into a test market to measure buyer response. To use the final basis—what people have done—firms
analyze records of past buying behavior or use time-series analysis or statistical demand analysis.
SURVEY OF BUYERS’ INTENTIONS Forecasting is the art of anticipating what buyers are
likely to do under a given set of conditions. For major consumer durable such as appliances,
research organizations conduct periodic surveys of consumer buying intentions, ask questions like
Do you intend to buy an automobile within the next six months? and put the answers on a purchase
probability scale: