How to get free market research reports  (2024)

• May 29, 2023

Market research reports give you a perspective on your target customer’s mind and help you move on the right path. But most market research platforms and reports are costly. So, how to get free market research reports to get first-hand insights?

This article will share valuable sources, and places to access free market research reports for your business. But before we begin, let us quickly refresh the basics.

What are market research reports?

Market research reports offer insights, data, and information about a particular market, region, industry, or demography. Research firms prepare these reports by conducting market research surveys, interviews, statistical analysis, and compiling data from different resources.

These reports contain information about market size, growth trends, consumer behavior patterns, interests, competitive landscape, target market, and more.

A business can derive meaningful insights from a market research report to make data-driven marketing, positioning, pricing, or product development decisions. Market research reports can particularly help in the following:

• Gaining a deep understanding of the target audience’s needs, preferences, and behaviors;
• Make customer-centric product decisions to achieve product-market fit faster;
• Standing out in a competitive market by beating the competition;
• Pivot or adapt to changing customer demands and usage patterns;
• Discover market opportunities and patterns to expand a business.

Read More: Why market research is important

Reliable market research sources (with free access).

Market research is traditionally seen as an expensive process. Fundamentally because there is a lot of legwork and effort involved in doing one-on-one interviews, creating focus groups, deriving data insights, and more.

Remote work culture, artificial intelligence, and technology have made things more accessible (and affordable). However, sometimes, a business owner still lacks access (or resources) to conduct primary market research. In that case, here are four sources to access reliable market research reports for free:

Government sources.

The government collects data from different industries, businesses, and markets annually. Many agencies, like the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the U.S. Census, regularly publish data pertaining to consumer spending, economic trends, demographics, and more. You can use their official portals to access these reports, like:

• U.S. Census Bureau: https://www.census.gov/library/publications.html
• U.S. Small Business Administration: https://www.sba.gov/
• National Bureau of Economic Research: https://www.nber.org/papers
• Bureau of Economic Analysis: https://www.bea.gov
• National Science Foundation: https://www.nsf.gov/statistics/reports.cfm
• U.S. Energy Information Administration: https://www.eia.gov/reports/
• National Agricultural Statistics Service: https://www.nass.usda.gov/Publications/
• National Center for Health Statistics: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/index.htm
• National Center for Education Statistics: https://nces.ed.gov/pubsearch/index.asp
• Federal Reserve Board: https://www.federalreserve.gov/econres.htm
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: https://www.noaa.gov/science-data/reports
• U.S. International Trade Commission: https://www.usitc.gov/research_and_analysis.htm
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory: https://www.nrel.gov/analysis/publications.html

Academic institutions.

Universities, colleges, and academic departments often conduct research as a part of their regular programs and initiatives.

They are known to publish these research findings in the form of market research reports. Usually, these reports are free for any business owner or individual.

You can search for business schools like Harvard to access free market research reports by the institution. Here are some more academic sources for free market research reports:

• Harvard Business School Working Knowledge
• Wharton Research Data Services
• Stanford Graduate School of Business
• Columbia Business School
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• University of California, Berkeley
• University of Michigan Ross School of Business
• University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business
• New York University Stern School of Business

Industry associations.

Industry associations are one of the best free sources for market research reports. These associations have real-world industry data, including trends, purchasing behaviors, spending patterns, and more, which can be a goldmine for business owners.

If you are a part of any industry association, there is a high possibility that you will get access to detailed market research reports as a perk. Even if you are not, almost all associations periodically publish free market research reports. You can check their websites to find a relevant report. Here are some prominent industry associations and research data links:

• National Restaurant Association
• National Retail Federation
• National Association of Home Builders
• National Association of Convenience Stores
• National Automobile Dealers Association
• National Sporting Goods Association
• American Bankers Association
• National Coffee Association
• National Association of Realtors
• National Beer Wholesalers Association

Market research firms.

These firms specialize in conducting market research and mostly publish paid reports/ conduct research on demand. But many firms upload insightful market research reports and trend patterns periodically as a lead-generation tactic.

You can access these free market research reports by visiting their website. Google the names of market research firms and check their download sections for the latest reports on various industries and market segments. Some major market research firms which publish free reports include:

• IBISWorld
• Nielsen
• Euromonitor International
• Gartner
• McKinsey & Company
• Forrester Research
• Accenture
• PwC
• Frost & Sullivan

More sources to get free market research reports.

Here are some final resources for finding free market research reports:

• Online Database and Platforms: Lots of online platforms and websites offer free reports that can be used for market research. Some of the most credible ones include Statista, Pew Research, ProQuest, etc. You can also use Google Trends to extract trends and insights around any topic.
• Public Libraries: If you have access to any public library in your town or community, search for market research reports in the business sections. Libraries have active subscriptions to trade publications that regularly publish many market reports. Most libraries can access the Business and Company Resource (BCRC) database with several market research reports.
• Trade Shows and Conferences: Trade shows, exhibitions, and conferences are a great source of real-time market research reports. Most exhibitors and publishers offer free access to reports, whitepapers, and case studies that can serve as a foundation for your market research initiatives.

Top up market research reports with real-time insights using GapScout.

Market research reports are a good starting point for conducting market research. However, use the data within free reports cautiously, as it can be obsolete.

Gapscout can help you vet your market research assumptions and data by scanning online reviews in real-time and offer actual consumer insights. So, why not upgrade your research game by harnessing the power of AI using GapScout?

Also Read:

• How to use AI for market research?
• 5 examples of market research branding done right

• Market Research