Final answer:
Jonathan is using a survey of buyers' intentions forecast to predict future sales at a new industrial machinery outlet.
Step-by-step explanation:
Jonathan, the research analyst, is using a survey of buyers' intentions forecast to determine the likelihood of customers purchasing products from the new industrial machinery outlet in the next six months. This technique involves collecting data directly from customers regarding their future purchase plans. It differs from other methods such as trend extrapolation, which relies on historical data to predict future sales, or a salesforce survey forecast, where the company's own sales personnel estimate future sales based on their interactions with customers.