Over the past few years, Starbucks has been conducting market research in a very interesting way. In 2010, Starbucks created a website called "My Starbucks Idea," where consumers have the opportunity to share their thoughts on what the company can improve upon to make them a happier customer. People can see what others posted, can vote on what they like or dislike, can have discussions about Starbucks, and can then see what Starbucks has done to improve based on their thoughts and desires. The website also has a poll question which changes periodically, such as "What is your favorite drink? People must make an account to be able to sign in and contribute to the site.
I think that this is a very unique way to do market research. When people want to post their thoughts on the website, they must create an account. In doing so, they are giving Starbucks their email address and are automatically signed up to receive Starbucks email newsletters. This is giving Starbucks very easy access to information about their consumers. Starbucks is also getting very important feedback about what their customers like and dislike, as well as what they want to more of from the company. This helps Starbucks examine consumer preferences and enables them to improve to stand out from their competition. Starbucks has been implementing change based on consumer wants and needs, allowing customers to see what has been changed due to their feedback, to see what is currently being reviewed, and to see what they are working on. Starbucks knows that when customers are engaged they will be more willing to stick around and continue being a loyal customer. This method of market research is a win-win for both Starbucks and the consumers, as Starbucks is very easily gaining knowledge of consumer wants and needs, and the consumer feels like they are given some control when getting their daily coffee.