Census Bureau

This paper will identify what I learned from the following two websites identified as the following: www.claritas.com and www.census.gov.

The following questions are posed and will be answered in this paper.

1) What did you find that surprised you?

2) How are they different?

3) How are they the same?

4) How might these two market research sources help a company develop a marketing mix?

5) What might each of the 2 sources tell you about consumer behavior in your area.

6) How reliable is the data when using it for market research?

7) In what ways might the market research information presented by the two sources not be helpful?

The first website that I visited was Claritas.com. Clarita's is a marketing information resource company dedicated to helping companies engages in consumer and business-to-business marketing. The company was founded in 1971. Its purpose is to arm businesses with the information foundation such as the data, tools, applications, and expertise needed to examine, target and execute profitable marketing opportunities.

When entering my home zip code of 43229, I found the most surprising aspect to be the description they use in identifying the population. One description comes to mind, "Boomtown Singles". It translates Boomtown Singles as being Young, hip singles who are the prime residents of Young Achievers, a life-stage group of twenty something year olds who've recently settled in metro neighborhoods. Their incomes range from working-class to well to do; but most residents are still renting apartments in cities or close-in suburbs. These seven segments contain a high percentage of Asian singles, and there's a decidedly progressive sensibility in their tastes as reflected in the group's liberal politics, alternative music and lively nightlife. Young Achievers segments are twice as likely as the general population to include college students living in groups. In addition, it identifies their Lifestyle traits (www.claritas.com). It really drills down to their personal lives.

When I viewed the Census Bureau, to my surprise, the information that was shown for the same zip code was not updated like the Claritas website. The latest information for my zip code was 2000. I would have thought that the government information would be more up to date that an outside source.

The information from the Census Bureau is very detailed and really contains too much information and not very user friendly as you have too many options to choose from. In the Claritas website, you have summarized information which makes is much easier to read and identify with on specific information. In identiyinfg similarities, both pages get their information the same way, as well as breaks down population, housing, and median income per household age group, etc.

They are both more different than alike. Clarita's is a good summary of information that is easy to read and understand. The Census information is detailed and confusing. I enjoyed reading the Clarita's information more so than the Census. Then again, it is government obtained information, which can be confusing and less interesting at times.

The Census information detail can offer insight for large retail companies planning to locate in a certain population, businesses, hotel and rental units can use this information as well. The Clarita's information