Research Topics:

Data Quality | Quantitative Research

Content Type:

Glossary

Attrition Rate Definition

The dropout rate; the loss of subjects during the course of a study.

When referring to marketing research, the attrition rate is the percentage of participants or respondents who elect not to participate in a study or survey before it’s finished. The impact of this rate varies among the survey methods used. Calculations of the rate helps determine the reliability and credibility of research findings. Knowing what’s behind the attrition is useful in developing insights into consumer behavior, preferences and trends. Knowing how and why attrition happens is fundamental to the integrity and value of research outcomes.

Who relies on the attrition rate?

The attrition rate in marketing research is used to market researchers, study designers, clients and businesses that commission research. What’s more, data analysts are interested in the attrition rate as another factor in ensuring the quality and reliability of research results.

Why should I care about the attrition rate?

Being acquainted with the concept of the attrition is valuable for several reasons, including data quality, in that a high attrition can introduce bias and affect the figures of your data; cost efficiency, in that higher attribution can lead to higher costs associated with data collection; and research validity, in that high attribution can call the research study and its findings into question.