How to design good experiments in marketing: Types, examples, and methods

Abstract

In this article, we present key tenets of good experimental design and provide some practical considerations for industrial marketing researchers. We first discuss how experiments have the ability to assess causal claims. Next, we provide an experimental taxonomy table, which brings out the value and limitations of different types of experiments and maps the various goals of business marketing research within each category. Here, we pay particular attention to field experiments since they provide experimental realism by measuring respondents' actual behavior. We also provide a thorough discussion on important practical issues such as questions on experimental design, sample size, and how to involve business organizations in the implementing steps. The paper concludes by stressing the importance of combining data types (e.g., field plus laboratory experiments) and by offering methodological advice on how to analyze experimental data in marketing.