Good marketing research requires great care especially because of inherent difficulties in asking consumers questions. What are the three basic problems faced by marketing researchers when trying to assess consumers' willingness to buy products or services with which they are not familiar?

Inherent difficulties in asking the consumer questions involve the following: (1) Suppose your firm is developing a product that is completely new to the marketplace, and you are charged with estimating demand for the product. How can marketing research determine if consumers will buy a product they have never seen and never thought about before? (2) Understanding why consumers purchase some products often requires answers to personal questions. How can marketing research obtain answers that people know but are reluctant to reveal? (3) Past purchase behaviors may help firms understand the influence of marketing actions. How can marketing research help people accurately remember and report their interests, intentions, and purchases?