Is primary research always better than secondary?

No. Use secondary when the question is well-covered in existing sources. Use primary when the published narrative is suspect or the question requires operator-level specificity that secondary can't provide.

How long does a typical primary research project take?

2-6 weeks depending on scope. A focused expert-call project might take 2 weeks. A full commercial diligence sprint or programmatic VoC programme might run 4-6 weeks per cycle.

What does primary research typically cost?

€500-€1,500 per expert call. €10,000-€50,000 for typical project engagements. Programmatic engagements (annual subscriptions, continuous programmes) range €20,000-€100,000+/year.

Primary Research

Primary research is original data collected directly from sources — operators, customers, channel partners, ex-employees, end users — rather than synthesised from existing published sources. Expert calls, customer interviews, surveys and channel checks are all forms of primary research.

Term: Primary Research
Section: Glossary
Last refreshed: Q1 2026

01/In Depth3–5 paragraphs

Primary research is the alternative to secondary research, which relies on already-published sources (analyst reports, regulatory filings, broker research, industry databases). The two are complementary, not substitutes.

Primary research is more expensive per data point but produces insight that's specific to your question. Secondary research is cheaper per data point but generic to the question being asked. Most strategic decisions blend both — secondary to map the landscape, primary to test specific assumptions.

The growth of expert networks over the last 25 years has industrialised primary research. What was once an informal practice of executives calling their industry contacts is now a structured marketplace with documented compliance and audit trails.

Primary research is dominant in due-diligence work, voice-of-customer programmes, pricing research, competitive intelligence and any context where the published narrative is suspect or insufficient.

02/Examples4 concrete cases

+Twelve 1:1 expert calls with operators in a target industry for buy-side diligence
+Thirty customer interviews to validate willingness-to-pay before a product launch
+Survey panel of 200 B2B buyers to test category awareness and consideration
+Channel research with 8 distributors mapping competitive partner economics

03/Frequently Asked3 questions

Q.01
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Q.03

04/See AlsoWhere this applies

04.1

EXPERT CONSULTATIONS

One-hour calls with vetted operators, executives and specialists across 50,000+ professionals. Scheduled in 3 to 5 business days. From €500.

04.2

COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE

Always-on CI programmes backed by expert interviews, channel checks and structured tracking.

05/Related Terms3 suggestions

SECONDARY RESEARCH

Secondary research is research built from existing published sources — analyst reports, broker research, regulatory f…

EXPERT NETWORK

An expert network is a marketplace that connects buyers (investment funds, corporates, consulting firms) with vetted …

VOC

Voice of Customer (VoC) is a structured, recurring primary-research programme with a company's current customer base,…

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