What are the best sources for business research?
Asked by
bpeoples (
2551
)
March 7th, 2011
I’m working on a business plan, and need some hard numbers on my industry. I’ve found Hoovers.com to date, but any others I should be looking at?
Fully expecting to have to pay for the information, since it isn’t things like SEC filings—most of these companies aren’t publicly traded.
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5 Answers
It depends a lot on what kind of information you want. Some industries are more open than others.
Can you tell us more about what you’re after?
Thanks! Here’s one question I’m trying to answer:
How many inflatable Santa Claus decorations are sold annually in the US?
Specifically, the market is the holiday decoration market (Gemmy, Chrisha Creations, Jet Creations, etc), and I’m trying to find specific numbers rather than the general numbers I can come up with ($6bn/yr)
You could try the Small Business Association to see if they can help. Market Research can be incredibly expensive but a local business library if you have one may be able to get you figures. There are online sources they may have access to. Perhaps a trade association? or an online news search?
Try this?
Your best bet is probably going to come from an industry publication related to the holiday decoration season, perhaps tied the Atlanta gift mart. It’s been awhile since I’ve had to buy this sort of thing for a client.
The employees that work there.
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