Free Thematic Analysis for Market Research Template

Thematic Analysis for Market Research


Introduction

1.1. Purpose of the Analysis

  • Objective: To explore customer feedback on the new EcoSmart water bottle and identify key areas for improvement and potential product enhancements.

  • Research Questions:

    • What are the recurring themes in customer reviews about the EcoSmart water bottle?

    • How do customers perceive the product’s design, functionality, and overall value?

1.2. Scope of the Analysis

  • Data Sources: Customer reviews collected from online surveys and social media platforms.

  • Sample Size: 600 customer reviews (400 from online surveys and 200 from social media comments).


Data Familiarization

2.1. Data Collection

  • Methods Used:

    1. Online surveys were distributed via email to customers who purchased the EcoSmart water bottle.

    2. Social media monitoring using tools like Hootsuite and Brandwatch.

  • Sources and Sample Size:

    1. 400 reviews from survey responses.

    2. 200 comments from Facebook and Twitter.

2.2. Initial Reading and Noting

  • Process:

    1. Read through each review and comment multiple times.

    2. Noted down preliminary observations such as frequent mentions of “leak-proof,” “design flaws,” and “customer service.”


Generating Initial Codes

3.1. Identifying Key Segments

  • Key Segments:

    • Design: “The sleek design is very modern,” “The lid doesn’t fit properly.”

    • Functionality: “The water bottle is leak-proof,” “The insulation doesn’t keep drinks cold enough.”

    • Customer Service: “Support was responsive,” “Had issues with the return process.”

    • Price: “Worth the price,” “A bit expensive for what it offers.”

3.2. Creating Codes

  • Initial Codes:

    1. Design Issues: Comments about the physical appearance and usability of the bottle.

    2. Functionality: Comments about how well the bottle performs its intended functions.

    3. Customer Service: Feedback on interactions with customer support.

    4. Pricing: Opinions on the cost and perceived value of the product.

3.3. Organizing Data

  • Organization: Data is organized into spreadsheets with columns for codes and associated comments, allowing for easy retrieval and analysis.


Searching for Themes

4.1. Combining Codes

  • Themes:

    • Product Design: Includes feedback on both aesthetics and practical design issues.

    • Product Performance: Encompasses comments on functionality, such as leak-proof qualities and insulation efficiency.

    • Customer Experience: Combines feedback on customer service interactions and return processes.

    • Value for Money: Includes opinions on pricing and whether the product meets the expectations set by its cost.

4.2. Reviewing Data for Themes

  • Review Process:

    • Checked that the themes accurately reflected the coded data.

    • Reviewed sample comments to ensure themes covered all significant aspects of customer feedback.


Reviewing Themes

5.1. Evaluating Themes

  • Coherence: Ensured that themes like Product Design and Product Performance logically grouped related feedback without overlap.

  • Distinctiveness: Confirmed that each theme was distinct (e.g., Value for Money was separate from Product Performance).

5.2. Refining Themes

  • Adjustments:

    • Combined specific issues from Product Design into broader themes like “Product Design” and “Functionality” for clarity.

    • Created sub-themes under Product Design, such as “Aesthetic Appeal” and “Design Flaws.”


Defining and Naming Themes

6.1. Defining Themes

  • Product Design: Customer feedback on the visual appeal and physical usability of the EcoSmart water bottle.

  • Product Performance: Insights into the effectiveness of the bottle’s features, including leak-proof capabilities and thermal insulation.

  • Customer Experience: Evaluations of customer service quality and the ease of handling returns and complaints.

  • Value for Money: Customer opinions on whether the product’s price is justified by its quality and features.

6.2. Naming Themes

  • Product Design: Captures all feedback related to design aesthetics and functionality.

  • Product Performance: Focuses on how well the product performs its intended functions.

  • Customer Experience: Reflects customer satisfaction with service interactions and return processes.

  • Value for Money: Addresses customer perceptions of pricing relative to product quality.


Producing the Report

7.1. Selecting Extracts

  • Product Design: “The sleek design is very modern and fits well in my cup holder.” vs. “The lid doesn’t fit properly and leaks.”

  • Product Performance: “The water bottle is leak-proof, which is great,” vs. “The insulation doesn’t keep my drink cold for long.”

  • Customer Experience: “Customer support was very responsive when I had issues,” vs. “I had a frustrating experience with the return process.”

  • Value for Money: “The price is justified given the product’s features,” vs. “The bottle is a bit expensive for what it offers.”

7.2. Analyzing Extracts

Analysis:

  • Product Design: Positive feedback on modern design contrasts with concerns about lid fit, suggesting a need for design improvements.

  • Product Performance: The effective leak-proof feature is a strong positive, but insulation issues highlight a performance gap.

  • Customer Experience: Generally positive customer service experiences, but the return process needs improvement.

  • Value for Money: Mixed reviews on pricing indicate a need to evaluate if the product meets customer expectations for its cost.

7.3. Relating to Literature

  • Connection: The findings are compared with existing research on customer expectations and product value perceptions in similar markets. This helps to validate the analysis and provide a broader context for the findings.

7.4. Recommendations

Actions:

  • Enhance Design: Improve the lid’s fit to address leakage issues and consider additional design tweaks based on customer feedback.

  • Improve Performance: Focus on enhancing insulation to better meet customer expectations.

  • Revamp Customer Service: Streamline the return process and enhance support responsiveness.

  • Reevaluate Pricing: Consider adjusting the price or adding value features to align with customer perceptions of worth.


Conclusion

8.1. Summary of Findings

  • Themes Identified: Product Design, Product Performance, Customer Experience, and Value for Money.

  • Insights: Customers appreciate the product’s modern design and leak-proof feature but have concerns about insulation performance and pricing. There are also mixed reviews on customer service.

8.2. Limitations

  • Limitations: The analysis is based on a sample of customer feedback and may not represent the views of all customers. Future research could involve more diverse data sources or a larger sample size to validate findings.


Appendices

9.1. Data Collection Tools

  • Survey Instruments: Include copies of the survey questions used for gathering customer feedback.

  • Interview Guides: Scripts or outlines used if interviews were conducted.

9.2. Coding Framework

  • Codebook: Detailed descriptions of each code and theme used in the analysis, including examples.

9.3. Additional Data

  • Supplementary Material: Any additional data or documentation relevant to the thematic analysis, such as raw data excerpts or additional comments.

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