ABSTRACT
The data-gathering action plan can facilitate the collection of category information, such as the number of players in a market and the supply-market dynamics. The data can be either qualitative or quantitative, but crucially data must be accurate and robust. Data can be derived from a plethora of sources and may be classified as either primary or secondary in the first instance. Primary data refers to that which are researched and sourced directly by the user, such as an interview with a supplier, as opposed to secondary data, which are obtained indirectly through third-party sources, such as magazines, published indices and so on. Many take the practice of data gathering for granted and assume it is an 'administrative' or 'junior' task associated with or allocated to an 'analyst'. However, the quality and depth of the data are critical inputs into the category management process, and therefore data gathering requires a forensic and experienced perspective.
