Quota sampling

Under this method enumerators shall select the respondents in place of those not available, as per the quota fixed according  to guide lines   provided to them. This latitude to the enumerators especially in rural areas for some marketing studies help in completing the work in the time assigned. Sometimes some reserve units  are also pre determined and alternative  choice  would be to elect substitutes units out of the reserve units.

Merits:

This method enables enables the completion of investigation in time since no time is lost in consulting the higher authorities and awaiting for their instructions.

Limitations:

If  the properly  trained  staff    is not  employed,  it will  distort the basis  objective  of the study  since the interviewers  may taken latitude in replacing the  items according  to their own whims.