass. It doesn’t give you exact coordinates—but it ensures you’re heading in the right direction.
Now let’s discuss the use cases for quantitative research.
Quantitative Research: Measuring the What, How Much, and How Often
Definition: Quantitative research deals with precision, measurement, and validation. It’s about breadth and scale. Through structured surveys and statistical models, it answers, “how many,” “how much,” “how often,” and “what percentage.”
When to Use Quantitative Research:
For example, use it when you want to: measure brand awareness, satisfaction, or loyalty. You can also validate which product features are most desired (e.g., via MaxDiff (Maximum Difference Scaling) or Conjoint (Conjoint Analysis)).
Your market is likely not homogeneous, so you can segment it into meaningful clusters that will help focus your communications spend, among other things.
Segmentation research is one of the most strategic types of studies a company can do. Quantitative Research is ideal for testing advertising recall or purchase intent at scale. You can also track behavior across time or geographies, either with a snapshot view (periodic tracking studies) or a motion picture view (continuous tracking).
And of course, forecasters utilize quantitative research to estimate market size or opportunity.
When Not to Use Quantitative Research:
Don’t rely on quantitative studies when: you don’t know the right questions to ask yet, or you have very little knowledge of your target audience. Quantitative research will not be useful in exploring new behaviors or unfamiliar markets. When you want to understand nuanced decision-making processes, quantitative research will not give you the full picture. Quantitative research is your telescope—it lets you see the big picture, compare across dimensions, and validate patterns.
Bringing It Together: Use Both Wisely
When you skip a qualitative phase and jump straight into quantitative research because “we need numbers,” you likely are leaving out questions that matter. In contrast, skipping quantitative leaves you with rich anecdotes and no sense of magnitude or representativeness.
Successful companies use both, in sequence or in tandem—first to explore, then to validate or vice versa. Research is a tool—not a crystal ball. Use it to inform decisions, not to abdicate them. When done right, it reveals not just what your customers do, but why they do it—and how you can help them do it better.
At Merrill Research, we don’t just deliver data—we help you uncover the truths that matter. Whether you’re exploring new territory or validating your next big move, the key is knowing which lens to look through—and when. If you’re facing a decision and aren’t sure where to start, let’s talk. Together, we’ll make sure you’re asking the right questions before you start looking for answers.