International market research: how to research buyers in another country

International market research means learning about buyers in a country other than your own: how they work, what they use today, how they buy and what rules apply. The method is the same as at home, but four things change: the published sources you start from, the language of every question, how you find people to talk to, and the data protection rules that cover them. Plan for each of those before the first interview.

If you are deciding whether to enter a specific market at all, our market entry research guide covers the go or no-go decision. This page covers the practical work of researching buyers across a border.

A worked example: restaurant software in Germany

Suppose a U.S. company sells inventory and ordering software to restaurant groups. A few German restaurant operators have signed up without any marketing, and the team wants to understand that market before investing. This example is hypothetical and used throughout the page.

The team does not speak German, has never met a German restaurant operator, and does not know how German restaurants order from suppliers, what software they already use, or who in a restaurant group picks it.

Start with published country research

The U.S. International Trade Administration publishes Country Commercial Guides covering market conditions, opportunities, regulations and business customs. They are prepared by U.S. government staff at embassies and cover more than 70 markets. ITA Country Commercial Guides Read the guide for your target country first, looking for the sections on your industry and on business customs. They give you the vocabulary and the obvious rules before you spend money on interviews.

Our guide to secondary market research covers how to judge desk sources.

Use trade data if you sell physical goods

If your product crosses a border, trade statistics show how much of a category already moves between countries. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes import and export data by product classification and trading partner, through its data pages, USA Trade Online and an international trade API. Census international trade data A rising import trend from other countries suggests buyers already accept foreign suppliers.

Trade data has limits. The detailed product and country breakdowns cover goods, not services, so the restaurant software example gets little from them. It also counts shipments, not who buys them or why. You still need conversations for that.

Decide the language of every question

Translating a question word for word often changes what it asks. Translation guidelines used for international survey research aim for conceptual, not literal, equivalence, and describe a sequence: a forward translation by a native speaker of the target language, an expert panel review, a back-translation by an independent translator who has not seen the original, and a pre-test in which respondents explain in their own words what each question means. GENACIS back-translation guidelines

You may not need every step for a round of interviews, but two parts are worth keeping:

• Have a native speaker translate and review your interview guide. Ask them to flag questions that sound odd or assume a U.S. way of working.
• Test the guide on one or two people first. Ask them what they think each question is asking.

Then decide how you will run the calls. Many professionals are comfortable in English, but some people give shorter, less detailed answers in a second language. Offer the choice, and use a bilingual interviewer or interpreter for people who prefer their own language.

Find local people, including people who know both markets

Three kinds of people are useful:

• Buyers and users in the country: for the example, operations managers and owners of German restaurant groups.
• People who sell into that market: distributors, suppliers and consultants who see many buyers.
• People who have worked in both markets: they can explain which of your assumptions will not travel.

Instant Expert can help you reach people outside your own network: you describe the experience you need, review the people it finds, and it sends your invitations; you pay for the calls that get booked. Directory pages such as procurement professionals in restaurants and finance professionals in restaurants show the kind of profiles you might shortlist. Include the country in your description when you search. Before you book, check that each person's experience is in the market you care about; our guide to choosing the right expert covers what to look for.

Check data protection rules where your participants live

Which privacy law applies can depend on where your participants live, not only where your company is. The European Commission says the GDPR applies to a company established outside the EU when it offers goods or services to, or monitors the behavior of, individuals in the EU. European Commission Whether your research falls under it depends on your situation, so check with someone who knows the rules before you collect personal data from EU residents. In any case, collect only what you need, tell people how you will use notes and recordings, and ask before recording; see how to ask for recording consent.

Adjust the logistics

Small details decide whether calls happen: schedule in the participant's working hours, send invitations in their language if you can, and confirm that your payment method works in their country. If you pay participants, set the amount before you start and keep it the same regardless of what they say. Our research incentive budget guide covers how.

A first-month plan

1. Read the country guide and any trade data for your category.
2. List the facts that could differ from your home market.
3. Have a native speaker translate and review your interview guide, then test it.
4. Book conversations with local buyers, people who sell into the market, and people who know both markets.
5. Check data protection rules before collecting personal data.

If you know the kind of person you need in another country, start a search with a one-sentence description of their experience and location.