Which ancient civilization is credited with creating the first systematic market research by sending officials to gather information about foreign goods and consumer preferences?

Before modern surveys and focus groups, ancient civilizations had their own ways of understanding consumer preferences and market trends. Their methods, while primitive by today's standards, laid the groundwork for modern market research techniques. This poll tests your knowledge of how ancient merchants and rulers gathered information about what their 'consumers' wanted.

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Ancient Egypt, where Pharaoh's officials recorded preferences for imported goods and created detailed reports on foreign markets
Ancient China, where Han Dynasty officials were dispatched along the Silk Road to document foreign products and regional preferences
Ancient Rome, where the government conducted regular censuses that included questions about household consumption and imported goods
Ancient Phoenicia, whose merchants created trading records noting which goods sold best in different Mediterranean ports