Online Market Research is the study of consumer opinions and occurs because companies throughout the country are interested in learning what ordinary consumers think about their products and services. These companies routinely hire independent market research facilities to determine how consumers perceive topics including current products, upcoming products, products in development, and brand image. To determine how participants actually perceive these products, research facilities often host one of a limited number of common research studies, which include Focus Groups, Surveys, Research Panels, Taste Tests, Mystery Shopping, and Clinical Trials.