CASE STUDY

Future-proofing Data Collection Methods for Market Research

Client :

GfK SE

Client & Project Background Information

The MEZURE project was a mission-critical initiative of utmost strategic importance to our client, directly overseen by the CxO office and designated as a "game-changer" activity. With disruptors actively challenging the client’s market position, the project aimed to secure a competitive edge by revolutionizing consumer behavior analytics. The rapid shift towards online and mobile commerce has rendered traditional methods of capturing consumer purchase data, such as physical receipt scanning, increasingly obsolete. Furthermore, the growing time constraints on consumers make manual reporting impractical. To address these pressing challenges, the MEZURE application was designed as a breakthrough solution for passive data measurement. It enables users to seamlessly view all their purchases across multiple stores within a single centralized platform. The resulting insights, derived from this innovative tool, are strategically leveraged by GfK, the world’s third-largest market research firm, further reinforcing the client's position in the marketplace.

"VT Netzwelt stands out for its unique combination of competence and creativity in problem-solving. We defined a complex challenge, and through discussions, your team took ownership, returned with innovative solutions, and truly impressed us."

Josh Hubbert

COO - GFK

The Challenge

Developing the MEZURE application involved overcoming several significant challenges:

  1. Data Silos: In the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) and supermarket retail sectors in Europe, data is held in isolated silos. Each retailer's loyalty program or app retains purchase data that is not accessible via public APIs.
  2. Data Integration: Aggregating purchase data across multiple retailers with disparate systems required devising complex solutions to access and unify this information.
  3. Scalability and Complexity: Ensuring the application could handle a vast amount of data from multiple sources while maintaining high performance and reliability.
  4. Mission-Critical Timeline: The project faced a high-pressure environment where delivering rapid, measurable results was essential to defend the client’s market share and position against aggressive disruptors.

Our Contribution

Our team played a critical role in the success of the MEZURE project, providing end-to-end development and implementation of the application. The project required us to apply immense levels of creative problem-solving skills to overcome unprecedented challenges, ensuring its successful delivery. Key contributions included:

  • Centralized Data Integration: We developed sophisticated backend solutions to connect with multiple retailer silos, extract purchase data, and unify it within the MEZURE application.
  • User-Centric & Cross-Platform Application Design: Built using React Native, the application provides an intuitive interface for users to view all their purchases across stores, improving usability and engagement.
  • Scalable Backend Infrastructure: Leveraging cloud technologies such as AWS and Azure, we created a scalable, high-performance backend capable of managing large volumes of data from multiple retailers.
  • AI-Powered Insights: Integrated advanced AI models to analyze data, providing actionable insights for the client and enhancing the application’s value proposition.

Achievements

The MEZURE project has been a resounding success, delivering significant benefits to the client and end-users:

  1. Defending Market Share: MEZURE has strategically positioned GfK to defend its market share against disruptors by providing innovative, data-driven solutions that meet the evolving needs of consumers and clients.
  2. Reclaim Status of Innovator: The project has successfully reinforced GfK’s reputation as an industry leader and innovator in market research, setting a benchmark for advanced consumer analytics solutions.
  3. Reduced Cost per User: The intuitive, low-manual-intervention functionality of the application has driven high user engagement, significantly reducing user churn and panel maintenance costs.
  4. Broader Real-Time Market Coverage: The application provides GfK with access to comprehensive consumer behavior data, enabling deeper and more actionable market insights.
  5. Centralized Purchase Insights: Users can now view all their purchases across multiple stores in one place, providing unmatched convenience.
  6. Technical Excellence and Efficiency: Built using cross-platform technologies such as React Native and supported by AWS and Azure, the application not only underscores technical sophistication but also reduces maintenance overheads and accelerates future development cycles, ensuring faster time-to-market for updates and new features.

Conclusion

The MEZURE project stands as a testament to our ability to deliver innovative, mission-critical solutions under immense pressure and in highly competitive environments. By addressing complex challenges such as fragmented data silos, scalability, and aggressive timelines, we successfully equipped our client with a transformative tool that not only defends their market share but also solidifies their status as a leader and innovator in the industry.

More than a technological achievement, MEZURE represents a strategic victory—enabling GfK to harness the power of passive data measurement, reduce operational costs, and deliver unparalleled value to both end-users and stakeholders. This project has not only redefined consumer behavior analytics but also set a new benchmark for excellence in the market research industry, paving the way for sustained growth and innovation in an ever-evolving marketplace.

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