About Us
 Audits & Surveys was founded in 1953 by Dr. Solomon Dutka, who at the time was Chief Statistician of Dun & Bradstreet. Although trained in the field of physics and statistics he was an innovator in market research methods and analysis.
The new company’s first clients were marketers of candy and ballpoint pens, which were sold through a broad range of outlets. These clients wanted a measurement of their total sales through all outlet types. In order to determine exactly where these products were distributed, Dr. Dutka devised a unique study that consisted of in-person visits to all outlets in randomly selected land areas, a method now known as “Area Probability Sampling”. This study became the Annual U.S. National Retail Census of Product Distribution. It was, and continues to be, the largest and most complete source of reliable information on the number and types of retail and service establishments selling various product categories and specific brands. The National Retail Census provides manufacturers with the most accurate measurement of their product penetration and that of their competitors in every type of retail outlet carrying their product category, as well as tracking the changes in the universe of retail and service outlets. Today, it still serves as the basis for GfK Audits & Surveys sample development and projections in a broad range of markets including Pet Food, Jewelry and the Hispanic market.
 The company expanded rapidly from a single office sales measurement operation to the largest privately held market research company in the United States, offering both sales measurements and survey-based research. The company went public in 1995 and, in 1999, it was totally purchased by United Business Media, a British company that already owned several Research and Media companies. After a series of further mergers and acquisitions (RoperASW, NOP World), the original Audits & Surveys became part of GfK AG in 2005. GfK was founded in 1933 and is currently the fourth largest global market research company.
The retail measurement group of the original Audits & Surveys (The Audit Division) is now part of the Retail and Technology business division of GfK. Respecting the valued and esteemed name of Audits & Surveys, the company was renamed as GfK Audits & Surveys at the beginning of 2006. Carl Ravitch, one of the original owners of Audits & Surveys, and President of the Audit Division, continues to lead the group as Managing Director.
GfK Audits & Surveys provides a wide range of custom and syndicated programs offering sales measurements, distribution, inventory, in-store activity and promotions, pricing, customer experience, shopper behavior, and a vast array of customized ad-hoc retail studies.
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