Marketers engage the use of primary and secondary research tools to determine results of current and past information. The information acquired from the results of the inquiries defines the data in two different terms. Marketers dissect the information and categorize it in qualitative or quantitative terms. For marketing it is important to differentiate between primary and secondary research when using qualitative and quantitative approaches to use each one effectively and determine why.
Primary Research
Part of the marketing strategy implements research to determine results for the final goal. In a perfect world the information would be filed away and broken down in descriptive categories. When no established information has been provided researchers must turn to new collection processes. “When the researcher collects fresh data to meet the needs of research it is primary research. The tools of primary research include surveys, interviews, and observations. This is a direct method of carrying out research and so its tools are entirely different from that of secondary research” (Stewart, 1993, p.67). Primary research collects information from a variety of sources. Marketers use surveys, videos, laboratory testing, organizations records, and observations to gather information and relate it to data. Observations tend to be collected from focus groups, usually from the moderator. The moderator will conduct the group discussions on behalf of the organization and observe the reactions, both physical and emotional, of the participants. The design plan collects the data, then inputs the information, and analyzes it. Primary research plays a critical part of the marketing plan.

Secondary Research Secondary research differs from primary research because the research information already exists. When marketers use secondary research tools they extract