For reading the vertical percent in a cross tab, we read from top (1), down to the vertical percent (2), then left to the comparable variable in the row (3). In this example, we would read as follows:
1. Of those people in the survey who said they bought Wrangler jeans in the last 12 months,
2. 13.92% of them
3. Were between the ages of 25-34.
For reading the horizontal percent in a cross tab, we read from the left (1), across to the horizontal percent (2), then up to the comparable value in the row (3). In this example we would read as follows:
1. Of those people in the survey who said they are 25-34 years of age
2. 1.17% of them
3. Said they bought Wrangler brand jeans in the last 12 months.
The index measures the likelihood that respondents meet the criteria for the column and the row compared to the U.S. population. The base number of the index for comparison purposes is 100.
The index is one of the most important pieces of information found in the Simmons Insights report. When reading Simmons Insights data, the index represents the U.S. adult population. If the index is 130, this means that survey respondents have a 30 percent greater interest in using a product or brand compared to the rest of the population. An index of 75 indicates that the likelihood of using a product or brand is 25% less than the average. If the index is close to 100, it shows that usage is not much different than the rest of the population.