MarketTools has introduced Zoomerang Online Focus, a full-service online focus group service that provides participant recruitment, moderation and reporting. The service looks fairly easy to use and similar in process to traditional focus groups: First Zoomerang creates a discussion guide for you to review and approve based on the objectives and parameters you provide. Next, Zoomerang will recruit respondents either from your in-house database or from the "Zoomerang Sample" of 2.5 million consumers — note that respondents will be selected to match the needs of your study.

Next, a live Zoomerang moderator conducts your focus group online using their own proprietary focus group/chat software. You can watch the focus group as it proceeds from your own computer. Note that the Zoomerang Online Focus interface is fairly interactive and allows participants to write, type and draw on a white board that everyone can see and further allows them to participate in exercises devised by the moderator.

Shortly after the focus groups are over, Zoomerang sends you a final report with recommendations and conclusions, as well as a transcript of all chat discussions, recording of online comments and full audio feedback.

Pricing for Zoomerang Focus Groups is as follows: one group costs $5900 plus incentive ($240 – $800). If you want to use members from Zoomerang’s panel, the cost is around $1200. For two sets of focus groups, the price drops to $11k + incentive ($240-$800) + optional Zoomerang panel ($1.6k).

MarketTools is certainly not the first company to offer online focus groups — other companies include e-Focusgroups, iTracks, GMI, and others.

This entry was posted on Saturday, October 21st, 2006 at 1:36 am and is filed under methodology. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.