Fall 2008 Fieldwork Update

At the end of the spring wave, 17 of the 33 markets being measured met or exceeded the spring target for completed interviews. Completions for Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Calgary, and Edmonton were below spring targets. There was an increase in the number of “not in service” and nonresidential telephone numbers compared to previous years. However, adjustments were made in the middle of the spring wave in an attempt to maintain or increase response rates.

The NADbank 2008 fall wave of interviewing began, as scheduled, on September 9th.

After the first two weeks of the fall wave, completed interviews are at comparable levels to the same period last year. Markets are being monitored on an individual basis in order to maintain or improve response rates. Samples were increased in the fall and a team of experienced interviewers was assigned by TNS Canadian Facts to improve the telephone interviewing in these markets. Fall targets for each market have been adjusted to reflect the number of interviews required to achieve the total 2008 target.

There has been a marginal increase in overall acceptance rate for the mail-back questionnaire. Approximately two-thirds of those who completed the telephone survey in the product markets accepted a product questionnaire.