MARKETNG 499 J/K Honors Case Study & Internship

Resources for Marketing Research

Resources for Lowe's Teams 1 & 2

There are many resources available through the library's databases collection where you can find market research about the home improvement industry and consumer information for generations at different stages in life. Here are some suggestions for where to search and some search tips.

IBISWorld This link opens in a new window
US Industry reports - current analysis of every US industry. Report chapters: Industry at a Glance, Performance, Outlook, Products & Markets, Competitive Landscape, Major Companies, Operating Conditions, Key Statistics.
Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.

From the IBISWorld homepage, you are able to search for reports by industry, keyword, company name, or industry code. You can also browse for reports using the Industry Research drop-down menu at the top of the page.
Type "home improvement" into the search bar. Suggested reports appear as you type. Click "Search", and you will be brought to a list of relevant reports. Once you've found the report you're looking for, i.e., Home Improvement Stores in the U.S., click on the title to open it.
You can navigate through the report using the table of contents on the left of the screen or search within the report using the search box in the upper left corner.
Click on the "About" tab for an industry definition, supply chain, major players, similar industries, and more.
Click on the "Industry at a Glance" tab to find key statistics, SWOT analysis, industry structure, key industry data, and more.
Click on the "Competitive Landscape" tab for market concentration, key success factors, cost structure, and more.
Click on the "Key Statistics" tab to see valuable data related to market growth, trends, etc.
To download a report, click on the red arrow at the top of the page, near the report title. The red arrow also appears throughout the report for downloading of specific datasets, figures, and tables.

Mintel Academic This link opens in a new window
1,000+ current consumer market reports - analyze consumer market drivers, market size, segmentation, consumer characteristics, supply structure, advertising, promotion, retail distribution. SECTORS: Automotive, beauty, fashion, financial services, food & drink, food service, health & wellness, household, leisure, entertainment, travel, tourism.
Mintel no longer allows full PDF downloads of reports. Customized PPT downloads are still available and all of the same data and insights. Proxy users will need to create a profile to download.
Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.

Keywords to try in this database, which features reports, analysis, observations and trends focused on the consumer market, include home improvement, sustainable, or cleaning.

This video is very helpful in guiding you through navigating the Mintel Academic database. This video, “How to use Mintel”, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution license, or CC BY 4.0. The video was created in 2020 for students in the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas http://journalism.ku.edu.

Insider Intelligence This link opens in a new window
Market analysis and data with a focus on the Internet, digital marketing/advertising, mobile communication, e-commerce, social media, and emerging technologies. Insider Intelligence is useful for understanding trends, user demographics, consumer behavior, and the growth and impact of digital technologies.
Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.

This databases utilizes keyword and subject searches to find relevant articles, reports & data about a particular topic or area of interest. For your research, we're interested in looking at environmentally friendly products and emerging categories across the millennial and Gen Z generations, as well as DIY and pros. A few keyword suggestions are: "store brands", "do-it-yourself", Gen Z, millennials, "household cleaning", automotive, attitudes, and beliefs.

PsycINFO This link opens in a new window
Published by the American Psychological Association (APA), PsycINFO is the largest resource devoted to peer-reviewed journal literature in psychology, behavioral science and mental health - 2,500 journal titles indexed - 2.8 million records - 1887 to present.
Available on campus to all, or off-campus to UMass Amherst students, staff and faculty with an UMass Amherst IT NetID (user name) and password.

This database will be useful for both Lowe's teams to find data and insights into the consumer market for sustainability and emerging consumer categories. Ideas for keywords to search in this database include sustainability, millennials, Gen Z, cleaning products, brand messaging.