Mixed Methods in Market Research: The perfect balance of numbers and emotions

In today’s complex and dynamic business world, it is often not enough to rely solely on quantitative or qualitative data. This is exactly where mixed methods come into play. Mixed methods gained popularity in the late 1990s. They combine quantitative (e.g. surveys, big data analytics) and qualitative approaches (e.g. in-depth interviews, focus groups). The goal is to combine the strengths of both methods to achieve a more holistic understanding of customer behavior, trends, and market mechanisms. (Kelle, 2022)

But what are the specific advantages of mixed methods?

  • More comprehensive insights: Quantitative data shows the what, qualitative data explains the why.
  • Higher validity: Combining numbers and narrative insights increases the credibility of the results.
  • Better basis for decision-making: Mixed methods provide sound insights for strategic decisions. (Alexander et al., 2016)

Results from qualitative surveys cannot be automatically transferred to the population. Quantitative surveys can only provide answers to questions that were considered in advance when creating the questionnaire. However, if you combine both methods, you get reliable results that nevertheless show depth of content and can explore and uncover new, previously unconsidered aspects.

For example:

A company wants to launch a new product line.

Quantitative phase: A survey shows that 67% of the target group is interested in the product.

Qualitative phase: In-depth interviews show that the purchase decision depends heavily on sustainable packaging materials.

The combination of these results leads the company to launch the new product line with sustainable packaging – with resounding success!

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Kelle, Mixed Methods, 2022
Alexander et al., Researching Social Life, 2016