How big a sample do I need?

Depends on segmentation. 100 respondents supports broad findings; 300+ supports robust segmentation. Smaller samples (50-100) work for focused single-segment work.

What does a typical B2B survey cost?

€15-25k for a 100-respondent survey of mid-market buyers. €40-80k for senior C-level respondent panels in scarce categories.

Should I use a consumer-survey panel or an expert-survey panel?

Expert-survey panels for B2B. Consumer-survey panels rarely have enough sector-relevant respondents to produce credible B2B findings.

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research is primary-research methodology that emphasises measurement and statistical reliability — typically through surveys, panels and structured questionnaires applied to a defined respondent population. Contrasted with qualitative research, which emphasises depth and meaning.

Term: Quantitative Research
Section: Glossary
Last refreshed: Q1 2026

01/In Depth3–5 paragraphs

Quantitative answers 'how many', 'what percentage', 'how strongly'. Useful when sample size matters, when populations need to be characterised at scale, and when statistical confidence intervals are required for decision support.

In B2B contexts, quantitative work typically uses expert-survey panels (vetted respondent panels with operating experience) rather than consumer-research panels. Sample sizes range 50-300 respondents for typical engagements.

Common applications: willingness-to-pay quantification, category awareness measurement, competitive consideration set sizing, demand-signal benchmarking. Often paired with qualitative interviews to give 'how big and why' rather than just 'how big'.

Methodology rigour determines result quality. Sampling discipline (representative respondent selection), questionnaire design (avoiding bias-introducing question structures) and analysis methodology (statistical confidence) all materially affect output quality.

02/Examples4 concrete cases

+A 200-respondent B2B survey on enterprise software buying behaviour
+A 100-respondent panel on category awareness in a healthcare niche
+A 75-respondent willingness-to-pay study using Van Westendorp methodology
+A 150-respondent quarterly tracker on competitor-mention rates among target buyers

03/Frequently Asked3 questions

Q.01
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04/See AlsoWhere this applies

04.1

EXPERT SURVEYS

Targeted surveys across screened industry participants. Survey design, panel build, fielding and analysis in 2 to 4 weeks.

04.2

CUSTOMER RESEARCH

Programmatic and ad-hoc customer interviews across B2B and B2C verticals.

05/Related Terms3 suggestions

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH

Qualitative research is primary-research methodology that emphasises depth, meaning and context — typically through 1…

EXPERT SURVEY

An expert survey is a structured quantitative research panel of vetted industry experts or operating professionals — …

PRIMARY RESEARCH

Primary research is original data collected directly from sources — operators, customers, channel partners, ex-employ…

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