Ever purchase a big-ticket item or a product that you weren’t entirely familiar with?  Ever spend a significant amount of money on something, only to realize that it wasn’t exactly what you wanted, that it didn’t work as effortlessly as advertised or worse, that it didn’t function at all?  And while you’re surely not the only unsatisfied customer in the world, don’t you ever wish that you could just rewind the clock and do things right the first time, so that you don’t have to fix what you’ve already done?  Here are 3 reasons why consumer market research can help you make smart choices, and why you should never make another big purchase without proper consumer research.

1. Save time. There’s no doubt that thorough consumer research takes time.  But it usually doesn’t take as much time as dealing with returns, contesting charges on your credit card, or taking broken items to be repaired.  Depending on the item you’re interested in, consumer research can be done almost completely from home, by reading reviews online and seeing for yourself whether others enjoyed their purchase.
2. Save money. Another significant benefit of consumer market research is the ability save money, which can be accomplished in two ways.  Consumer research can help you ascertain whether or not you’ve found the best price for your desired item.  And, of course, by using research to confirm that you’ve made the best decision, you can save yourself the money that it might cost to ship the item back or have it repaired.
3. Save your sanity. In today’s busy world, few things are less convenient than standing on line at the return counter when you should be at work, at the gym, or spending time with your children.  Although consumer market research can’t guarantee that you’re choice will be perfect, but it does increase the likelihood that you’ll avoid the aggravations associated with making an imperfect purchase.

It goes without saying that even informed, smart decisions may not always be ideal.  But by hearing the feedback and experiences of other users, you can receive a satisfactory idea of whether or not your desired item may be reliable, or whether you should look for a better solution.  You may not need to embark upon consumer research before purchasing a new pair of socks, but if you’re purchasing anything pricey or anything that you hope will last a while, consumer market research is definitely a must.