There is an app for that: a review of smartphone apps for marketing research presented at QRWEBA2011 conference organised by Merlien Institute

1. A review of smartphone apps for marketing research
Presented by Mark Michelson
President/CEO, Threads Consumer Anthropology
Co-Founder Mystery Shopping Providers Association

2. MobileMR huge and
growing
Virtual gold rush for
Mobile MR developers
New applications
launch every day
◦ At least 20 new apps since
December 2010
Few unbiased reviews
Many not publicly
accessible
No real taxonomy

3. SMS/Text
◦ Many providers – one point seems to be global leader
currently
◦ Widely used for qual and quant studies
◦ Smartphone features for geo-tagging respondents
◦ Can set up private groups
◦ Can share photos (with most)
WAP – Wireless Application Protocol
◦ Mobile optimized web platforms
◦ Works on any mobile device with web browser
◦ Must have internet connection to work
Apps are programs that reside on smartphones
◦ iPhone, Android, Windows, Blackberry, etc.

4. Search, reviews, details
screenshots
Limited to iPhone/iPad
Very few apps for other
mobile platforms
◦ But they are coming fast!

5. Search by methods
Different definitions of
“survey”

6. By method, application,
usefulness, cost?

7. Survey apps
◦ For Researchers
Proprietary
Open
◦ For Consumers
Social/Fun
For benefits/pay
Qualitative apps
Mystery shopping apps
◦ Multi-function apps
Panel apps & Research utilities
Useful all-purpose apps for researchers

9. *as of 2/3/11

10. App Name Type Target Use Access Cost
Daily Digest (NPD) Survey Consumer Journal Closed Free
AppRewards Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
iPinion Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
Joe Survey Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
Npoll Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
OnePoll Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
QuickSurvey Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
Surv-eye Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
SurveySavvy Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
Opinionology Survey Consumer Benefits Closed
Thumbspeak Survey Consumer Benefits/Social Open Free
2nd Opinion Survey Consumer Social Open Free
Crowdscan Survey Consumer Social Open Free & 99¢
Pissed Consumer Survey Consumer Social Open Free
Right Now Survey Consumer Social Open Free
Show of Hands Survey Consumer Social Open Free
SurveySays Survey Consumer Social Open Free
Talee Survey Consumer Social Open Free
TwitSurvey Survey Consumer Social Open Free
SurveySmart Survey Consumer Benefits Open Free
Survey on the Spot Survey Consumer/Researcher Benefits Open 30 day trial
Polls Online Survey Consumer/Researcher Utility Open Free & 99¢
SurveyMonster Survey Reseacher Utility Open Free
iForm Survey Researcher Utility Closed Free
iForm ES Survey Researcher Utility Closed 9.99
Mobilscan Survey Researcher Utility Closed Free
SurveySwipe (SurveyAnalytics Survey Researcher Utility Closed Free
Touchpoint Survey Researcher Utility Closed Free
iQuestionnaire Survey Researcher Utility Open 0.99
iSurvey Survey Researcher Utility Open Pay for Survey
Polldaddy Survey Researcher Utility Open Free
Sample Size Survey Researcher Utility Open Free
Supervision Survey Researcher Utility Open $4.99

12. App Name Type Target Use Access Cost
Focus Forums Qualitative Consumer OBB Closed Free
dScout Qualitative Consumer Ethnographic Open Free
EthOS Consumer Qualitative Consumer Ethnographic Open Free
Revelation Qualitative Researcher Ethnographic Closed Free
SODA Qualitative Researcher Ethnographic Open Free
EthOS Pro Qualitative Researcher Ethnographic Open $11.99
Qualitative Behavioral
IBAA Assessment Academic Ethnographic Closed $129.99

14. App Name Type Target Use Access Cost
MobiAudit Multi-Function Researcher Utility Closed Free
ISCIS Mystery Shop Researcher Benefits Open Free
iSecretShop Mystery Shop Researcher Benefits Open Free
Job Slinger Mystery Shop Consumer Benefits Open Free
QSR Shop /FSR Shop Mystery Shop Researcher Utility Open Free
Paid to Shop Mystery Shop (Scam) Consumer Benefits Open 99¢
Medallia Mobile Customer Experience Researcher Client Reporting Closed Free
Walker Link Customer Experience Researcher Client Reporting Closed Free

16. App Name Type Target Use Access Cost
iC mobile (Gongos) Community Consumer US Only Closed Free
OrangePanel Community Consumer Benefits Open Free
SIC Community Community Researcher Ethnographic Closed Free
Marketing Research on a Shoestring Utility Researcher Resource Open 7.99
Survey Research Glossary Utility Researcher Resource Open 99¢
Grocer Share Secondary Researcher UK Retail Sales Closed Free

20. Presented at the Asia-Pacific
conference on Qualitative
Research in Web 2.0
22 & 23 Feb 2011, Macau SAR
For more information
Please visit:
http://www.merlien.org