Market Research Proposal For Friskies Go-Cat

CONTENT

Covering Letter 2

Executive Summary 3

1 Introduction 4

2 Background 4

3 Research Purpose ЁC Management Decision Problem 4

4 Marketing Problem and Research Objectives 5

5 Management Decision Criteria 8

6 Research Design Rationale 8

7 Research Design 9

8 Field Work 10

9 Data Analysis 11

10 Reporting 13

11 Materials Required 13

12 Cost 13

13 Contractual Requirements 14

14 Timing 14

15 Accreditation 14

16 Project Management 14

REFERENCES 15

APPENDIX 16

COVERING LETTER

To Whom It May Concern:

Thank you for your bidding invitation. We are honoured to receive your invitation and very glad to accept it. We desire to be awarded the market research project, and we are confident to win it in the bidding.

As a professional market research company, we have pursued market research for more than fifty years. In these days, a large number of market research projects have been successfully planned and executed. Every time, our projects were satisfied by clients and won excellent appraise and evaluation. One out of two companies planning to do market research, will award us the project. We are proud of our histories.

Now a day, we only employ experienced experts with rich knowledge. This keeps the highest evaluation and most clients for our company. During the process of market research, every field worker will receive a special professional training. All the small part of the project will be under charged by department managers and directors, and reported to the CEO for every progress.

Please believe in us and look trust our profound background and rich experience. We are going to pay back a miracle, only if you offer us a chance.

Yours truly,

Market Research Company

April 2005

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Friskies Go-Cat has already covered the entire distribution channel, however the market share declines every year and lost the first position on market. The CEO urged to reverse the declining tendency for Friskies Go-Cat. To enlarge market share and boost the sales figure, a market research is proposed. It is expected to get feedback what consumers need and what we should do.

The market research is going to be allocated to a market research company. To choose the research company, several companies are invited for bidding. The bidding information is sent accompanied with an invitation. Information of Friskies Go-Cat and the dry cat food market are included in the proposal. After accepting the invitation and getting this proposal, one weekЎЇs preparation is suggested. The research contract will go to a company who offers the best plan and solution at a reasonable price.

This proposal explains the management and marketing problem in details, as well as the research design. In the part of research design, a theoretical framework is built for purchase of dry cat food. This framework is based on a convenience focus group research of twelve consumers. From this the focus group research, some problems were discovered. Those problems are supposed to be clarified in the market research report in future together with some suggestions and advices. Requirements for the proposed market research are listed at the end of this proposal. Last by not least, our questionnaire for the convenience focus group research is attached in the appendices.

1. INTRODUCTION

To improve the sales figure and market share of Friskies Go-Cat, a market research is required. This proposal is to explain how we are going to conduct the market research for Friskies Go-Cat. The proposed research will assist get feedback on what consumers expect and want. This proposal also follows the research brief of Friskies Go-Cat, indicate how the research will determine market problems and develop possible solutions to the problem. This proposal will outline the research process to make you clear about what is going to happen.

2. BACKGROUND

Friskies Go-Cat continued lose its market share in 2004, which dropped from the leader position (34.1%) to the second place (32.1%). Comparing with WhiskasЎЇ swiftly increase, Friskies Go-Cat seems to be faint on recover the market share. However, the only powerful competition is from the present market leader. Comparing with Whiskas, Friskies Go-Cat had cats preferred flavours, occupied the similar share of shelf and was sold everywhere. Problems must be defined and solved from the market research.

As the global cat food market is predicted to expand rapidly towards 2010, and petsЎЇ population is increasing at a speed of 1% to 2% (DataMonitor, 2004), Friskies Go-Cat has to take this opportunity to catch up with Whiskas. To define what counter-strike Friskies Go-Cat should take, the proposed market research will be designed to explain market share decline and recommend next step measures.

3. RESEARCH PRUPOSE ЁC MANAGEMENT DECISION PROBLEM

According to the statistic, the complete pet food market increased at a steady speed (IBIS World, 2004), and the grocery value in creased by 3.2% (Retail World, Dec 2004). However, Friskies Go-Cat endured a market share decline in 2004 and lost the leader position to Whiskas. Market share of Friskies Go-Cat dropped from 34.1% to 32.1% as shown in Figure 1 below.

Figure 1: Market shares in 2002 and 2004