Where Else Should You Go for Knowledge?

For those times you can’t get Outside Knowledge, you should turn to some of my favorite resources:

Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics: The BLS provides a variety of consumer data for the United States, but the detailed tables of how much American consumers are spending in their households is a goldmine for consumer market research.
Economics & Statistics Administration: This is a great resource with “cool” data indicators on the US economy. Imports, exports, construction and retail trade are just a few of the datasets available

Statistics Canada: This resource is my go-to for anything related to Canada. Of particular interest to my clients are the detailed tables in the Culture and Leisure section. These tables track the leisure habits of households, very useful in seeing inside Canadian consumers’ spending habits.
The Global Consumption Database from The World Bank: This database offers a view into consumer consumption across the globe. The detailed dashboards delve into the consumption of consumer products by country and category.

SBA SizeUp: If you are a small business owner, you need to know how your business stacks up with the competition in order to succeed. SizeUp will help you manage and grow your business by benchmarking it against competitors, mapping your customers, competitors and suppliers, and locating the best places to advertise.
Small Business Development Center – Small Business Research Reports: Popular (and free!) market research reports cover industry trends, market statistics, customer demographics, recent business articles, and links to industry trade associations. A complete alphabetized archive appears in the sidebar.
Reference For Business: This online encyclopedia has industry snapshots that provide background information, current conditions and industry leaders.