Where can I find data on consumer behavior?
January 31, 2011 4:50 PM Subscribe
How do we leverage technology to better service our customers?
As part of a team capstone project, we've been tasked with researching and recommending how our company can utilize emerging technology to better service our customers.
It hasn't been too difficult to find information on what technology is out there and what's to come, however, we've been fruitless when searching for data around our target market (40+ and wealthy). Unfortunately, this information, their wants, needs, and habits is the piece that will ultimately drive our recommendation.
We're looking for data which we can form our recommendations from. Great examples would be (these are completely made up), "4 out of every 5 individuals aged 45-50 own a smart phone. 65% of these smart phone users paid a bill using their mobile device in 2010."
I have access to some scholarly journals and academic databases and am looking for recommendations around where I can find this type of data.
As part of a team capstone project, we've been tasked with researching and recommending how our company can utilize emerging technology to better service our customers.
It hasn't been too difficult to find information on what technology is out there and what's to come, however, we've been fruitless when searching for data around our target market (40+ and wealthy). Unfortunately, this information, their wants, needs, and habits is the piece that will ultimately drive our recommendation.
We're looking for data which we can form our recommendations from. Great examples would be (these are completely made up), "4 out of every 5 individuals aged 45-50 own a smart phone. 65% of these smart phone users paid a bill using their mobile device in 2010."
I have access to some scholarly journals and academic databases and am looking for recommendations around where I can find this type of data.
The thing is that very recent data about consumption habits segmented by age and income are more likely to be found in datasets gathered by people who want to make money off them than in those gathered by scholars. Can you invest in data from somewhere like Forrester Research?
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:00 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:00 PM on January 31, 2011
Oh, snap, birdherder. But seriously, scholars generally work with older data or partial data because it's expensive to gather data, and the people who spend money on doing so are usually people who are doing in in order to make money back.
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:01 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by Sidhedevil at 5:01 PM on January 31, 2011
Response by poster: One of the project sponsors has a Forrester account and stated that she could get articles if we need. However, I'd prefer not to bug her if possible. There's no budget, so I'm looking for free resources. Thanks for the suggestions so far!
posted by cad at 5:14 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by cad at 5:14 PM on January 31, 2011
Realistically, you look at what your competitors are doing that you aren't. I'm not sure if your project is structured to make this approach feasible, but if so, you can use that as a springboard to find supporting evidence with.
posted by pwnguin at 5:35 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by pwnguin at 5:35 PM on January 31, 2011
Yeah, for free your best bet is going to be to copy what the people who do have a budget are doing. Do it better.
posted by rhizome at 6:29 PM on January 31, 2011
posted by rhizome at 6:29 PM on January 31, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
If you have no money for buying it, there's freeseach out there where sometimes the research companies will talk to various publications and will cite thing like you're looking for.
posted by birdherder at 4:59 PM on January 31, 2011