Market Researchers Demand High Panel Quality

The rapid embrace of online panels as a primary method of quantitative research in the US and Europe is a Faustian bargain. Online panels enable cheap, fast insights, but the quality of respondents is a concern. This concern is exacerbated for B2B, where the incentives are higher, leading to a potentially greater propensity for identity fraud. Two new technology solutions are fighting it out to be the industry-leading choice to solve this dilemma: Optimus and TrueSample. Currently, many buyers and panel vendors are in heavy evaluation mode to determine which of these they should use, how much improvement they can expect, and whether they should develop their own competing solutions instead. Forrester believes both solutions will be sustained and other proprietary solutions will also come to market as panel vendors weigh the competitive issues involved with integrating them. Forrester urges buyers of research to embrace one of these solutions — or demand their panel suppliers to — even though these solutions are new. The downside of doing nothing is far greater than making a choice and switching horses at a later date.