A modern-versus-traditional trade split is useful for planning, but it is too broad for explanation. A wet market, neighborhood shop, chain convenience store, supermarket, and social seller can serve different needs for the same household in the same week.
Sample shopping missions, not only outlets
The same buyer may choose a traditional outlet for freshness, a neighborhood shop for speed, a supermarket for range, and an online seller for a promotion. Ask what the trip is for, how urgent it is, who requested the item, and what would trigger switching.
Observe what recall misses
Accompanied shopping, receipt or basket capture, shelf observation, and short intercepts help connect stated preferences to real choice environments. Document availability and retailer recommendation alongside brand selection.
- Separate planned from top-up trips.
- Record package size and out-of-stock substitution.
- Include seller influence where advice is part of the purchase.
- Code the outlet more precisely than a two-way channel flag.
Let the route-to-market question shape the method
If the decision is about distribution, an outlet frame and structured audit may matter more than a large consumer survey. If it is about proposition, the consumer journey should remain central. Fieldwork design should follow the business decision, not a default channel taxonomy.
Strong research design includes the operational choices that determine who is reached, what is understood, and which evidence survives delivery.