Market Research: Competitor Environment
Helps entrepreneurs or product developers build their own market research reports if they cannot afford commercial reports.
Competitor Environment
To determine the strengths and weaknesses of your idea you must learn about competing firms and their products. Use company online databases to compile lists of competitors by industry and product line along with information about the company. Search articles for competitor intelligence (new product launch, joint ventures). Review patents to find out features of competitor's products or what they are developing.
Patents
Fondren Library is a regional patent depository. The Government Publications department teaches patent searching classes.
Company Databases
- Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new windowCompany information includes brands, financials, history, investment reports, markets, and rankings.
- Nexis Uni This link opens in a new windowGo to "Get Company Info" and make your selections. Public company records can includes such things as news, list of executives, company hierarchy, brands, competitors, financials, legal info, and INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY.
- Marketline Advantage This link opens in a new windowCovers public companies. Company records can include business description, history, key personnel, company view, locations/subsidiaries, SWOT analysis, revenue analysis, key competitors, and major products/services.
- Mergent Online This link opens in a new windowCovers public companies and give a great deal of information. Company record includes basic company details, executives + bios, ownership, company financials, equity pricing, news, and competitors. There is additional information under each of these groups.
- Plunkett Research Online This link opens in a new windowSearch for companies by industry, both private and public. Company information includes type of business, contacts, financials and brands.
- Data Axle (formerly Reference Solutions and Reference USA) This link opens in a new windowBasically this is the business-to-business section of a telephone directory. Its real strength is the coverage of private companies. Each company can give as much or as little information as they want but they much update info regularly. Can build your own directory of companies by using the Custom Search function.
- Standard & Poor's Global NetAdvantage This link opens in a new windowFor the companies that S&P tracks, the company information includes a company summary, financials, investment research, people, peer analysis and relationship management.
- Investext This link opens in a new windowCovers public companies. Company record includes business description, executives, market data, financials, ownership, segments, competitors, deals and analyst reports.
- ThomasNetA manufacturing directory which contains thousands of client websites that incorporate online catalogs, CAD drawings and e-commerce capabilities. It is a leading resource for industrial buyers to find products, services or supplier they need. (Note: You will need to set up a personal account to sign in.)
Company News
- ABI Inform Collection (ABI/INFORM)
- Business Insights: Essentials This link opens in a new window
- Business Source Complete This link opens in a new window
- Factiva This link opens in a new window
- Nexis Uni This link opens in a new window
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