A Mall Intercept study selects random participants in a shopping mall to try a product, for example, and answer some questions about that product. Mall intercepts are effective for testing concepts or new products.
Mall Intercepts offer a mechanism to put products in the consumer’s hands for a moment, or for weeks at a time. We can then interview the participant to better understand their experiences, reactions & suggestions.

Mall Intercepts…
- … can be used qualitatively or quantitatively, depending on the insight needs for the brand
- … are ideal for putting prototypes, flavors, or scents in front of consumers and getting an immediate reaction
- … are a good way to reach harder to reach targets: those who don’t take online surveys, certain ethnicities or age-groups
- For more fully developed products, Mall Intercepts can be employed for in-home usage tests (IHUT). Participants can take the product home and “live with it” for a series of days or weeks, offering feedback along the way, or at the end, or both.
Weakness & limitations
- Consistency of participant experience or interaction with moderators is hard to control.