The Promise and Peril of Behavioral Consumer Research Using Mobile Devices

Abstract

Consumer behavior researchers have a wide variety of research methods at their disposal and numerous channels through which to conduct their research. In this paper, we develop a typology of research desiderata based on the different types of validity that behavioral research typically seeks. We then describe existing research channels in terms of these desiderata and compare them to mobile research. We find that mobile research offers considerable promise to achieve highly valid conclusions with a minimum of effort. However, mobile research also possesses some notable perils, and we conclude by describing these perils and suggesting remedies.

Keywords: mobile research, data collection, smartphones, internal validity, external validity

JEL Classification: C81, C90, C91, C93