Comments on: Polls, Politics and Pundits–Part 1 http://marketresearchoptimized.com/market-research/polls-politics-and-pundits-part-1 optimizing market research inside your company Tue, 10 Aug 2010 20:51:28 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Thomas Dinsmore http://marketresearchoptimized.com/market-research/polls-politics-and-pundits-part-1/comment-page-1#comment-122 Thomas Dinsmore Fri, 26 Mar 2010 13:00:04 +0000 http://marketresearchoptimized.com/?p=204#comment-122 The GOP and Democratic interpretations of the polls are not inconsistent. Survey respondents can agree with individual components of a bill, but disagree with the bill taken as a whole when a price tag is attached. Drawing an analogy to marketing, a consumer can like a car's styling, performance and features when considered separately, but still decline to buy it if the price is perceived to be too high, or if the consumer does not need a new car. Ratings of individual product features or legislative components are relatively meaningless, because the respondent does not need to make tradeoffs. We only understand a consumer's true preferences when a choice is required. The GOP and Democratic interpretations of the polls are not inconsistent. Survey respondents can agree with individual components of a bill, but disagree with the bill taken as a whole when a price tag is attached.

Drawing an analogy to marketing, a consumer can like a car’s styling, performance and features when considered separately, but still decline to buy it if the price is perceived to be too high, or if the consumer does not need a new car.

Ratings of individual product features or legislative components are relatively meaningless, because the respondent does not need to make tradeoffs. We only understand a consumer’s true preferences when a choice is required.

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