An e-commerce simulation study is a type of market research that replicates a digital shopping environment in order to observe and evaluate consumer behavior. Instead of asking customers what they would do hypothetically, these studies mimic real-world browsing and buying experiences to capture how people make purchase decisions online.

Think of it as a controlled, digital storefront where you can test variables like:

• Product images and descriptions
• Pricing and promotional offers
• Page layout and website navigation
• Competitor comparisons

Participants are asked to complete shopping-like tasks – sometimes referred to as simulated purchase tasks – which might include choosing between products, adding items to a cart, or ranking preferences based on product features. This creates a much more realistic and accurate picture of what drives customer decisions than simply surveying them with traditional questionnaires.

How simulation studies fit into ecommerce research strategy

For ecommerce-focused businesses, simulation studies provide more than just data – they help answer practical questions, such as:

• Which product packaging image performs best on mobile?
• How does changing the price by 10% affect purchase likelihood?
• What product bundles or variants appeal most to my target audience?

At a high level, simulation research gives marketing, product, and insights teams the ability to predict shopper behavior, optimize experiences, and reduce guesswork before launch. It’s also a form of quantitative research for product decisions, ensuring that business moves are supported by real evidence, not assumptions.

Introducing choice modeling and conjoint analysis

One common technique in simulation studies is choice modeling. In plain terms, this method helps understand what trade-offs consumers make – for example, whether they’re willing to pay more for organic ingredients or accept slower shipping for a lower price.

A popular way to implement this is through conjoint analysis. If you’ve heard terms like “how to design a conjoint analysis survey” or “what is choice modeling in market research,” this is where they come into play. These methodologies structure the simulation in a way that highlights the value consumers place on different product attributes.

While powerful, designing an effective simulation study takes time and expertise. Teams that are short on internal bandwidth or still getting comfortable with DIY research tools may benefit from support – this is where SIVO’s On Demand Talent can be a meaningful accelerator, helping set up smarter, more strategic studies that deliver reliable results.

Prolific has emerged as one of the best DIY research tools for ecommerce testing – particularly for teams looking to quickly launch purchase simulations, product concept tests, or pricing research with real people. Built specifically for behavioral science and academic-style research, Prolific provides access to a pre-vetted panel of participants across various demographics, making it a flexible and cost-effective option for insights teams of all sizes.

Benefits of using Prolific for ecommerce simulation studies

Here’s why researchers are increasingly choosing platforms like Prolific for online purchase testing and simulated shopping setups:

• Speed: Launch studies in hours, not days or weeks
• Quality participants: Prolific screens for honesty, attention, and eligibility
• Affordability: Lower cost-entry compared to full-service market research agencies
• Flexibility: Easy to test multiple product layouts, variants, or pricing structures

For example, say you want to run a simulated purchase task where users choose one of three cereal brands with different claims and prices. With Prolific, you could set up the exercise, recruit 300 qualified buyers, and collect results in under 48 hours – giving you tangible feedback for real-time iteration.

When Prolific isn’t enough on its own

Despite all its strengths, Prolific – like most DIY platforms – still relies on the user to get the research design right. That includes:

• Writing clear, unbiased tasks and questions
• Structuring variables correctly for analysis
• Choosing the right methodology (e.g., choice modeling vs. A/B tests)

Done poorly, this can result in muddy, misleading, or hard-to-interpret results. That’s why many teams choose to work with experienced professionals to get the setup right from the start.

How On Demand Talent can enhance your Prolific research

SIVO’s On Demand Talent solution connects you with specialized consumer insights experts who bring the right mix of technical and strategic research expertise. These aren’t general freelancers – they’re seasoned professionals skilled in areas like ecommerce research, choice modeling, and online product testing.

They can help you:

• Design simulation studies that match your business questions
• Interpret the results in a meaningful, business-relevant way
• Train your internal teams to better leverage DIY research tools like Prolific

Especially when teams are navigating new platforms or facing internal bandwidth crunches, On Demand Talent offers a flexible way to scale up your research capabilities – without sacrificing quality or overextending your resources.

You don’t need to be a data scientist to design insightful e-commerce simulation studies. Today’s DIY research tools are increasingly intuitive, offering accessible features for creating choice modeling exercises and simulated purchase tasks.

Prolific stands out in this space for its user-friendly interface and vetted participant pool. When paired with survey platforms like Qualtrics, Conjointly, or SurveyMonkey, it becomes a powerful way to quickly test consumer preferences and online shopping behaviors.

Tools That Simplify Simulation Studies

Here are some beginner-friendly options that can help you get started with simulation-based ecommerce research:

• Conjointly: Offers drag-and-drop setup for choice modeling and randomized product testing. It automatically generates trade-off simulations and analysis.
• SurveyMonkey or Typeform: Ideal for simple simulated purchase tasks. You can easily create mock online shopping experiences with realistic visuals and product descriptions.
• Qualtrics: More advanced features, yet still accessible. Great for structured experiments with randomization and logic branching.
• Prolific: Best for distribution. You can target specific demographics, set quotas, and ensure high-quality respondent engagement.

Example: Simulated Shopping Cart Task

Let’s say you want to test two pricing strategies for a new skincare product. Using Conjointly, you can show consumers various bundles and price points in a simulated shelf environment. Distribute the study on Prolific to reach your target audience—then analyze which combination performs best.

Why These Tools Work for Beginners

These platforms are designed to remove technical barriers. They guide users through study setup and often provide built-in templates to simplify the process.

That said, while tools offer the functionality, expert design still matters. A well-structured simulation ensures the data you collect translates into actionable consumer insights.

While platforms like Prolific and Conjointly make DIY research more accessible, executing a high-quality simulation study comes with its own hurdles—especially for those who are new to market research or lack in-house expertise in quantitative testing.

Mistakes That Can Derail Your Results

Even savvy teams may run into these common issues:

• Poorly defined objectives: Without a clear research question, it’s difficult to frame tasks that generate meaningful data.
• Oversimplified study design: Making simulations too basic can miss valuable nuances in shopper behavior.
• Improper participant targeting: If your sample doesn’t reflect your actual customer segments, your insights won’t be relevant.
• Inconsistent test logic: Errors in randomization, choice sets, or duplicated products can skew your findings.
• Limited skills in statistical analysis: Downloading raw data is easy—accurately interpreting it is not always intuitive.

Quality Versus Speed

With the pressure to operate fast and cost-efficiently, many businesses embrace DIY tools without accounting for the learning curve. But rushing through setup or skipping quality checks can result in inconsistent outputs that lead to poor product decisions.

For example, a fictional e-commerce apparel brand might A/B test product bundles using simulated purchase tasks. If those tasks aren’t built with the correct logic or the respondent pool isn’t properly screened, the results could suggest a clothing bundle that doesn’t actually appeal to real consumers.

The Need for Guardrails

While DIY tools empower independence, they don’t replace the need for smart study design or robust quality control. That’s why many teams are now blending self-service tools with expert guidance—especially when running new formats like online purchase testing or conjoint experiments.

Knowing when to bring in additional support can be the difference between fast data and smart, decision-ready insights.

As DIY platforms like Prolific continue to gain traction in market research, one thing remains true—technology can accelerate testing, but it can’t replace human expertise. That’s where On Demand Talent from SIVO comes in.

Our On Demand Talent professionals are experienced consumer insights experts who work side-by-side with teams to ensure research is designed, executed, and analyzed with precision. Whether you’re launching your first ecommerce simulation study or scaling up automated testing pipelines, they bring the rigor and strategic thinking needed to make your efforts meaningful.

Bridging Skill Gaps in a Flexible Way

Often, internal teams face time constraints or lack certain quantitative capabilities. Rather than hiring full-time analysts or managing multiple contractors, companies turn to On Demand Talent to:

• Design accurate and unbiased choice modeling or simulated purchase tasks
• Ensure surveys align to business goals and audience behavior
• Train internal teams on proper use of DIY research tools
• Interpret simulation results and translate them into strategy-ready recommendations

Unlike generalist freelancers, On Demand Talent professionals are vetted by SIVO and deeply experienced across industries—from growth-stage startups to large, data-driven enterprises. They ramp up quickly, often within days or weeks, not months like traditional hires.

A Smarter Way to Scale Insights

In today’s fast-moving research environment, the need for agile, cost-conscious solutions is growing. On Demand Talent provides a bridge between iterative ecommerce testing and high-quality strategic decision-making.

For example, if your team begins testing product packaging with a basic simulation on Prolific, a fractional SIVO expert can jump in to refine your logic framework and ensure that responses capture the true trade-offs customers make. You avoid costly errors – and build the internal know-how to run better future studies.

Investing in both tools and talent maximizes your return. It gives you the speed of DIY with the confidence of expert-led precision.