As most market researchers know, MROCs are “market research online communities.” But, since “market research online communities” is such a mouthful, most have taken to the acronym “MROC.”
After a series of great discussions with several peers in New York, I began thinking about the MROC name and brand. With my flight delayed on [...]

Reading Jane Mount’s recent (Feb. 2010) article in the MRA’s Alert! Magazine, I have to say that she distills the value proposition into the best several pages I have read on this (relatively) new technology.
For those in MR who have been under a rock for the past few years and are not fully aware of [...]

Hat tip to Market Research Deathwatch for highlighting a new type of MROC – lockerz.
MROC Variant 1 is what we think of as a traditional MROC built exclusively (usually by Communispace, Passenger, etc.) for a client with the members coming exclusively from the client’s current customer base (raving fans typically).
MROC Variant 2 is (will [...]

For a look at one potential future of MROCs, I recommend reviewing http://www.expotv.com/
Most MROCs are currently (a) private and (b) built around a shared purchase (or interest).
This type of MROC is a massive open-air bazaar for product testing etc. built around many different product affinity groups.
It also takes full advantage of short, consumer created, video [...]

In the December 2009 edition of Research World, Gwen Ishmael and Michael Richarme give six (6) recommendations for making MROCs work for product innovation.
It is worth a read.
Summary:
1. Start with a clear purpose in mind. So obvious, but yet so vital considering how infrequently it is done in organizations.
2. Set clear screening [...]

Robert Heeg’s excellent piece in the October 2009 edition of Research World (ESOMAR’s publication) highlights the difficulties being experienced within the UK market currently.
To sum up, Nick Coates, research director at Promise states that, “the mainstreaming of online is good for us (his firm), because we work with online communities. But traditional market research [...]