Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Russian Federation
Plekhanov Russian University of economics
Higher school of economics and business
(IBS-Plekhanov)
Course work
on discipline: «Marketing research»
Topic: Problems of sampling for internet surveys
Student of IBS-Plekhanov, Group 1503
Alisa Smoliarzh
Supervisor:
Peter Y. Nevostruev, Ph.D, associate
professor of the Department of Marketing
Moscow – 2024
TABLE OF CONTENT
INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF THE CONCEPT OF INTERNET
SURVEYS IN THE MARKETING RESEARCH SYSTEM AND THE RULES FOR
THEIR DEVELOPMENT ............................................................................................. 4
CHAPTER 2. PRACTICAL PART: DEVELOPING AND CONDUCTING ONLINE
SURVEY ..................................................................................................................... 11
2.1. Description of the online survey........................................................................ 11
2.2. Analysis of the conducted online survey ........................................................... 13
CHAPTER 3. THE MAIN SAMPLING PROBLEMS FOR ONLINE SURVEYS ... 20
CONCLUSION ........................................................................................................... 23
BIBLIOGRAPHY ....................................................................................................... 25
APPENDIX ................................................................................................................. 27
2
INTRODUCTION
Nowadays, Internet research is becoming an increasingly popular and effective
method of collecting data in various fields of knowledge. However, when conducting
research online, certain sampling problems arise that may affect the reliability and
generalizability of the results obtained. The modern practice of preparing and
conducting social and especially sociological research is almost unthinkable today
without the use of a selective method.
Conducting Internet research requires special attention to sampling problems in
order to minimize their impact on the reliability and generalizability of research results.
A systematic approach to sampling and the use of various methods to overcome
possible distortions will improve the quality of the data obtained and improve the
quality of the study as a whole. With the development of the Internet and an increasing
number of users of online platforms, conducting Internet research is becoming more
and more popular. However, this area of research has its own characteristics and
problems, among which the problem of sampling is particularly relevant. The sample
in Internet research may be distorted due to insufficient representativeness, selfselection of respondents, as well as due to incorrect selection of the studied groups. In
this course work, we will consider exactly what problems arise when forming a sample
for Internet research, and what methods can be used to solve them.
The purpose of the study is to study the problems of sampling for online surveys.
Research objectives:
– to consider the theoretical aspects of the concept of internet surveys in the
marketing research system and the rules for their development;
– develop and conduct an online survey;
– to analyze the main sampling problems for online surveys.
The object of the study is an online survey as a marketing research tool.
The subject of the study is sampling problems for online surveys.
3
CHAPTER 1. THEORETICAL ASPECTS OF THE CONCEPT OF
INTERNET SURVEYS IN THE MARKETING RESEARCH SYSTEM AND
THE RULES FOR THEIR DEVELOPMENT
Online surveys are a convenient and effective way to gather opinions and
feedback from the target audience. With the development of Internet technologies,
conducting surveys in an online format is becoming increasingly popular among both
businesses and public organizations.
Online surveys provide an opportunity to obtain data from a large number of
participants in a short period of time. At the same time, conducting surveys in digital
format saves time and resources compared to traditional methods such as telephone
surveys or field surveys [4, p. 34].
The process of creating an online survey is very convenient and simple. There
are specialized platforms and services that offer a wide range of tools for creating
surveys, as well as analyzing the data obtained. At the same time, you can choose from
various types of questions (open, closed, multiple choice, etc.), customize the logic of
the survey and the design of the survey forms.
The advantages of online surveys are obvious. They provide quick feedback,
allow you to collect data in almost real time, and also allow you to participate in surveys
even for those who are in remote regions or abroad [6, p. 19].
However, it is worth remembering the need to formulate the survey questions and
objectives correctly in order to get reliable results. It is also important to take into
account the audience of the survey and approach the conduct of surveys responsibly,
respecting the principles of ethics and confidentiality.
Thus, online surveys are an effective tool for collecting information and feedback
from the target audience. A properly organized online survey can help a business or
public organization make informed and considered decisions, taking into account the
opinion of its target audience.
4
Sampling is one of the key concepts in surveys that allows you to get a
generalized idea of the opinions or preferences of the target audience. In today's world,
with the development of technology and the Internet, online surveys are becoming
increasingly important, which allow you to collect information quickly and efficiently.
A sample in online surveys is a set of participants who represent a specific group
of people or target audience. This sample should be representative, that is, reflect the
common features and characteristics of the entire group, so that the survey results are
reliable and objective [8, p. 91].
The essence of sampling in online surveys is that it allows you to collect data and
receive feedback from the target audience without the need for traditional surveys.
Online surveys allow you to reduce the time and cost of collecting information, as well
as give participants the opportunity to answer questions at a convenient time for them.
In order for the selection in online surveys to be effective, several important
points must be taken into account. First, it is necessary to clearly define the purpose of
the survey and select the audience that is relevant for this purpose. Secondly, attention
should be paid to data collection and information processing methods in order to avoid
distortions and errors.
Thus, the concept and essence of sampling in online surveys play an important
role in obtaining reliable information from the audience. A well-chosen sample allows
you to obtain objective results and make informed decisions based on the data collected
during the surveys.
Conducting online surveys implies the formation of a sample, during which the
contact audience is determined, which the conducted research will focus on. This issue
is considered to be particularly important [11, p. 45].
The sample should be representative (have a sufficient degree of
representativeness to the target audience) and should not be biased.
It is possible to ensure a sufficient degree of representativeness only if the target
audience is sufficiently represented in the Internet environment. Today, this condition
5
does not seem impossible due to the increasing number of Internet users who are
consumers of various products and services. But it happens that there are not enough
users on the Internet for a particular product, and then it is very problematic to provide
a representative sample.
The uncertain representativeness of the sample may be due to the fact that many
respondents consider incoming e-mail messages as spam and delete them. This problem
is solved by placing an announcement containing an offer to participate in the survey:
1) on the websites of providers of a specific market; 2) on the websites of popular mail
systems in specific regions [9, p. 47].
To ensure the representativeness of the sample, it is advisable to follow the
algorithm:
1) post an announcement about the survey;
2) register those who wish to participate in the survey;
3) collect information about all potential participants and create a database about
them;
4) send invitations to participate in the survey to each of the potential
respondents;
5) collect and filter the results [13, p. 32].
The unbiased sample is provided by a sufficient number of representatives of the
Internet audience in the total number of the audience that is of interest to the company.
Their number should be as close as possible to the general population. This is important
because of the low control during the implementation of the study due to the lack of
direct contacts between respondents and interviewers. This leads to an increase in
refusals from the questionnaire and, accordingly, to a decrease in the number of
responses. There is also some possibility that distorted (untrue) information will be
received from respondents or the answers will turn out to be incomplete.
If stimulating factors are used in conducting surveys (prizes are awarded,
participation in the study is paid for), it is necessary to prevent respondents from filling
6
out the questionnaires again. The control is carried out by tracking the IP addresses of
respondents, checking the correctness of filling out questionnaires.
It is advisable to take into account the fact that only the most active Internet users
participate in the research. To increase the number of participants, the use of the roar-ir
method is practiced. It consists in the fact that every tenth (or thirtieth, fiftieth, etc.)
visitor to the website opens a small window on top of the main page with an invitation
to participate in the survey [2, p. 29].
At the current stage of technology development, researchers have increasingly
begun to come to the aid of online surveys. This is a really convenient and economical
way to collect primary information. The organization of an online survey is not much
different from the organization of a classical sociological study.
The most important part of the survey process is to create questions that
accurately measure the opinions, experiences, and behavior of the public. An accurate
random sample will be wasted if the information collected is built on a shaky foundation
of ambiguous or biased questions. Creating good measures involves both writing good
questions and organizing them to form a questionnaire.
Questionnaire development is a multi–step process that requires attention to
many details at once. Designing a questionnaire is difficult because surveys can ask
questions on topics with varying degrees of detail, questions can be asked in different
ways, and questions asked earlier in the survey can influence how people answer
subsequent questions. Researchers are also often interested in measuring changes over
time and therefore should be attentive to how opinions or behaviors were measured in
previous surveys [10, p. 36].
Interviewers may conduct pilot tests or focus groups in the early stages of
questionnaire development to better understand how people think about the problem or
understand the question. Pre-testing the survey is an important step in the questionnaire
development process to assess how people respond to the general questionnaire and
specific questions, especially when the questions are entered for the first time.
7
For many years, surveyors have approached questionnaire design as an art, but
significant research over the past forty years has shown that there are many sciences
involved in developing a good questionnaire. Here we discuss the pitfalls and best
practices of questionnaire development.
Researchers always hope that the answers received on the survey questionnaire
will provide useful data. If the questionnaire is too complicated, there is a fair chance
that the respondent may get confused and drop out or answer inaccurately.
You can try out several different survey options to determine which one resonates
best with your target audience. Pre-testing is a good practice, because the creator of the
survey can understand the initial stages if any changes are required in it.
The structure of the questionnaire includes the following elements: service field,
introduction, body of the questionnaire, classification part, conclusion.
The design of the survey depends on the type of information that needs to be
collected from the respondents. Qualitative questionnaires are used when there is a need
to collect research information to help prove or disprove a hypothesis. Quantitative
questionnaires are used to verify or verify a previously generated hypothesis [3, p. 81].
However, most of the questionnaires follow some essential characteristics: uniformity,
research, question sequence.
Stages of the questionnaire development.
The first stage is the creation of a research program or a preparatory one.
Defining the problem, object and subject of research, setting goals and objectives – all
this work is done in exactly the same way as in classical sociological research. The first
stage also includes the development of a sample and tools.
The sample for online research is calculated based on the number and
characteristics of the panel. Large companies have numerous panels and know certain
socio-demographic characteristics. According to ESOMAR recommendations, this list
includes:
- gender;
8
- level of education;
- family size;
- region;
- location (zip code + house number);
- age (date of birth);
- presence of children in the family;
- employment;
- the amount of internet usage (hours per week);
- type of internet access [5, p. 37].
Further, the questionnaire for online research has the same structure as for the
classical one, but there are certain criteria that should be followed:
• The wording of the questions should be clear to everyone, that is, the question
should be made as simple as possible, because, unlike offline surveys, when the
interviewer is interviewing, there is no one online to explain the meaning of the
question;
• The number of questions is limited – the more there are, the more likely it is
that the respondent will simply stop answering halfway;
• It is advisable to do without tabular questions – again, this is so that the
respondent does not get confused;
• The Internet provides the opportunity to include multimedia elements in the
survey – photos, videos, sound – this is a big plus that should be used to keep the
respondent's attention [7, p. 56].
In classical sociological research, the final point in the preparatory stage is the
recruitment of interviewers and their instruction. In Internet surveys, it is still necessary
to work out software that will replace all interviewers. This is done by a software
specialist, most often several people. They make up a questionnaire and a way to
process the data.
9
The second stage is operational and procedural or field. This is where the actual
collection of information begins. To begin with, there is a mailing list by e-mail with
an invitation to participate in the survey and a link to it. The mailing list goes only to
those addresses that correspond to the quota and the sample. The European Society for
the Study of Public Opinion and Marketing (ESOMAR) has compiled the following
principles of the Internet survey:
• Voluntary cooperation.
• Providing information about the organizers of the survey and a contact phone
number or e-mail.
• Ensuring the anonymity of respondents.
• Data security.
• Unauthorized mailing [14, p. 63].
The data obtained during the survey is saved in the program and can then be
exported to, for example, SPSS. It is also sometimes possible to get intermediate results
before the end of the survey and final summary data. Most often only one-dimensional,
less often two-dimensional tables. And here we move on to the third stage – the
resulting one. To study the results of the study in more detail, you simply need to export
the data to a suitable program for processing them. This is necessary for detailed
analysis, identification of dependencies, and so on. The stage of data analysis and
writing an online research report is no different from a similar stage in classical
sociological surveys.
Thus, if you follow the rules and stages of the questionnaire development, then a
carefully and precisely designed questionnaire helps to collect reliable information on
the research topic for its further development.
10
CHAPTER 2. PRACTICAL PART: DEVELOPING AND CONDUCTING
ONLINE SURVEY
2.1. Description of the online survey
We have developed a questionnaire and conducted a study of consumer
preferences in choosing sportswear and shoes.
In order to study consumer preferences in choosing sportswear and shoes, a
marketing study was conducted in February 2024 using a questionnaire survey.
Research methodology. And so, 50 people took part in the survey. To begin with,
we found out how various factors affect the sale of sportswear. As it was revealed, 37
people, or 74% of the respondents, are in the age range of 15-18 years. Between the
ages of 19 and 24 – 24% of the respondents, or 12 people. Only 2% of the respondents,
that is, 1 person, is aged 41 years and older. Of the respondents, the main share is
occupied by women, namely 76% of the respondents, or 38 people. The remaining 24%
of the respondents, or 12 people, are male (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Age and gender of respondents
The survey was conducted using a specially designed questionnaire, which is
presented in Appendix 1, by distributing the forms to the city's population and
subsequent processing of the data obtained. During the survey, information was
revealed on the main blocks of questions: how often do people play sports, which brand
11
is the leading one, whether promotions affect the volume of purchases, what is the
purpose of buying sportswear.
Answering the question: «Do you play sports?» - 94% of the respondents, or 47
people, answered positively, and only 6% (3 people) answered negatively, as can be
seen from Figure 2.
Figure 2. Respondents' sports activities
To the question: «How often do you exercise?» 30 of the respondents replied that
they exercise several days a week, which is 60% of the respondents, that is, most of
them. Of the 50 people surveyed, 22%, or 11 people, replied that they rarely exercise.
The remaining 9 people, or 18% of the respondents, turned out to exercise daily (Fig.
3).
Figure 3. Frequency занятия спортом of people's sports activities
12
Исключительно самостоятельно приобретают одежду и обувь спортивную
82% of respondents, or 41 people, purchase sports clothing and footwear exclusively
on their own или 41 . The remaining 9 people do not buy самостоятельно this product
on their own, which is 18% of respondents (figure 4).
Figure 4. Buying sportswear and shoes by young people
Thus, we have developed and conducted an online survey.
2.2. Analysis of the conducted online survey
The main results of the marketing research that we received during the survey
are as follows.
To the question: «How often do you update your sports wardrobe?» 21 people,
which is 42% of the respondents, replied that they update their sports wardrobe every
six months. We can say that this is quite common for the average person. For several
years, 13 people out of 50 respondents, or 26% of the total number of respondents, have
been wearing sportswear and shoes. Every year, a fifth of the respondents, or 10 people,
update their sports wardrobe, which is 20% of the respondents. 6 people out of 50
respondents, or 12% of respondents, update their sportswear wardrobe monthly (Fig.
5).
13
Figure 5. Frequency of purchase of sportswear and shoes
Of the 50 people surveyed, 32 people, or 64%, noted that they buy sportswear
and shoes, mainly for training, that is, this is the majority of respondents. The remaining
18 respondents, which is 36% of the respondents, purchase sports items for everyday
wear and life in general (Fig. 6).
Figure 6. The purpose of buying sportswear and shoes
The following questionnaire question was asked to the respondents in order to
clarify their preferences and attitudes towards sports clothing brands. As it was
revealed, 19 out of 50 people surveyed, that is, more than a third of people, or 38%,
give their preference to NIKE. Of the same number of respondents, 12 people, or 24%
of respondents, which is almost a quarter of the respondents, chose REEBOK,
therefore, we put it in second place among young people. 7 of the respondents chose
14
ADIDAS, which was 14% of the respondents. This gives reason to give ADIDAS the
third place. DEMIX took the fourth place in our rating, as 3 out of 50 respondents, or
6%, chose this particular company. Only 1 person out of the respondents chose PUMA.
As a result, 8 people, or 16% of the respondents, prefer other brands of sportswear and
shoes (Fig. 7).
Figure 7. Preferences of sports brands by consumers
Next, we tried to find out which part of the sports wardrobe is most often bought
by the respondents. Of the 50 respondents, 27 people most often resort to buying
sneakers, which is 54%. About 26% of the respondents, or 13 people, often buy sportsstyle T-shirts. Out of 50 respondents, 4 people often prefer tracksuits, arguing that it is
a convenient purchase, which is 8%. And the remaining 6 people, or 12% of the
respondents, mostly buy some other types of sportswear and shoes, for example, it can
be: leggings, swimming trunks, hoodies, shorts and other sportswear. It was also noted
that the respondents have different appropriate wardrobes for various sports activities,
that is, different types of clothes for different sports, which is a convenient solution.
Also, the clothes are different for different seasons, seasons and weather.
15
Figure 8. Sportswear and shoes often purchased by consumers
Analyzing the dependence of the promotion policy on the purchase of sportswear
and shoes, it was revealed that the most attractive advertisement, in the opinion of the
respondents, is the advertising of NIKE 38% (19 people). 34% (17 people) voted for
REEBOK advertising.18% (9 people) voted for ADIDAS advertising, and 10% (5
people) attracted the attention of advertising from other manufacturers of sportswear
and shoes (Fig. 9).
Figure 9. Sports brand advertising preferences from a consumer perspective
Out of 50 respondents, 30 people believe that для них the brand is important for
them бренд when buying спортивной sportswear, which is 60% of respondents and is
quite высоким high. For 40% of the respondents, or 20 % of the remaining people, the
16
brand is not important, for them важно the quality покупаемой of the clothes they buy
is more important than the name, as shown in Figure 10.
Figure 10. Brand influence on the choice of sportswear and footwear buyers
Of the 50 people surveyed, 40 respondents said that discounts and promotions
affect the volume of their purchases спортивной of sportswear and shoes. The
remaining 20%, or a fifth of the respondents – 10 people -said that they are not affected
(Figure 11).
Figure 11. Impact of discounts and promotions on the choice of sportswear and
footwear buyers
17
We decided to find out where mostly young people buy clothes and shoes. As it
was determined, 31 people out of 50 respondents, which is 62%, buy sportswear and
shoes in shopping malls. In specialized stores, their location does not matter, 9 people
out of the 50 surveyed, which is 18%, purchase sportswear and shoes again. In online
stores, 6 people of the respondents, or 12%, prefer to swim in sportswear and shoes.
Basically, this is the working part of the respondents. The remaining 4 people out of 50
respondents, which is only 8%, like to go specifically to the market to purchase
sportswear, shoes and goods. All the results obtained are shown in the diagram in Figure
12.
Figure 12. Place of purchase of sportswear and shoes
Two fifths of the respondents, which is 40%, or 20 respondents, replied that the
range of their spending in a sports store ranges from 3,001 to 5,000 rubles per trip to
the store. That is, they are really ready to part with this amount at one time in a sports
store, which is a high indicator. Slightly fewer respondents, namely 14 out of 50
respondents, are willing to spend from 5,001 to 10,000 rubles per visit to a sports store,
which is 28% of respondents. 11 people out of the respondents, or 22%, set their limit
to 3,000 rubles for going to a sports store. The remaining 5 respondents, or 10% of
respondents, can afford to spend more than 1,000 rubles in a sports store per visit
(Figure 13).
18
Figure 13. Cost range обновления of sports wardrobe upgrades
Having asked the respondents about their hobbies, of course, specifically sports,
the following answers were received. The majority of the respondents, namely 34
people, attend the gym. Fitness is also popular among the respondents, 26 of the
surveyed people are engaged in it. They sometimes dance, perform sports dance moves
– 11 of the respondents. This is due to the fact that most of the respondents are female.
Of the 50 survey participants, 8 people are involved in athletics. 7 male respondents are
involved in football. Only 3 people out of the respondents are engaged in gymnastics.
Volleyball and basketball are not very popular among the respondents, they are
practiced by 3 people each. Aerobics is also not popular – only 2 people do it, and it is
girls. Also note that each sport determines the presence in the wardrobe of clothes.
So, it was found out during the marketing research conducted by us that the
majority of respondents, namely young people, are engaged in sports, and this is
obvious, since everyone wants to keep fit, and especially in their youth. Many of them
exercise several times a week, that is, quite often. The surveyed people mostly buy
sports clothes and shoes on their own, both for training and for everyday life. The
respondents spend mainly 3-5 thousand rubles on these purchases. The surveyed
respondents mostly like to buy sportswear and shoes in shopping malls or special sports
stores. As it turned out, the brands that are the most popular among the surveyed youth
are Nike and Reebok.
19
CHAPTER 3. THE MAIN SAMPLING PROBLEMS FOR ONLINE
SURVEYS
Internet research has become an integral part of modern scientific work. They
allow you to conduct research using online questionnaires, data analysis from social
networks and other digital sources. However, for all their advantages, Internet research
has a number of specific sampling problems.
A number of significant limitations and disadvantages that cannot be ignored do
not allow online research to completely displace traditional ones.
One of the main sampling problems in Internet research is the problem of
unrepresentativeness of the sample. Unlike traditional sampling methods, where
researchers have the ability to control the composition of the sample, this is much more
difficult in online research. The Internet has a huge variety of users, which can lead to
underestimation or overestimation of certain groups of the population. For example,
social media users may be younger and more educated than the general population,
which may distort the results of the study.
The main problem is that the sample of Internet users is not representative of the
population of the country or even the region. The opinions of Internet users will differ
from the opinions of the rest of the population. In addition, volunteers participate in the
online study - the most active and curious Internet users. Such self-Selection makes it
difficult to control the correspondence between the sample and the general population.
Even if we limit the general population to the Internet audience only, the sample
from it may be biased towards the audience of those sites whose visitors were invited
to the survey. The composition of the audience of individual Internet resources is
constantly changing, and the frequent change of E-mail creates the same problem as
changing the address of residence or phone number - the inability to identify an Internet
user as a unique respondent. Registration by multiple E-mails allows an Internet user
to repeatedly fill out the same questionnaire, thereby affecting the distribution of
responses. The probability of deliberate misinformation increases when a financial
20
reward is due for participating in the survey. If the respondent is interested in increasing
their chances of winning or simply wants to «improve» the result of the survey (testing),
they try to give a socially expected answer. More often than others, such answers are
given by «trained» respondents using «low-cost» questionnaire filling strategies.
Since Network users voluntarily provide all information about themselves, it is
problematic to assess the reliability of socio-demographic data of potential respondents,
their motivation, conscientiousness, and sincerity of answers. In addition, Internet users
can give false answers by choosing them randomly, considering the survey as a game,
entertainment. The desire to reduce the time required for data collection has negative
consequences. If, after the expiration of the time allotted for sending invitations,
respondents come via links to a closed survey, this will reduce their loyalty in the future.
In addition, the sample may shift towards more active respondents. Therefore, even
with small online samples, the field stage should be at least 3-4 days, and for large
samples, especially with multiple quotas, at least 6-7 days.
Online survey software can be «hacked» by computer hackers or subjected to a
DDoS attack (Distributed Denial of Service). For example, if competitors are interested
in distorting the results of the study or disrupting it [18, p. 24].
Internet users are not inclined to participate in lengthy interviews. Short
questionnaires on Websites usually contain 1-3 questions, long ones - no more than 2025 questions. Although Web Panel participants who have agreed to receive survey
invitations can answer 50 or more questionnaire questions, it is impossible to get the
respondent to answer all the questions. An online survey can be considered successful,
which is fully completed by 70-80% of those who started responding.
As in a regular questionnaire, the respondent may misunderstand the meaning of
some of the online questionnaire questions and respond inadequately to them, and the
researcher may make mistakes in interpreting his answers, especially those received in
writing. Surveys conducted by foreign companies sometimes sin by carelessness of
design, poor Russian 6 language, excessive length. Foreign researchers sometimes have
21
a poor understanding of the specifics of the Russian audience, trying to make the
questionnaire universal for any country.
The same Web page may be displayed differently by different Internet browsers,
so that the respondent has a wrong idea about the actual size and properties of the
graphic images presented to him, photographs of objects. The respondent's perception
of text and graphic (color, brightness, configuration) material may be influenced by the
type of monitor, sound and video cards, and screen resolution [17, p. 62].
Another sampling problem in Internet research is the problem of selection.
Internet research can only attract users who have access to the Internet and know how
to use online technologies. This may exclude certain population groups from the
sample, such as the elderly, low-income families, or residents of remote regions. Thus,
the results of the study may be unreliable and inadequate.
In addition, the problem of sampling in Internet research is the problem of selfselection of study participants. Unlike traditional methods, where the researcher
chooses the participants of the study himself, on the Internet, participants can
independently decide whether to participate in it or not. This can lead to distortion of
the results of the study, as participants may be more interested in certain issues or have
their own subjective opinion.
The above factors, taken together, distort online research data. Since their
verification is difficult, it is necessary to carefully clean the received array of responses
and cull all suspicious respondents from it. Thus, sampling problems in Internet
research are a serious challenge for researchers. To improve the quality and reliability
of the research results, it is necessary to carefully consider the sample, taking into
account the characteristics of Internet users, control the selection process and strive for
maximum representativeness of the sample.
22
CONCLUSION
Today, interest in online research is constantly growing all over the world, which
makes it possible to reach a large and at the same time an increasing part of the
inhabitants of different countries. This trend is visible not only abroad, but also in the
Russian Federation, where more and more organizations, together with traditional
survey methods, include Internet surveys among the services provided.
One of the main issues in the implementation of an online survey is the formation
of a sample, that is, the allocation of the contact audience on which the research will be
conducted. Significant factors in this case are the representativeness of the sample.
The formation of a sample for conducting an online survey can be of the
following types: spontaneous; selected / eliminated; recruited / panel.
Spontaneous (the sampling contour is formed by registered and/or unregistered
site visitors who have shown interest in participating in the survey). When organizing
the results, it should be taken into account that the most active users usually take part
in the study.
Selected/eliminated (created by the method of mailing invitations to site visitors
selected with a quota assignment based on characteristics related to research tasks;
response ranges from 30% to 50%). For randomization, the «pop-up» technique can be
used – a window with an invitation to participate in the study is shown in front of each
nth visitor of the site.
Recruited/panel (created on the basis of a constantly updated structured set of
data from potential respondents). The WEB panel is methodologically the most relevant
way to engage in online surveys. Due to the available socio-demographic information
about the respondents, the researcher can make the samples necessary for each specific
study.
The most preferred and freed from the problems typical of the Internet seems to
be just the last, panel selection.
23
The problems are sample bias (lack of representativeness, spontaneity of the
sample, audience coverage, dynamism, instability of the social space on the Internet);
misinformation of the researcher (repeated participation in the survey, lack of
information about the data on the general population; deliberate distortion of data, the
likelihood of hostile actions); technical limitations (short length of the questionnaire,
control along the way filling, communication problems, individual system parameters).
Regarding specific sampling problems, using the example of analyzing the
loyalty program of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art using Internet questions, bias
and unrepresentativeness can be distinguished, it is believed that the age division
reflected in the survey is very different from real museum visitors, which strongly
affects the results of other questions, it is assumed that there are fewer young visitors,
which requires additional research. The age bias could greatly affect the results of the
responses, so, for example, according to the experience of marketers, loyalty programs
are more relevant for older visitors. Thus, it is known that the study of the loyalty
program of the Moscow Museum of Modern Art using Internet questions requires
improvement in the formation of a sample or should switch to a non-linear format. The
problems are significant enough to cast doubt on the results of the study.
Thus, all the objectives of the sample research in the Internet survey, which were
set in the introduction, were achieved.
24
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Chernykh V. V. Questioning as a tool for marketing market research:
Textbook / V. V. Chernykh. - St. Petersburg: Lan, 2018. - 524 p.
2. Galitsky, E. B. Marketing research. [ Theory and Practice: A textbook for
universities]. - Lyubertsy: Yurait, 2018. - 570 p.
3. Goel S., Salganik M. J., Raftery A. Assessing respondent-driven sampling //
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America.
2010. Vol. 107, Nr 15. P. 6743-6747.
4. Grishina, V. T. Questioning: Practical work: Textbook / V. T. Grishina. Moscow: Vuzovsky textbook, 2019 – - 441 p.
5. Heckathorn D. Respondent-driven sampling : a new approach to the study of
hidden populations // Social Problems. 1997. Vol. 44, Nr 2. P. 174-199.
6. Heckathorn D. Respondent-driven sampling II : deriving valid population
estimates from chain-referall samples of hidden populations // Social Problems. 2002.
Vol.49, Nr 1. P. 11-34.
7. Heckathorn D., Salgamik M. Sampling and estimation in hidden populations
using respondent-driven sampling // Sociological Methodology. 2004. Vol. 34. P.193239.
8. Heckathorn D., Wejnert C. Web-based network sampling efficiency and
efficacy of respondent-driven sampling for online research // Sociological Methods &
Research. 2008. Vol. 37. P. 105-134.
9. Zaitsev A. G. , Takmakova E. V. Marketing research: A textbook / A. G.
Zaitsev, E. V. Takmakova. - Moscow: Rior, 2017. - 118 p.
10. Kameneva, N. G. Marketing research: Учебное A textbook / N. G.
Kameneva, V. A. Polyakov. - Moscow: Vuzovsky uchebnik, 2018. - 288 p.
11. Karasev A. P. Marketing research and situational analysis: Textbook and
practice / A. P. Karasev. - Lyubertsy: Yurait, 2019. - 323 p.
25
12. Korotkov A.V. Marketing research: Textbook for bachelors / A.V. Korotkov.
– Lyubertsy: Yurait Publ., 2017. – , 595 p.
13. Lebedeva O. A. , Lygina N. I. Marketing research of the market: Textbook /
O. A. Lebedeva, N. I. Lygina. - Moscow: Forum, 2018 – - 210 p.
14. Moosmuller, G. Marketing research with SPSS: Uch. Pic / G. Moosmuller,
N. N. Rebik. - Moscow: Infra-M, 2019. - 240 p.
15. Safronova N. B., Korneeva I. E. Marketing research: A textbook for
bachelors / N. B. Safronova, I. E. Korneeva. – M.: Dashkov and K, 2018. - 296 p.
16. Sklyar, E. N. Marketing research: a practical course / E. N. Sklyar. - Moscow:
Dashkov and K, 2017. - 216 p.
17. Tokarev B. E. Marketing research: Textbook / B. E. Tokarev. - Moscow:
Magister, 2018. - 320 p.
18. Wejnert C. An empirical test of respondent-driven sampling: point estimates,
variance, degree measures, and out-of-equilibrium // Sociological Methodology. 009.
Vol. 39. P. 73-166.
26
APPENDIX
Hello! This is a questionnaire on sportswear. We want to understand your preferences
and tastes.
Please take a few minutes of your time.
Your gender?
Male
Female
Your age?
15-18
19-25
26-40
41 and older
Do you play sports
Yes
No
How often do you exercise
Every day
Several times a week
Rarely
Do you buy самостоятельно your own sportswear and shoes?
Yes
No
How often do you update your sports wardrobe?
Every month
Every six months
Every year
I've been wearing it for several years
What are your goals покупки for buying sportswear and shoes?
For training purposes
For everyday use
Sports brand preferences
Nike
Adidas
27
Reebok
Puma
Demix
Other
What is your most frequently purchased sportswear and shoes?
Sneakers
Track suit
T-shirts
Other
The most attractive ad, in your opinion, is the company's ad?
Nike
Adidas
Reebok
Puma
Demix
Other
Does the brand play an important role in choosing a purchase?
Yes
No
Do discounts and promotions affect the volume of purchases?
Yes
No
The main place to buy sportswear and shoes?
On the market
In the Internet
In shopping centers
In special stores for specific sports
Cost range of sports wardrobe upgrades
Up to 3000 rubles
3001-5000 rubles
5001-10000 rubles
100.01 rubles and more
Thank you for participating! Your feedback is important to Us!
28