Collecting Market Data

Collecting Market Data: The Rapid Market Assessment Approach (photo)

New Mexico farmers' markets have benefited from research methods developed in 1998 by Larry Lev and Garry Stephenson from Oregon State University Extension Service. The simple, fun and yet effective market research method called Rapid Market Assessment (RMA) helps markets determine attendance and collect useful market data.

Counting Customers
Methods for counting customers will vary depending on your site. For instance, the size of the market, the number of entry/exit points and the number of volunteers available to you will all affect your counting method. Here is one idea for getting an accurate customer count:

• Pick 2 days that you anticipate will be the busiest.
• Count all the people that are in the market at opening time.
• Position people to count at every place where customers enter the market.
• Use tally counters (clickers) to count all adults that enter.
• Count people for the first 15 minutes of every hour, multiply this number by 4 to get an estimate for the whole hour, then add up these hourly estimates for a daily estimate (don't forget to add in the people who were at the market at opening time).

Dot Surveys
This method for collecting information from market customers is easy to do (with the help of volunteers) and provides useful insights into customer attitudes and demographics. Basically, markets can query their market customers on just about any topic that they want information on, from what zip code their customers are coming from to whether they think dogs should be allowed at market.

You will need:

• Equipment :
  • Large flip chart easels (such as found at an office supply store. They may need to be weighted down with sand bags if you survey on a windy New Mexico day).
  • Dots (1-3/4" sticky dots from the office supply store)
  • Fat markers for writing your questions
• Volunteers: You will also need some volunteers to help administer the survey. High school kids make great volunteers for this project. They will give people dots to place on their answers.
• Questions: You will need two or three good questions. Think about what you most want to know from your customers that might be helpful for future planning. You should have one question per easel. The questions should be phrased in such a way that you can list many of the possible answers so customers can put the dot under the column that represents their answer. This makes it easy for customers to answer and easy for you to tabulate the results. For example: Q: How much did you spend at market today? A: $0; About $10; About $20; About $30; About $40; More than $50

Customers tend to like answering dot surveys and will usually oblige the volunteer. People like to know their opinion counts, and many market shoppers feel an "ownership" with their local market. You'll be surprised how much you can learn about your customers by doing this simple type of survey.

Hint: If your market does not own these supplies, you may consider requesting them in a Capacity Building Grant for your market.

Sample Questions Chosen by Farmers' Markets

1. How did you first find out about the market? (Advertising, friend, passed by...)
2. How did you travel to the market? (car, walked, bike, etc.)
3. Will you be doing any additional shopping in the business district on this trip? Y or N (Can also ask how much they intend to spend while out)
4. What stopped you from buying more in the market? (got what was needed, selection, cost, etc.)
5. How much did you spend in the market? (give price categories)
6. Do you come to the farmers' market for the products, the atmosphere, the crafts or some combination? (Give list of choices)

The only limit to what you can ask is your imagination. Get to know your customers and have fun!

For more information about trying these research methods at your market, call or e-mail us at the New Mexico Farmers' Marketing Association.