Both market size and market share held by competitors are key factors when assessing the competitive environment. Keep in mind that there is no single source of market size and market share data. Market information is usually pieced together from various sources and is not often readily available for niche or emerging industries. One strategy is to combine a competitor's name or a comparable, established industry with the term market share in article databases or read market research reports. You will need to identify and describe your market – who your customers are and what the demand is for your products and services.
Library Resources
Access to the following sources may be available through your local public or academic library. For information on how to obtain a library card, and for additional information on using libraries in BC, please visit our Getting Access to Library Resources page.
ABI/INFORM Collection
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
Created by ProQuest this database contains full-text articles from over 1,000 business magazines and journals that track business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies, and industry-specific topics.
- Zakrzewski, C. (2016, Apr 19). Rinse puts new spin on dry cleaning with $6M. Wall Street Journal (Online).
"Some investors still bet consumers will pay to have drivers pick up their laundry so they don't have to haul it to dry cleaners themselves: San Francisco-based Rinse Inc. grabbed $6 million in Series A funding."
- Shellenbarger, S. (2015, Jul 21). Do you know what your time is really worth? new online tools help people value an hour; the time vs. money trade-off. Wall Street Journal (Online).
"But putting a dollar value on your time requires more than dividing your pay by hours worked. It requires thinking deeply about the trade-offs you are willing to make. More researchers and entrepreneurs are looking at the value of time in new ways, yielding new tools and insights to help people make more thoughtful choices."
Business Source Ultimate
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Otherwise, contact your local library to see if they provide access.
Includes financial data, books, videos, company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry profiles, country reports, market research reports and case studies. Also includes information on industry trends, forecasts, outlooks, competitors, how to run a specific business and much more.
- Beggs, B. (2016). The Future of On-Demand Drycleaning Services. American Drycleaner (American Trade Magazines LLC (ATM)), 82(11), 10-14.
The article reports on the future of on-demand drycleaning services. Topics discussed include the concept of offering pickup and delivery as part of one's drycleaning service; the views of drycleaning service mobile application developers and development of mobile apps through which a customer can remotely order drycleaning or laundry service. It also mentions the companies behind these drycleaning and laundry service mobile apps.
- Heath, D. W. (2016). 7 ways to get the most from your onsite laundry operation. Hotel Management (21582122), 231(8), 32.
The article presents seven tips to get the most from hotel laundry operations which include taking care of the laundry equipment, maintaining the ironer, and taking the team in a day off.
eMarketer
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource. Or, contact your local public or academic library for their access details.
Global market research and trend analysis database that focuses on Internet, e-business, online marketing, media, and emerging technologies.
UBC Library Business Databases
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you may have access to business databases through the David Lam Management Research Library and Canaccord Learning Commons through the links below.
Full Listing By Title or Full Listing By Subject
There are two different ways to identify databases: Use "by title" if you already know the name; otherwise you can search the list "by subject" to find starting places for undertaking market research, finding articles or researching companies. To learn more about how you can access library resources if you are a community user or temporary visitor, check out the UBC Library Community Users & Visitors Guide. Community users and temporary visitors may have additional access restrictions to specific databases because of license agreements.
IBISWorld Industry Reports
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
IBISWorld research is an independent, professional publisher of high-quality market research reports. These reports analyze the underlying structure and external forces that drive an industry.
Try Primary Research
The main point of this guide is to introduce you to a wide range of secondary market research resources but keep in mind there is great value in analyzing other information including:
- Advertising, blogs and sales brochures
- Your personal network and employees
- Direct observation and interviews