Market research survey questions for a new product or market
A market survey sample of 13 questions, answered in about four minutes by people who buy in your category.
- 13questions
- About 4 minto answer
The 13 market research survey questions
A market research survey is a short questionnaire answered by people who buy in a category, rather than by your own customers. It shows what they use now, how often the problem comes up, who decides and what they paid. All 13 questions are ready in our free questionnaire maker.
Screener
Two questions that decide who belongs in the results.
- When it comes to buying [CATEGORY], which of these fits you best?Report buyers, choosers and lapsed buyers apart.
- When were you last involved in a purchase in [CATEGORY]?
The problem and the fix used now
Asked before anything you might sell is mentioned.
- What do you use today to deal with [PROBLEM]?Doing nothing counts as a rival here.
- How often does [PROBLEM] come up for you?
- The way I handle this today works well enough.
- In the past year, what did you pay for to deal with [PROBLEM]?
How buying happens
Who signs off, and where they look first.
- Who decides whether to buy something like this?
- Where do you look first when you need to buy [CATEGORY]?
Price and rivals
What was actually paid, then who else could have the money.
- The last time you bought something in [CATEGORY], roughly what did you pay?Edit the bands to fit your price range.
- Which of these would you pick if you had to choose one today?Put four real rival names in before you send it.
- It would be easy for me to switch from what I use now.
Their words, then the score
One optional open question, then the rating the rest explains.
- If you could change one thing about the options on the market today, what would it be?
- The options available today solve [PROBLEM] for me.
Send it, then read it as a market feasibility survey
Send it to people who buy in your category, not to your customers, before you commit to a product or a market. Fill the brackets first. It collects no names or email addresses.
Start the reading at question 13. The unmet-need score is the percent who answer 1 or 2, minus the percent who answer 4 or 5. Compare it across the answers to question 1, and the group with the biggest score is the one to build for.
A go looks like a problem that comes up every week, money already spent on it, and a low score on question 13. Once you have picked the market, the purchase intent survey times the next purchase. The brand awareness survey shows whether its buyers can already name you.
Market research survey FAQ
What format should a market survey follow?
Screen first. Then ask about the problem and the fix people use now, how buying happens, what they paid and which rival wins, and close on one open question and the score. Add a customer profile survey when you also need demographics.
How many people should I survey for market research?
Plan on 385 completed answers: that gives a margin of error of five points at 95 percent confidence on any one percentage.[1] Plan for that many in each group you want to compare, such as company buyers and people buying for themselves.
Where do I find people to answer a market research survey?
Go where the problem is discussed: a community built around it, a partner's customer list, a trade newsletter or a paid panel. Ask the owner before you post, give a closing date, and let questions 1 and 2 screen out anyone outside the market.
Can I use it as a market survey for a new product?
Yes, before you build. Questions 3 to 6 show whether the problem comes up often and already costs money. Once you can describe the product, the concept testing questions test the idea. For a food or drink, follow with a taste test survey.
Michael Hodge, survey methodology · Updated 27 September 2026 · How templates are reviewed
Sources (1)
- Sawtooth Software. "Determining sample size for survey research." 2024. sawtoothsoftware.com
Find out what your market needs before you build
Thirteen questions, about four minutes, no name or email asked. Add your category and four rival names, then send the link.
Use this template