UofL Libraries: Entrepreneurship PhD: Consumer & Market Research

Consumer & Market Research

There are several resources that provide access to consumer demographic data and market information. It is important to be creative and flexible when searching for this data. Sometimes the exact data you are looking for has not yet been gathered. Utilize different resources to locate data and be prepared to extrapolate existing data to meet your needs.

Often a Google search will lead researchers to expensive market reports. We are not able to purchase those reports. However, the library's resources can often lead researchers to the same types of information included in those market reports. If you need assistance with your research or have questions, please contact the Business Librarian.

Demographic & Spending Data

The following resources will help you find consumer demographic, lifestyle and spending information.

Mergent Intellect
Scroll down and select "Demographics" or "Consumer Data" to obtain a profile of a specific geographic area.
United States Census Data
The U.S. Census Bureau provides extensive population, demographics, and other data. You can explore the data through tables, maps, and reports.

United States Census Analysis
Along with raw data, the U.S. Census Bureau also provides analysis reports, visualizations, and publications that you can browse to find consumer information.
Consumer Expenditure Survey
Data from the Quarterly Interview Survey and Diary Survey regarding the buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit characteristics. Collected for the Bureau of Labor Statistics by the U.S. Census Bureau.

Pew Research Center
Find data and research reports organized by subject. Click on the "Poll Questions" tab to search the database of polling questions containing keywords relevant to your research.
Global Consumption
Consumption by country/region, sector or product. From the World Bank.

MRI Simmons Insights

MRI Simmons Insights
Limit to 10 users at a time. Please logoff when finished.

About MRI Simmons Insights

MRI-Simmons Insights provides access to consumer demographic, psychographic, brand preference, and media data from two of the largest consumer survey companies in the U.S. (MRI and Simmons Research). The survey provides access to the following kinds of data:

detailed consumer demographic data
products and services usage for different brands
consumer attitudes, opinions, and segmentations
shopping and spending behavior
media and technology usage information
lifestyle segmentations

Use MRI Simmons Insights to create Quick Reports and Crosstabs to:

Generate a demographic profile of your target consumer
Identify the target market for a product
Find out which consumers are more likely to use a specific brand, have a specific interest, or engage in a specific activity
Identify the best media channels to reach your target audience
Understand the psychographics (interests, opinions, attitudes, behaviors) associated with your target customer

Learn more about using MRI Simmons Insights (Thanks to Chad Boeninger at Ohio University for these resources):

Article Databases and Journals

APA PsycInfo
Full-text psychology articles and books. Useful to find information on consumer behavior.
Business Source Premier
Includes journal articles and market research reports.
ABI/INFORM Collection
Index of business news and journal articles.

Journal of Consumer Marketing

Datasets

Inter-University Consortium of Political & Social Research (ICPSR)
Create an account using your UofL email address to access and download research data on a wide range of topics. Includes over 8000 studies and 65,000 datasets from hundreds of colleges, universities, and research institutions around the world.

Market Data

Statista
Access to studies, statistical dossiers, reports, and data on markets, demographics, surveys, and rankings.

Market Share Reporter
Enter keyword in the "Search Within Series" search bar on the right of the page.

To search by SIC or NAICS code, click on Advanced Search in the black bar at the top of the page, use the "Select Series" drop down box at the top left to select "Market Share Reporter." Select Industry NAICS Code or Industry SIC Code using the "Basic Search" drop down box at the right. Enter the code in the adjacent box, or click on the "Select Codes" button to find the code for a specific industry.
Business Rankings Annual
To search by brand, company, or product category, enter the brand/company/category name in the "within series" search box under "Tools" on the right.
To search by SIC or NAICS code, click on Advanced Search in the black bar at the top of the page, use the "Select Series" drop down box at the top left to select "Business Rankings Annual," select NAICS or SIC using the "Basic Search" drop down box at the right, and then enter the code in the adjacent box or click on the code button to drill down and find the code for a specific industry.
Industry Research
See the Industry Research tab in this guide to access additional resources for market data.

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Entrepreneurship PhD: Consumer & Market Research