Cobbey & Associates, Full Service Marketing Research for Product Development and Marketing

Methodological
Expertise

Industries Served

Partial Client List

Company Profile

Summary of
Recent Research

Internet Research

Casino Web Site:

An online survey of website visitors from which profiles of user segments were developed and used for web marketing strategies and special offers.

Web Based Service Provider:

A usability study for a new web based service. The study focused on web publishers and their acceptance of the service concept as well as their reaction to a prototype design. Web publishers were given a set of tasks to complete using the service and were observed and interviewed.

Internet Publisher:

A survey of internet users to assess their use of business and technology web sites. Competitive information was collected including recognition, use, and evaluations of exisiting sites. The information was used to develop, position and market a technology business news web site.

Financial Services Provider: A series of usability studies on a package of brokerage services offered via the Internet. One on one interviews were conducted with investors to evaluate how well they understood the user interface, particularly navigation, terminology, and transactional features. A set of tasks were designed to gauge user understanding and learning.

Internet Publisher: This usability study tested a new web site design, particularly the categorization of content, navigational elements, layout and design. The study was conducted with users of of the web site. The primary objective of the study was to determine the usability and understanding of the new design and any elements which helped to improve or hinder use of the site.

Internet Publisher: A usability study of a "push" web site. Potential marketers and customers took part in the study which focused on the user's interaction with the screens and instructions, their reactions to the layout, use of grahics, instructional text, labeling, tasks required, forms and other navigational elements required to register and use the web site.

Leading Scientific Database Company: Two-hundred executive telephone interviews with industry scientists, research faculty, and University Librarians in the United States and United Kingdom to assess their use of online services and the Internet, their opinions of various scientific online services. The study also addressed price points and billing options.

Encyclopedia Publisher: A survey of Internet users to track information needs, use and evaluation of an expanded electronic encyclopedia available via the Internet. The research design employed repeated measures to monitor changes in usage and opinions of the service. Data were collected online from users.

Regional Bell Operating Company: A multi-method research program designed to evaluate and guide the development of an interactive educational service for use by students and teachers in grades K through community college. This on-going study has employed focus groups, telephone and mail surveys, and user panels to assess acceptance and utilization of an online product which provides easy access to the Internet.

Major Metropolitan Daily: A series of 6 focus groups were conducted with consumers to assess the market potential and consumer need for online and audiotext news and information services. Consumers were carefully screened according to their level of technological knowledge and the value they placed on ready access to information.