Collecting Market Data:
The Rapid Market Assessment Approach
In 1998 Larry Lev and Garry
Stephenson from OSU Extension Service developed a
simple, fun and yet effective market research
method called Rapid Market Assessment (RMA).
RMA provides markets research methods to determine
market attendance and to collect useful
market data.
Over the past three years, Larry
and Garry have coordinate the RMA program in eight
Oregon farmers' markets. Many more market managers
learned the method by participating in the process.
Today market
managers are conducting their own RMA programs,
collecting data that influences the future
direction of the their markets.
RMA
Markets Surveyed In
2000, 2001 and 2002
Ashland
Rogue Valley Growers & Crafters Market
Corvallis
Corvallis Wednesday Farmers' Market
Grants Pass
Grants Pass Growers Market
Eugene
Lane County Farmers' Market
Portland
Milwaukie Sunday Market
Beaverton Farmers' Market
Hillsdale Farmers' Market
Hollywood Farmers' Market
Portland Wednesday Farmers Market
Portland Thursday Farmers Market
Hood River
Hood River Saturday Market
Sample
Questions Chosen by Farmers' Markets
-
How did you first find
out about the market?
-
How did you travel to the market?
-
Will you be doing any additional shopping
in the business district on this trip? If
yes, please estimate the amount.
-
What stopped you from buying more in the
market?
-
How much did you spend in the market?
-
Do you come to the farmers' market for the
products, the atmosphere, the crafts or some
combination.
-
Why are you downtown?
For more information about these
research methods read Tools for Rapid
Market Assessment or contact:
Larry Lev
OSU Extension Service, Corvallis
larry.s.lev@orst.edu
Garry Stephenson
OSU Small Farms Extension Service
garry.stephenson@orst.edu
Farmers Markets research by
Oregon State University Small Farms.
A Market
Testimony
Rapid Market Assessment "Dot
Survey" Helped Get Grant for Hood River
Saturday Market
Dear Larry,
I wanted to let you know that Hood River Saturday
Market was just awarded a
small grant ($925.00) from the Hood River Chamber
of Commerce's Visitor's
Council.
As you know, as part of any grant you need to tell
the Grant Committee how
your project will be evaluated with regard to
meeting established
performance measures, how will it be measured,
what information will be
presented and how information be presented. I was
able to use your Dot
Survey methodology to answer all of these
questions. Your team visited our
market last year and showed us an invaluable tool
to use to collect
information for such grant opportunities. Below is
the wording from the
grant. Thank you so much for your help Larry! Even
though this is not a huge
amount of money, for our non-profit any money is
huge money. Moreover, this
grant validates Hood River Saturday Market's
contribution to the business
activity of Downtown Hood River and Hood River
County. That is priceless.
Lisa Conway
Hood River Saturday Market
May 2002
|
