The Importance of Market Research: Whole Foods Market research is invaluable to an organization. The information gathered from market research allows the management team to make informed decisions. Market research tools are chosen for various reasons, it may be a financially feasible choice for the organization or the organization may be equipped with the ability to use many different tools. This document discusses market research and lists some tools used by one of the world's largest natural and organic food retailers, Whole Foods. Marketing research is the collection and analysis of data relevant to a particular market and the “communication of this analysis to management” (McDaniel, 2006). Whether the organization is a local store or a large corporation, marketing research is important for managing quality, building customer loyalty and understanding trends. Market research is important to receive feedback on the success of the marketing mix (product, price, promotion and place) and to discover and launch new opportunities. There are so many reasons why marketing research is beneficial for an organization of any size and success to evaluate. It can be used to develop options through market segmentation, opportunity analysis, or product usage study. It can be used to test new products or advertising. It can also be used to evaluate product performance. Of course, research is only beneficial to the organization if the benefits outweigh the costs, so it is important to know when to decide whether research is necessary. Some types of marketing research might study product usage, company image, and customer satisfaction through surveys. . Consumers may be asked to try new concept products or receive feedba...... means of paper research to stay in touch with their customers. They understand that to maintain a leader in their industry they must stay connected to the people who shop in their stores. Works cited customers continue to value value. (2011). Retrieved from http://wholefoodsmarket.com/pressroom/blog/2011/09/13/customers-still-place-value-on-value/McDaniel, C. & Gates, R. (2006). Market Research (7th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons. A new survey shows shoppers are eating more meals at home and cooking to save money. (2011). Retrieved from http://wholefoodsmarket.com/pressroom/blog/2009/09/03/new-survey-shows-shoppers- eating-more-meals-at-home-cooking-meals-to-save-money/Stelzner, M. (2011). Reaching Millions with Twitter: The Whole Foods Story. Retrieved from http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/reaching-millions-with-twitter-the-whole-foods-story/