Maction Consulting Pvt. Ltd.

21/07/2026

GST just turned nine, and the milestone numbers everyone's citing (taxpayers up, collections up) don't actually answer the question brands care about: did last September's rate cuts make anything cheaper for consumers?

Turns out, it depends a lot on the category. Some prices dropped fast, others quietly didn't move at all — the tax cut just got absorbed into margin instead. We broke down what nine months of pass-through data shows, and the three things brands should be measuring before festive season planning kicks in 👇

Nine months after India's GST 2.0 reform, did rate cuts actually reach consumers? What brands should be measuring for H2 2026 — and why aggregate data isn't enough.

17/07/2026

Big shift for anyone running or commissioning research in India: the DPDP Act is now in force, and market research is affected differently than most industries — because personal data isn't a byproduct here, it's the entire product.

The deadline to watch: November 2026, when the Consent Manager Framework goes live and one-off consent checkboxes stop being enough. Full enforcement (with penalties up to ₹250 crore) begins May 2027.

We laid out what's changing, what brands should be asking their research agencies right now, and why waiting until 2027 to fix consent practices is a risky bet 👇

India's DPDP Act is now in force. Here's what it means for market research firms, brand research buyers, and panel data practices — and what needs to change before enforcement begins in 2027.

14/07/2026

Most brand trackers ask "are you satisfied with prices?" but not "what do you expect prices to do next" — and that gap means they catch demand shifts a full cycle too late.

The RBI's quarterly Consumer Confidence Survey already does this at national scale, across 19 cities and 31 states/UTs. We broke down how brands can use that data as a macro benchmark for their own research — and why blending rural and urban sentiment into one number hides more than it reveals.

Read the full piece 👇

10/07/2026

Quick myth-check: bigger sample ≠ better data.

Sample size isn't a guess; it's a calculation, and getting it wrong (in either direction) costs you money or confidence in your results. We broke down the three numbers that actually decide how many respondents you need, plus the mistake that trips up even well-funded studies: forgetting that subgroup breakouts (cities, age groups, segments) need their own minimum sample, not just a slice of the total.

Full breakdown + reference table here 👇

How many respondents do you actually need for your survey? Learn how confidence level, margin of error, and subgroup analysis affect sample size — with a quick reference table.

07/07/2026

Everyone assumes quick commerce is putting the neighbourhood kirana out of business. The data says otherwise — kiranas still handle 90%+ of India's grocery spend.

What's actually happening is more interesting: quick commerce users are staying loyal even without discounts, kiranas are exploring partnerships instead of competing, and the format really losing ground is the supermarket caught in the middle.

Here's what the loyalty data reveals about how India is really shopping in 2026 👇

Quick commerce is growing fast in India — but kiranas aren't dying. What loyalty data actually reveals about India's retail shift and what it means for brands in 2026.

03/07/2026

Qual or Quant? 🤔 You might need both.

Quick breakdown 👇
📍 QUALITATIVE = the why

Small groups. Deep conversations. IDIs, focus groups, ethnography.
Best for: exploring new segments, testing messaging, figuring out why something's not working.

📍 QUANTITATIVE = the how many

Big samples (300-1,000+). Stats you can act on.
Best for: sizing a market, tracking brand health, ranking concepts.
The truth? The best research doesn't choose one. It sequences both — qual to explore, quant to validate (or the other way around).

In a market as diverse as India, the right mix depends on your audience, your geography, and your stage. 🇮🇳

Full breakdown on the blog — https://maction.com/qualitative-vs-quantitative-research-india/

Qualitative or quantitative research? Learn which fits your business question, when to use both, and how Maction designs the right approach.

30/06/2026

AI in market research isn't a yes/no question anymore — it's a "where" question.

It's genuinely speeding things up: coding open-ended survey responses, flagging weak questionnaire design, automating tabs and first-draft reports, and tracking brand sentiment across social media in near real-time.

But it still can't do the things that actually make research useful: asking the right question in the first place, moderating a qualitative interview with real human nuance, or turning a chart into a business decision.
So before asking an agency "Do you use AI?" ask them which parts of the process it touches, and what human expertise sits behind it.

Read the full breakdown on our blog: https://maction.com/ai-in-market-research-india/

26/06/2026

Picking the wrong market research partner can cost you more than just money — it can cost you the decision.

India has hundreds of research agencies, and most pitch decks look the same. We wrote a no-fluff buyer's guide to help brands and businesses cut through the noise.

It covers what questions to actually ask, what red flags to watch for, and what good research delivery really looks like — with practical benchmarks on cost and timelines too.

If you're planning a research project or just want to know what to expect from a serious research partner, this one's worth 5 minutes.
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How to evaluate and choose the right market research company in India. A practical buyer's guide covering methodology, sector expertise, and geographic reach.

23/06/2026

Ever wonder why so many new products disappear from shelves within months of launching? 🤔

The answer is almost always the same — brands skip consumer testing and go straight to market.

We've seen it happen too many times. A product that looks great on paper, has solid branding, a decent price point... and still flops. Why? Because no one actually asked consumers before launch.
Pre-launch product testing tells you things no boardroom conversation can:

✅ Does the taste/feel/look match what consumers actually want?

✅ Is the packaging sending the right message?

✅ Will people pay what you're planning to charge?

One beverage brand we worked with ran tests across Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Delhi before their launch. Consumers said the taste was too earthy, the pack looked more like medicine than a refreshing drink, and the price felt too high. They made the changes. First-quarter sales beat their own targets by 34%.

Small investment in research. Big difference in outcome.

If you're planning a product launch and want to get it right the first time, this one's worth a read 👇

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Discover why consumer product testing before launch reduces risk, validates demand, and drives successful product launches backed by real consumer insights.

19/06/2026

India's telecom wars just entered the 5G era — and customers are voting with their wallets 📱💸

New survey data reveals something interesting: it's not just about faster internet. People are switching providers based on how fair the pricing feels, not just the speed.

We broke down the numbers in our latest article — check it out if you're curious about where India's telecom market is heading next.

https://maction.com/telecom-churn-research-india/

Which telecom provider has your loyalty right now? Drop a comment 👇

Explore what telecom churn research in India reveals about 5G pricing, customer loyalty, and network switching behavior shaping operator strategies.