Merchant and Retailer Market Research
After decades of remaining relatively unchanged, the traditional trade counter environment is under unprecedented pressure. Merchants are having to adapt due to the growth of digital channels, the seemingly unstoppable rise of new formats such as Screwfix and Toolstation, and the blurring line between the trade and retail customer.
We've worked with a number of 'bricks and mortar' merchants to better understand these trends - including large national research studies for Plumbase and Selco.
Whether you are an independent or national merchant brand, building or plumbing & heating focused, now is the time to get in touch. We can help you measure how your trade or retail audience is changing, evaluate your marketing, counter or product offer or independently gauge supplier or staff perceptions of your business.
Our merchant and retailer research experience
We've worked with brands and suppliers in the merchant market for many years and struggle to believe there are others with more rounded merchant experience. We have measured brand awareness, undertaken mystery shopping and asked installers what they think of showrooms and display areas.
On behalf of supplier brands we have explored key customer relationships and loyalty schemes. This includes in-depth interviews with kitchen showroom staff for Franke and merchant branch managers on behalf of Polypipe.
As well as the traditional ' bricks and mortar' merchants, we have also worked with merchants who have experimented with new propositions in the trade market. See our piece here about work undertaken recently for Travis Perkins where we evaluated their drive-thru BUILT concept .
To help us meet the challenges of working in this sector, we have developed some bespoke research methodologies . This includes our ethnographic 'On the Tools' approach where we observe how tradespeople interact with merchants and make their purchasing decisions.
Our market research techniques include:
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Online surveys and consultations
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Telephone interviewing
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Face to face for more detailed stakeholder interviews
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Focus groups - face to face and online or virtual
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Self completion methods, including SMS, POS, self-serve terminals
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Ethnographic in-depth research
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Mystery shopping
Snapshots of our recent merchant and retailer research
Free research reports in the merchant and retailer sector
What do our merchant and retailer clients say about us?
Plumbase
"Eureka! helped us create a unique customer trade segmentation which we are embedding into the heart of Plumbase; the results are already being used by senior stakeholders at the very top of the business. The results have also allowed us to share key insights with our suppliers, maintaining our position as sector knowledge holders and industry partners. Eureka! demonstrated to me that they are experts in our field and Dave and Rich are a pleasure to work with. They have years of research and insight experience in our sector, why would you use anyone else?”
Travis Perkins
"We are really pleased with the work carried out by Eureka! They went above and beyond what was required and delivered much more than we expected.
We particularly valued their attention to detail and amazingly fast turnaround to meet our internal deadline.
On this basis we will be working on many other projects with Eureka! Highly Recommended!"
Tell us what's on your mind and we'll do our absolute best to help
0121 679 5465
The Mill
Radford Road
Alvechurch
Worcestershire
B48 7LD