What market research questions should you be asking: With examples

Before launching your next product or business, it’s important to take time to complete some market research, which will provide information about what competitors are doing and if your ideas are profitable.

An essential part of market research is refining the target audience, which will help in creating an effective marketing strategy. While there are many different market research components, the most important is asking the right questions.

SurveyPlanet is here to help with examples of good market research questions. Read through our market research 101 guides and discover the best market research questions to ask your target market.

Understanding the two types of market research

Before you can ask the right questions, you need to understand the two core approaches to gathering insights: primary and secondary market research. Each plays a distinct role in helping you better understand your customers, competition, and overall market.

What is primary market research?

Primary research is gathering firsthand information about a market, customers, and competition. It is generally completed with focus groups, interviews, and online surveys that provide information about specific challenges customers face. Such research also helps gather details about the brand awareness of a company. Conducting primary research is a way to establish buyer personas and segment the market.

What is secondary market research?

The main purpose of secondary market research is to analyze data that is already published and draw conclusions from it. This involves analyzing public records, industry content, market statistics, and sales data. Secondary research is especially helpful for analyzing competitors. Most secondary research is done using a combination of public, commercial, or internal sources.

Public sources include government statistics such as data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census Bureau. Commercial sources usually come in the form of a market report compiled by research agencies. Finally, internal sources include customer retention rates, average revenue, and data from both old and new accounts. Together, all this data may help determine what buyers want right now and help develop questions to ask clients.

Types of market research questions

Not all questions are created equal — and that’s a good thing. Depending on your goals, you’ll want to ask different types of questions to gather the most meaningful insights. Some questions help you understand who your customers are, while others explore how they think, feel, and behave.

To make your research more actionable, it helps to organize your questions into key categories, each targeting a specific area of your business.

Market research questions for your customer demographics

To market effectively, you need to understand who your customers are. Demographic research lays the groundwork for audience segmentation, personalized marketing, and product-market fit. These questions help you define key traits of your audience, such as age, location, occupation, education level, and household structure.

Examples of customer demographic questions:

  1. What is your age?
  2. What is your gender?
  3. Where are you located (city, region, country)?
  4. What is your current employment status?
  5. What is your occupation or industry?
  6. What is your household income range?
  7. What is the highest level of education you’ve completed?
  8. What language do you primarily speak at home?
  9. What type of household do you live in (e.g., single, couple, family)?
  10. Do you have children or dependents?

Market research questions for product and service feedback

Direct product feedback is one of the most valuable forms of insight. It tells you what your customers love, what frustrates them, and what might push them away. These questions help you prioritize feature improvements, resolve common pain points, and design better experiences.

Examples of product-related questions:

  1. How often do you use our product or service?
  2. What do you like most about our product or service?
  3. What aspects do you find frustrating or difficult?
  4. Which features are most important to you?
  5. Are there any features you never use?
  6. Have you experienced any technical issues or bugs?
  7. How would you rate the overall quality of our product?
  8. What improvements would you like to see in future updates?
  9. Does our product solve your problem effectively?
  10. How likely are you to continue using our product/service?

Market research questions for competitor comparison

To stay ahead of the competition, you need to understand how your customers perceive your brand compared to others. These questions provide insight into your strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in the competitive landscape.

Examples of competitor-focused questions:

  1. Which other brands or products have you considered?
  2. How does our quality compare to our competitors?
  3. How do our prices compare?
  4. How does our customer service compare?
  5. What made you choose us instead of a competitor?
  6. What do competitors do better than we do?
  7. What do we do better than competitors?
  8. Have you ever switched from another brand to us? Why?
  9. Would you consider switching to another provider? Why or why not?
  10. How would you describe our brand reputation compared to others?

Understanding the broader market helps you anticipate changes, adapt your strategy, and identify emerging opportunities. These questions explore customer awareness of trends, industry challenges, and future expectations.

Examples of market trend questions:

  1. What trends have you noticed in our industry?
  2. What new products or services have caught your attention recently?
  3. Do you feel the market is changing quickly or slowly?
  4. Are there any gaps in the market that you’ve noticed?
  5. What needs do you have that currently aren’t being met?
  6. What challenges do you foresee in this space?
  7. How has your behavior changed in the last 12 months?
  8. Do you expect your needs to change in the near future?
  9. What technologies are influencing your decisions today?
  10. What do you wish existed in this market that doesn’t yet?

Market research questions for brand awareness and marketing channels

Is your brand making an impact? These questions measure how familiar customers are with your brand, how they discovered it, and which channels resonate most. They help you improve visibility and make better marketing investments.

Examples of brand awareness questions:

  1. How did you first hear about our brand?
  2. What do you associate our brand with?
  3. Which of our marketing channels do you follow or engage with?
  4. Have you seen or heard any of our advertisements recently?
  5. What is your perception of our brand messaging or tone?
  6. How recognizable is our logo or branding?
  7. Would you describe our brand as modern or traditional?
  8. How likely are you to recommend us to a friend or colleague?
  9. What social media platforms do you follow us on?
  10. What could we do to improve our brand communication?

Market research questions for pricing and value perception

Do your customers feel your pricing is fair? Are they getting enough value? These questions help you evaluate whether your pricing strategy is aligned with customer expectations and product performance.

Examples of pricing and value questions:

  1. What price would you consider fair for our product/service?
  2. How does our pricing compare to other similar options?
  3. Do you feel the product provides value for the cost?
  4. Would you pay more for additional features?
  5. Would a lower price make you more likely to purchase?
  6. Is our price a barrier to purchase for you?
  7. Do you consider our product a good investment?
  8. How important is price in your decision-making?
  9. Would you choose a cheaper option even if it lacked some features?
  10. Does our product offer enough benefits to justify the cost?

Questions for open-ended customer feedback

Sometimes, the most powerful insights come from simply letting customers speak. Open-ended questions allow them to express concerns, desires, or suggestions that structured questions might miss. These can lead to innovative ideas and uncover pain points you hadn’t considered.

Examples of open-ended questions:

  1. What’s the biggest challenge you face when using our product?
  2. If you could change one thing about our service, what would it be?
  3. What features or services do you wish we offered?
  4. Describe your ideal experience with a company like ours.
  5. How could we improve your customer journey?
  6. Is anything about our product confusing or unclear?
  7. What do you love most about our brand?
  8. What’s something you wish we asked in this survey?
  9. What advice would you give us as a company?
  10. How can we serve you better in the future?

Secondary market research question examples

Here are some examples of questions that can help guide the search for existing information and data.

Market size and growth

  1. What is the current market size for [industry or product category]?
  2. What is the projected growth rate for the [industry or product category] in the next few years?
  3. Are there any specific regions or demographics driving the market growth?

Target market segmentation

  1. How is the target market segmented within the [industry or product category]?
  2. What are the key characteristics or demographics of each market segment?
  3. Are there any emerging or untapped market segments within the industry?

Competitive landscape

  1. Who are the major competitors in the [industry or product category]?
  2. What is their market share and positioning?
  3. What are their strengths and weaknesses compared to each other?

Consumer behavior and preferences

  1. What are the current consumer trends and preferences within the [industry or product category]?
  2. What factors influence consumer purchasing decisions?
  3. Are there any notable shifts in consumer behavior in recent years?

Industry regulations and compliance

  1. What are the regulatory requirements and compliance standards for the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any upcoming regulatory changes or potential impacts on the industry?
  3. How do these regulations affect product development and marketing strategies?

Pricing and revenue models

  1. What are the typical pricing structures and models within the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any pricing trends or changes affecting the industry?
  3. What are the revenue models commonly used by businesses in the industry?

Technological innovations and disruptions

  1. What are the emerging technologies or innovations relevant to the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any disruptive technologies that could impact the industry?
  3. How are businesses adopting or integrating technology within the industry?

Consumer feedback and reviews

  1. What are consumers saying about products or services within the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any common issues or concerns raised by consumers?
  3. What are the key factors influencing consumer satisfaction or dissatisfaction?

Marketing and advertising strategies

  1. What are the prevailing marketing and advertising strategies used in the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any successful or noteworthy campaigns that have garnered attention?
  3. How are businesses utilizing digital platforms and social media for marketing purposes?

Industry publications and reports

  1. What industry publications or reports provide insights into the [industry or product category]?
  2. Are there any reputable market research firms or organizations that publish relevant data?
  3. What recent studies or reports offer valuable information about the industry?

Remember to search for reliable and up-to-date sources of information like industry reports, market research publications, government data, and reputable news outlets. Secondary market research can provide a foundation of knowledge about the industry, market trends, and consumer behavior, allowing you to make informed decisions and develop effective strategies.

How to write great market research questions

Even the best research tools can’t save a poorly written question. That’s why knowing how to write effective questions is just as important as knowing what to ask. A well-crafted question helps uncover precise, reliable insights — while a vague or biased one leads to confusion and wasted data.

Avoid jargon or technical terms your audience might not understand. Your goal is clarity — not complexity. For example, instead of asking “How satisfied are you with the UX of our platform?” ask “How easy is our website to use?”

Avoid leading or double-barreled questions. Leading questions subtly push the respondent toward a specific answer (e.g., “How much do you love our amazing new product?”). Double-barreled questions ask two things at once, like “How satisfied are you with our customer support and shipping speed?” — which makes it impossible to know which part they’re answering.

Match the tone to your brand and audience. If your brand voice is casual and fun, your survey questions can reflect that. If you’re in a serious or technical industry, keep the tone formal and focused. The tone should feel familiar and trustworthy.

Mix closed-ended and open-ended formats. Closed-ended questions (like multiple choice or rating scales) are easier to analyze and compare. Open-ended questions allow for detailed, emotional, or creative responses. The best surveys usually include a mix of both, depending on the goal.

Examples of best questions by goal

To make your research even more strategic, tailor your questions to a specific business goal. Whether you’re launching a new product or evaluating your brand health, the questions you ask should align with what you want to learn. Here are quick examples by use case:

For launching a new product:

  1. What problem does this product solve for you?
  2. Would you consider purchasing this product?
  3. How much would you expect to pay for something like this?
  4. What features matter most in a product like this?
  5. What similar products do you currently use?
  6. What’s your first impression of the concept?
  7. Would you recommend this product to others?
  8. What concerns would you have before buying?
  9. What name would you choose for this product?
  10. What channel would you prefer to buy it from?

For improving customer satisfaction:

  1. How satisfied are you with our service/product overall?
  2. What part of your experience could be improved?
  3. How responsive is our support team?
  4. How easy is it to navigate our website or app?
  5. Have you had any problems with our service recently?
  6. Would you purchase from us again?
  7. How likely are you to recommend us?
  8. How would you rate the value for money?
  9. Did we meet your expectations?
  10. What could we do to make your experience better?

For evaluating competitors:

  1. What brands have you used besides ours?
  2. What made you choose us over them?
  3. How do we compare on price, quality, or service?
  4. What does [competitor name] do better than us?
  5. What makes our brand stand out?
  6. Would you consider switching brands?
  7. How would you describe our reputation vs. theirs?
  8. What product features do competitors offer that we don’t?
  9. Which brand do you trust the most, and why?
  10. What would make you stop using our brand?

For pricing decisions:

  1. What price would you expect to pay for this product/service?
  2. At what price would it feel too expensive?
  3. At what price would you think it’s too cheap to be high-quality?
  4. How does our price compare to alternatives?
  5. Does our product provide good value for the price?
  6. Would you pay more for premium features?
  7. Is our pricing a barrier to purchase?
  8. Do you look for discounts or promotions?
  9. What payment model do you prefer (one-time, subscription, etc.)?
  10. Would a lower price influence your buying decision?

For brand awareness testing:

  1. Have you heard of our brand before?
  2. Where did you first learn about us?
  3. What comes to mind when you see our logo?
  4. How would you describe our brand in three words?
  5. What do you think we sell?
  6. How familiar are you with our competitors?
  7. Which of our marketing messages have you seen recently?
  8. How likely are you to recommend our brand?
  9. Which social media channels do you follow us on?
  10. How often do you engage with our content online?

Running a Market Research Survey: Tips for Success

Writing great questions is only half the battle — executing a research survey properly can make or break your results. Here are key best practices to ensure your survey runs smoothly and delivers insights you can trust.

Choose the right tool - Use a platform that’s easy to build, distribute, and analyze surveys with — like SurveyPlanet. Look for features like logic branching, templates, custom branding, and exportable reports.

Set a clear goal - Define the insight you’re looking for before writing a single question. Are you trying to validate a product idea? Understand a drop in sales? Improve customer retention? Knowing your objective keeps your survey focused and actionable.

Decide on your sample size - More isn’t always better. The right number depends on your total audience and your confidence needs. A small, well-targeted group often yields better results than a large, irrelevant one.

Test before launching - Send your survey to a few internal testers or loyal customers first. Make sure everything works (mobile compatibility, question logic, time to complete). Revise based on their feedback.

Keep it neutral and unbiased - Every question should be clear and free from assumptions. Use balanced language, offer “Other” and “I’m not sure” options where needed, and avoid pushing respondents toward a certain answer.

Keep it short and engaging - Aim for 5–10 minutes max. If your survey is too long, people will abandon it halfway through — or rush through it without care. Respect your audience’s time and make every question count.

Conducting a market research survey - what is important to ask?

Market research surveys are an efficient way to gain data based on insights from real customers. Companies can send surveys to existing and/or potential customers. Surveys give valuable insight into opinions about products, the company, and its customers. Companies use these questions to make changes to products and improve or enhance features. Surveys may also answer whether the business idea is a good one.

Explore and use our market research survey templates to get the data you need to make the right decisions.

Online surveys are one of the simplest research methods—they are flexible, dependable, and cost-effective. Read here our tips for creating an engaging survey. But what are good questions to ask a target market?

1. Who is our ideal customer?

Market research surveys should include questions about customers, including gender, age, income level, job title, location, and education level. This is an especially important step for start-up companies new to the market that have yet to nail down their target audience. It’s one thing to create buyer personas; it’s another to verify they are correct based on actual customers.

Don’t hesitate to ask for details in order to learn more about the ideal customer. A pet shop needs to know what kinds of animals customers own. How many? In what type of home do they live? The more information you can learn about customers, the better.

2. What is the biggest challenge for customers?

Market research involves learning about customers’ pain points, which will help create better solutions. For example, if an online textbook store sent out a survey to students and asked about pain points, they might find that “textbook prices are too high.” The company could take this information and compare prices to a competitor’s. If their prices are too high, they can lower them or offer discounts to combat this challenge.

Ask customers about their top five to seven problems regarding a service or product. If there are enough similar responses, business owners may need to improve or create a new product to counteract these frustrations.

3. What do customers really want?

It doesn’t hurt to ask customers exactly what they want. Asking open-ended questions like this will provide answers that you might not have realized were needed. If people show reluctance to answer this question, give them the option to rate certain products or services. This will at least provide guidance about which ones they like or dislike.

For example, a shoe store might send a survey with an email asking about this season’s sandals. Customers have the option to rate the sandal and answer specific questions about it. The company can use this information to learn more about what their customers like and what to provide in the future.

Learning the difference between quantitative and qualitative research can help you choose market research methods and questions.

4. What sets us apart from the competition?

Ask this question to find out what customers really think about you. Choose open-ended questions and encourage respondents to describe everything in detail. One way to do this is by asking specific questions related to what you offer that competitors don’t.

For example, a bakery might offer gluten-free and vegan options, but they’re unsure if their customers care. The bakery could ask in the survey, “How important is it to you to have gluten-free or vegan options at a bakery?” The responses are rated on a scale from not important to very important. The answers will tell you if what sets you apart matters to the customer.

The survey should also include sections that allow a customer to agree or disagree with statements. For example, “I can count on Phil’s Auto Shop to offer competitive pricing.” Such questions provide insight into the emotional benefits customers perceive from your business.

5. What price is right?

New businesses benefit from including pricing questions since it can be difficult to pinpoint the right price to charge, especially if you don’t have a true competitor. Pricing products or services fairly can generate the right balance of revenue and customer satisfaction. Pricing products too high can result in a lack of customers. Pricing them too low can result in a profit loss. So how to price just right? Figure out a comfortable profit margin and then ask customers their opinions on prices. Realize that there will always be businesses that charge more or less. Pricing fairly is a matter of creating brand loyalty and excellent customer experience.

While conducting a market research survey, ask customers if they find the prices too low, fair, or too high. Display different products and services with prices and have customers rate them. For example, a marketing agency might wonder if their website design price is appealing. In their survey, they can include an example of a website design, what it includes, and their current price. Customers will have the option to decide if it’s fair or not. To gain more insight, they might also include their other services in the survey.

Write the best market research questions with SurveyPlanet

With these suggestions, you might now be wondering how to use them. SurveyPlanet is a great place to start. We offer a free plan that allows for the creation of unlimited surveys that can be sent to customers. And if you don’t want to write market research material, we have over 90 pre-written surveys and plenty of examples to choose from. All you have to do is press send.

For companies that would prefer to customize their surveys, we offer a Pro plan that allows the creation of custom themes, branch questions, export results, and so much more. Whether you need something basic or more extensive, both our free and paid versions can help get the job done. Start conducting market research by signing up for SurveyPlanet today.