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Common Sampling Errors In Market Research

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    Common Sampling Error in Market Research

    Sampling error is a statistical concept that refers to differences between the results obtained from a sample and those obtained from a census of all members of a population. Sampling errors are often addressed by experts in the field as part of inferential statistics which is used to draw conclusions about populations based on sample data. In market research, sampling errors can occur by accident or due to poor planning. They may be consequential, as when they completely distort findings and lead to incorrect decisions.

    Types of Common- Sampling Error In Marketing Research

    Following are the types of common-sampling error in market research:

    Type I Error - rejecting good hypothesis

    Type II Error - accepting bad hypotheses

     

    Rejecting Good Hypothesis: Type I Error - rejecting good hypothesis: The hypothesis that is rejected may be a good one, but the sample evidence leads to a mistaken rejection.

     

     

    Accepting Bad Hypothesis: Type II Error - accepting bad hypotheses: The hypothesis may be bad, but the sample evidence leads to a mistaken acceptance.

     

    In market research there are two main types of sampling errors: switching and substitution.  

    Switching error occurs when respondents answer as if they were responding to another question, or as if they were being asked another question on a survey. This can happen because the questions have similar wording or phrasing, or because respondents read them in a certain order which brings up an association between them (e.g., "Have you ever been pregnant?" followed by "Have you ever been married?" may remind respondents of being pregnant during a marriage).

    Substitution error occurs when a respondent answers a question that is similar to the one intended, but not quite. For example, a survey programming about eating habits asks how often people have breakfast. If someone responds by talking about their lunch or dinner habits, rather than breakfast habits, this would be substitution error. This can happen because the questions are related (breakfast can be considered part of your daily eating habits), there is some confusion as the question is answered (maybe they started thinking about lunch as soon as they heard "how many times do you eat breakfast each day?"), or other distractions from the question at hand.

    Sampling errors in market research can lead to incorrect decisions being made. For example, if the results of a survey are based on a sample that is not representative of the population, then the findings from the survey may not be accurate. Additionally, if the sampling error is very large, it may completely distort the findings from a study. This can happen when the sample size is too small, or when the samples are taken from different parts of the population.

    Conclusion

    Sampling errors in market research occur when the sample is either not representative of the population or when there are inaccuracies due to large sampling errors. It is important to avoid these errors.