Databases
Use these databases to learn more about current events, firms, and consumers
- Factivaaccess to articles from more than 8,000 business publications, including market research journals such as American Demographics.
- Sports Market Analyticssource of full-text articles, market reports, and statistics on sporting event attendance, broadcasting, sporting goods equipment market and more.
- US Commercial Servicethe trade promotion arm of the International Trade Administration, contains market reports and country guides for U.S.-based companies seeking to do business internationally.
Free web sites
- American Customer Satisfaction Indexindependent measure of household consumption experience. The ACSI tracks trends in customer satisfaction and provides benchmarking insights of the consumer economy for companies, industry associations, and government agencies. Some data is available for free, while other parts of the site require a subscription.
- Business.gov Market Research Guidefrom the Small Business Administration that walks you through the market research process and includes links to government data sources.
- Pew Research Centersurveys and reports on the attitudes, opinions, and lifestyles of Americans. Including the Pew Internet and American Life Project, Pew Global Attitudes Project, and Social & Demographic Trends.
- GreenBookGreenBook Directory helps you find marketing research suppliers, facilities, and consultants as well as providers of related services. Browse by market research specialties or locations below to find a vendor that meets your requirements.
- Survey of Consumer Financesis a product of the Federal Reserve and contains information on the financial and demographic characteristics of U.S. families.
Searching Google? Get Better Results
Search engines are useful for finding information, but sometimes it is hard to wade through the bad results to get to quality information and reputable websites.
Use these tips to search Google like a pro:
- Limit the domains you search. e.g. Search for government sites by putting site:.gov in your search. If you have a specific site in mind you can be more specific in your Google search e.g. site:nass.usda.gov
- Remove commercial sites from your results by putting a minus sign in front e.g. -site:.com
- Exclude words or websites you don't want with a minus sign. e.g. -site:.wikihow.com
- Put quotation marks around a phrase to reduce the number of results. e.g. "chewing gum"
- Use OR to search for one of many options. e.g. campers OR hikers
- An asterisk * is often used as a wildcard in search engines and databases e.g. camp* will search for camp, campers, camping, etc.
- Use the Advanced Search to help create a focused search.
Note: many search engines will allow you to refine your search in a simlar fashion.