The simulator of market demand: an alternative of consumer clinics

Experimental methods are used to obtain primary demand data for the solution of business decision problems. Consumer clinics or simulated market situations are ranked among these methods. The functioning and the first results of the newly developed demand simulator are described in this article. The demand simulator has virtually enriched the consumer clinics by some options which are provided by ICT (including internet). For example, the process of finding values for coefficients of demand elasticity, analysis of current consumer preferences or consumers' general reaction to changes in specific promotional variables can be realised by the demand simulator.

Keywords: microeconomics, demand, simulated market situations, direct market experiments