Secondary research (or desk research) is an effective way to understand existing knowledge at a low cost. Thanks to the internet, we can find information easily online. However, the internet does not always have all the necessary data. In addition, sometimes, information on the same topic conflicts with each other.
Now, let us explain how we assisted a company that did secondary research for the first time to collect the existing data to kick off its business.
The Context
A startup company wanted to know the market overview of the pet care business as the initial step before founding a company. So they tried to get an idea about the market overview to find the opportunity.
The Challenge
#1. Limited Information Online
At first, they did their desk research on the Internet. However, the collected information was fragmented, and it was confusing for them to find the market size.
#2. Data Conflicts
The collected data conflicted with each other in similar items.
The Solution Approaches
#1. Using Both Offline and Online Sources
We collected secondary information from public libraries, including the National Diet Library, the largest library in the world, and other offline publications and online sources to complement online data.
#2. Checking Data Definitions and Collection Methods
Since the data conflicts come from different data definitions and collection methods, we contacted the information publisher to check them when the data sources did not mention the definition and research methods. Then, we made the synthesis of the desk research together for the client.
The Outcome
The desk research identified that the current market for pet products and services is fragmented, and the startup company used the data to set the direction for their business. They continue working on building an online platform for their pet care services in Japan.