Research Surveys

With the increasing size and buying power of the affluent market in recent years, there has been considerable growth in the research aimed at understanding this market segment. Unfortunately, there has also been growth in research for other self-serving purposes, such as creating material to attract media coverage and exposure for the sponsor of the research or to suggest new marketing concepts that consultants can use to attract business.

Such research, and often just a few examples of anecdotal research, has been used by proponents of the fleeting concepts of the “mass affluent”, “stealth wealth”,  “luxury shame”, and “new normal”.

AARC is committed to providing objective, accurate research of the affluent with full disclosure regarding methodology, including sample size and composition, and without a pre-determined agenda. Unlike the research of some, our reports present tabulations for sub-segments of the sample that correspond to data from the Federal Reserve Board and the Internal Revenue Service.

“A study led by Stanford University researchers raises doubts
about the accuracy of one of the most common forms of
survey research – polls done among people who sign up to fill in
questionnaires via the internet in exchange for cash and gifts.”

 

Gary Langer

Director of Polling, ABC News (Sept 4, 2009)