Question

A discount specialty foods store sells many varieties of baked goods and wheat-based crackers and snacks. It has recently noticed the growing popularity of a snack made of potatoes and lentils. It has also received a growing number of inquiries regarding gluten-free products, of which it has very few. The company is considering whether to introduce more gluten-free baked goods and snacks into both its own product line and its stock. 1. How should the company go about sampling its customer base in order to gather this information? 2. Should the company sample outside its customer base as well? 3. Should the company sample those allergic to wheat or not eating wheat gluten for some reason more heavily than other sub-groups? 4. What sorts of sampling plan would you consider appropriate?

Answer 1

1. Systematic sampling
This is a probability sampling method in which people are selected from a larger population according to a random starting point and a fixed, periodic interval. This technique ensures the sample is spread throughout the target population but can be costly and time-consuming if, like pure random sampling, the chosen sample is not conveniently located.

2. No if the systematic sampling is been done there is no need of this as it include this considered point already.

3. Yes if the public demands so they can ask in advance for those allergic persons to give feedback and plan accordingly. By selecting random people approach This makes it much easier to determine both the estimate of the population and the sampling error. It may not be logistically viable however if the sample means you’re required to make lots of small visits across the country to interview those selected.

4. Judgement sampling
This form of sampling is a very deliberate, selective method of understanding your target population. The opposite of random selection, it’s a very useful sampling method for those seeking valuable illustrative examples or case studies. Nevertheless, this method is at the same risk of bias as convenience sampling groups. A judgement sample will also often by smaller than other forms, making it difficult to truly extrapolate reliable insight.