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Conducting Market Research With
Secondary Data

The Internet provides access to a wide variety of different types of secondary data that can be used by firms to analyze customers and competitors.  Below are brief descriptions of several categories of secondary data, with links to detailed explanations of how to access and use many of these sources.

Demographic Resources

Demographics are simply the characteristics of a given population. Specific demographic dimensions include sex, age, income, occupation, education, household size, and stage in the family life cycle. Marketers study demographic dimensions of the general population in order to group or segment those types of potential customers that are most likely to benefit from their product-line. Perhaps the biggest supplier of demographic data is the U.S. Census Bureau.

Periodical Articles

Periodical articles can be a great source of product, marketing, and industry information. (Periodicals refer to magazines, journals, and newspapers.) In what ways has your industry been making the news? Is the brand name that you're researching undergoing an image overhall? What new marketing tactics have your competitors been employing? What is the outlook for your industry in the years ahead? These are just a few of the types of questions that can often be answered in periodical articles.

Print Resources

Although we are living in an electronic age, there is still much information that can only or best be found in print resources or books. 

Internet Resource Sites

There are many worthwhile and valuable marketing related sites popping up on the Internet. Check out this list for some quality sites worth visiting. 

Other Electronic Resources

Look here for additional electronic resources pertaining to marketing. These databases are only available to paid subscribers.