Market Research Services Industry Description

Companies that provide collection and analysis of information relating to market size, competition, consumer preferences, and company performance.

Summary

Wondering which chewing gum brand most dentists approve of? These companies can find out. Market research covers a broad range of data collection and analysis activities principally aimed at measuring consumer habits or market share among competing brands. Firms in this industry keep tabs on retail sales and pricing from gathering checkout scanner data and measure brand loyalty and purchasing decisions from consumer surveys. The industry also includes media measurement agencies and companies that perform public opinion polling, as well as firms offering such specialized research services as employee satisfaction surveys, focus groups, and political polling. Most companies in this field generate revenue by selling access to their data and from client fees for custom research projects.

Market Research Services Industry Resources

• Advertising Age
  
• Brandweek
  

Market Research Services Industry Terminology

• American Marketing Association: Dictionary
  
• IFLA Glossary of Marketing Definitions