Your Target Market

Updated: August 30, 2016

Survey of Household Spending - Statistics Canada
Raw data in table form from the Survey of Household Spending (SHS). This general resource provides information on household spending by demographics. Report includes detailed information on Canadian spending patterns, household equipment, and housing conditions. Also includes the ability to view data from British Columbia only; click on "Add/Remove Data".

  • The average household expenditure on Personal Care expenses by province or in Canada as a whole. Compare changes over last few years.

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.

Vividata (formerly "Print Measurement Bureau")
Includes information on Canadians' usage of over 3500 products and services. Information includes demographics, attitudes, media consumption, retail outlets, frequency of usage and brands used. UBC affiliates and in-person library patrons can learn more about the resource here.

  • PMB Category Reports - PMB 2011 Spring Study. Information on the personal buying preferences of Canadians with regard to various Business and Financial services. Check for relevant data under the Business, Finance, and Personal Characteristics headings.

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.

  • Simba Information Reports. (2013). Business Information Markets 2012-2013.

UBC Psychology Research Guide

Sometimes it can be useful when researching consumer behaviour and other marketing topics with psychological dimensions to consult article databases in that research area. This is an online guide to print and online resources about psychology in the UBC Library collection. UBC affiliates will have access to all the resources listed. 

  • Grant, A. M. (2008). Personal life coaching for coaches-in-training enhances goal attainment, insight and learning. Coaching: An International Journal Of Theory, Research And Practice, 1(1), 54-70. Retrieved from PsycINFO online.

Drawing on past research on mandatory personal therapy for therapists-in-training, this paper reports a qualitative and quantitative within-subject exploration of the impact of compulsory participation in a personal life coaching program for coaches-in-training.

  • Schuttler, R., & Lentz, C. (2013). Grieving, learning, and growing: A mentoring model for organizational and personal growth. Journal Of Psychological Issues In Organizational Culture, 4(1), 100-108. Retrieved from PsycINFO online.

In a time when formal and informal leaders are needed to set a great example, the industry of mentoring (and coaching) appears to have many people trying to help others, yet perhaps not all of them have the foundational underpinnings of knowledge needed to fully understand the emotional reactions or steps to learning.

Public Opinion Polls

Roper Center for Public Opinion
Preserves the data from polls conducted by many leading survey organizations for the use of researchers, students, and journalists. Includes a section on how to analyze polls. Only for those affiliated with UBC.

Ipsos
Links to Canadian, U.S. and international polls. Includes polls on consumer goods.

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, focus groups and interviews with potential customers