Overview

During the 1990s the Internet has become a principal medium for market research. As marketing research involves gathering information from many different sources, the Internet has become a very powerful medium for companies to scan published data from around the world quickly. It also enables them to gain feedback directly and instantaneously from target groups of customers. This enables people like you to understand individual customer needs more cheaply and effectively than ever before.

All major suppliers of marketing data are online, selling their services directly through the Internet using online credit taking facilities. The advantage for the marketer is that this data can then be fed straight into the marketing information system and kept dynamically updated through the Internet.

This chapter however is aimed mainly at non-specialists looking for an insight into the sort of market research information that can be gained from the Internet, as well as marketers looking at the potential online market for their products and services.

There is a heavy emphasis in the chapter on what can be done at low cost, or even for free. There are a large number of market research agencies selling information over the web often at a hefty price. However, not many companies can afford to pay for these and with so much free information available, it s possible for you to glean a large amount of pertinent, up-to-date information that will meet much of your needs.

The importance of market research

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