Research Topics:

Marketing Research-General

Content Type:

Glossary

Case Definition

A data entry record or a record of an interview with a respondent.

In marketing research (and statistics more broadly), a case is a single unit of analysis in a dataset. A case usually represents an individual respondent, household, customer or sometimes a company/store/brand, depending on the study. Each case is described by variables (age, income, attitudes, purchase frequency, brand preference, etc.). Example: In a customer satisfaction survey of 1,000 people, there are 1,000 cases in the dataset. Each case = one respondent, with their own set of answers.

Who relies on cases?

Researchers, marketing professionals and businesses use cases to make informed decisions and develop strategies based on real-life evidence and experiences.

Why should I care about cases?

Cases are the building blocks of a dataset. Without correctly defining what a “case” is, researchers can’t structure, analyze or interpret the data properly. Sometimes the “case” isn’t a person – it might be a shopping trip, a purchase occasion, a retail store or a brand in a consideration set. Misdefining the case can lead to wrong conclusions (e.g., analyzing purchases as if they were people). Each case represents one part of the sample. If cases are poorly defined, duplicated or missing, the sample loses representativeness and bias creeps in. Cases provide the consistent unit for analysis across time or across markets. Example: In a panel study, each case (household) is tracked repeatedly, which allows researchers to see change over time.