Method for preference determination

A method for evaluating consumer preference for a first assortment of products of a first kind together with a second assortment of products of a second kind comprising:

• pre-screening the first assortment by a respondent to produce a first pre-screened assortment;
• pre-screening the second assortment by said respondent to produce a second pre-screened assortment
• performing a first max-diff exercise by said respondent for said first pre-screened assortment to create a first set of ranked results;
• performing a second max-diff exercise by said respondent for said second pre-screened assortment to create a second set of ranked results
• creating a first intermediate sub-assortment (ISA) based on said first set of ranked results;
• creating a second ISA based on said second set of ranked results;
• performing either a first chip allocation or first choice rank exercise on said first ISA by said respondent based on said first results of said first max-diff exercise;
• performing either a second chip allocation or second choice rank exercise on said second ISA by said respondent based on said second results of said second max-diff exercise;
• combining results of said first chip allocation or first choice rank exercise with results of said second chip allocation or second choice rank exercise to create a third ISA;
• performing either a third chip allocation or third choice rank exercise on said third ISA based on said first and second results of said first and second max-diff exercises;
• and
• combining results of said third chip allocation or third choice rank exercise with results by additional respondents.

A system for presenting products to respondents to evaluate consumer preference for an assortment of products of given kind, comprising:

• a computer having a database for storing information about said products, said computer arranged to present the products to the respondents and to allow the respondents to perform the following steps:
• pre-screen said assortment to produce and store a pre-screened assortment;
• perform a max-diff exercise for said pre-screened assortment to create and store a set of ranked results;
• said computer being further arranged to create and store an intermediate sub-assortment (ISA) based on ranked results of said max-diff exercise;
• said computer being further arranged to present to the respondent either a chip allocation exercise or a choice rank exercise on said ISA based on said stored results of said max-diff exercise and to store the result of the respondent's performance of said chip allocation exercise or choice rank exercise;
• and
• said computer being further arranged to combine results of said chip allocation or choice rank exercise with results by additional respondents.