Data for market research

Market research answers questions such as how big a market is, who buys, who is winning share and why. Good research combines several data types so each one covers the blind spots of the others.

Survey and panel data captures attitudes, awareness and stated intent from representative samples. Retail sales data from point of sale and sell-out feeds measures what actually sold by product, store and region. Demographic data sizes addressable populations by area, while receipts, reviews and web traffic add behavioural evidence between survey waves.

A typical workflow

1. Frame the question and the decision it supports.
2. Size the market from demographic, census and sales data.
3. Explain the numbers with surveys, reviews and qualitative work.
4. Track change over time with repeatable sources.

What to check before you buy

For surveys, ask about the sampling frame, weighting, sample size per cell and fieldwork dates. For sales and transaction data, check panel composition, retailer coverage and how gaps are projected. For any source, confirm whether you may publish results externally, because many research datasets are licensed for internal use only.