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.
App Store Metrics and Rankings
These resources allow filtering by app type, country, category and more:
- App Annie App sales and rankings
- APPlyzer App sales and rankings
- 148Apps.biz App rankings
- Top App Charts App rankings
- Appfigures App sales metrics
Information and Communications Technology Council (ICTC)
"ICTC is a not-for-profit national centre of expertise for the digital economy."
Statista
How to access: If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
A simple to use statistics portal that integrates statistics from thousands of sources, on topics related to business, media, public policy, health and others. Statistics can be exported in PPT, XLS, PDF, and PNG formats. Some basic content available for free.
- Go to the Statistics and Market Data on Mobile Internet & Apps: "This page provides statistics, facts and market data related to mobile internet and apps. This includes information on segments and industries such as mobile internet usage, market reach, device usage, app reach as well as statistics on demographics and use."
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.
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.
- How to increase mobile app downloads quickly - plus, the top 25 app development agencies who can build a successful app in 2019: Research shows that 60 percent of mobile apps have never been downloaded. luckily, DesignRush uncovered 3 top tips that can increase app downloads effectively and the best app development firms that can help. (2019, Feb 07). PR Newswire Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/doc…
- 61% of app developers say 'freemium' model is best option to monetize a mobile app: The recommendation comes from a new survey of 102 app developers. the survey, plus interviews with experts from 7 app development firms, is the source for a complete business guide to building a mobile app, from concept to monetization. (2017, Oct 11). NASDAQ OMX's News Release Distribution Channel Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/login?url=https://search.proquest.com/doc…
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.
- San-Martín, S., Jimenez, N., Camarero, C., & San-José, R. (2020). The Path between Personality, Self-Efficacy, and Shopping Regarding Games Apps. Journal of Theoretical & Applied Electronic Commerce Research, 15(2), 59–75. https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-18762020000200105
- Degirmenci, K. (2020). Mobile users’ information privacy concerns and the role of app permission requests. International Journal of Information Management, 50, 261–272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.05.010
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.
Marketresearch.com/Freedonia Focus
How to access: Check your local public or academic library to see about access. If you are a UBC student, staff, faculty or in-person library visitor you can access this resource.
While you can search this website only some Canadian libraries provide full-text access to the market research reports on industries and demographics for North American industries. They can range from 50 to 400+ pages in length, and contain charts, tables, and graphs, and key facts. Marketresearch.com has varied industry coverage and includes US and international information.
- Smartphone-Based IVD: Products, Trends, Potential Markets. (2018, November). Kalorama Information.
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