The new research tool, eDigitalCommunities takes advantage of the Web 2.0 product of social networking, which will allow for in-depth profiling among research panels.
Companies can set up online forums where customers will be encouraged to post opinions and topics of their choice, or set up their own blogs. Members can also comment on each other's opinions as well as rate their accuracy.
This allows for "live" feedback from customers, which can be fed into the commercial decision making process. eDigitalCommunities is used by companies like clothing store New Look and the Daily Mirror.
A recent survey by technology research firm Forrester found that it would take between four to eight weeks to conduct 12 focus groups in six cities, while the same amount of activity can be completed in an online community in less than a fortnight.