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Introduction
Conducting a market survey in China provides overseas brands with a strategic advantage by uncovering consumer trends, preferences, and unmet needs. With a diverse population and fast-moving digital habits, surveys must be thoughtfully designed and executed to capture meaningful insights that guide market entry decisions.
1. Planning and Objective Setting
1.1 Define Clear Research Questions
Brands should identify the exact problems they want to solve—such as understanding purchasing triggers or assessing product appeal. Defining these questions ensures the survey focuses on actionable insights rather than general information.
1.2 Prioritize Objectives by Business Impact
Rank survey objectives according to potential influence on marketing, product, or pricing strategies. This helps allocate resources effectively and ensures survey outputs translate into concrete business decisions.
2. Crafting Questions for Maximum Insights
2.1 Structured vs. Open-Ended Questions
Structured questions provide quantitative data for comparison, while open-ended questions uncover consumer motivations. Using a combination enables a holistic view of consumer behavior.
2.2 Avoiding Bias
Question wording should avoid leading or double-barreled phrasing that could skew results. Testing the survey with a small pilot group helps identify confusing or biased questions before full deployment.
3. Sampling Strategies
3.1 Representative Demographics
Chinese consumer behavior differs greatly by region, age, and income. Stratified sampling ensures survey respondents accurately reflect the target audience, avoiding overrepresentation of certain groups.
3.2 Leveraging Digital Panels
Online panels through e-commerce platforms or survey companies provide access to large, verified respondent pools. This approach reduces costs and accelerates data collection while maintaining quality.
4. Data Collection and Execution
4.1 Multi-Channel Surveys
Combining online surveys, social media polls, and offline interviews maximizes reach and reduces selection bias. For example, tier-3 city users may prefer offline surveys, whereas urban digital natives respond better online.
4.2 Incentivizing Participation
Small rewards, discounts, or loyalty points encourage higher response rates. Thoughtful incentives maintain engagement without introducing bias in responses.
Case Study: North American Health Supplement Brand
A North American supplement brand aimed to identify consumer interest in vitamin packs among urban millennials. By designing a survey distributed through WeChat groups, Red, and select retail stores, the brand collected over 2,000 responses. Insights revealed strong demand for immunity-boosting formulas with clean labeling. The company reformulated packaging and launched targeted campaigns, resulting in a 45% uplift in e-commerce conversions within six months.
PLTFRM is an international brand consulting agency that works with companies such as Red, TikTok, Tmall, Baidu, and other well-known Chinese internet e-commerce platforms. We have been working with Chile Cherries for many years, reaching Chinese consumers in depth through different platforms and realizing that Chile Cherries’ exports in China account for 97% of the total exports in Asia. Contact us, and we will help you find the best China e-commerce platform for you. Search PLTFRM for a free consultation!
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