Subscription Rates

Ipres Subscription Rates.

Our Professional Research Service rates vary from one research to another. The rates will very much depend on the type of research and amount of information required. As a basic guideline, our standard research rate falls under the following subscription categories:

Ad-hoc Subscription.

Ad-hoc subscriptions are for companies that has a once-in-a-blue moon research requirement. Under this category, research is requested on-need basis, and thus, payment is only applicable to each research requested and completed. Companies that subscribe to this category usually are either unsure on the number of research required within a year or simply to test our research capabilities.

Annual Subscription.

An annual subscription is a subscription by membership. All Ipres member-companies are entitled to an unlimited access to our professional research services within one fiscal year. The "fiscal year" will begin on the day the membership is signed. Companies that subscribe to this category usually have a higher frequency of research work requested within a year. Most of Ipres's clients fall under this category.

Free Consultations Provided.

Should you require more information on your research needs, please feel free to send us an e-mail: ipres@xoommail.com or directly to the manager in charge: dshasha@hotmail.com.

How to Spy on Your Competitors Without Getting Caught!

The marketing jargon for spying on your competitors is called "Competitive intelligence". It is a tedious but compulsory effort, as long as you want to remain ahead.

We will list here a step by step DIY approach that you may utilize:

1. Identify your competitors. If your business is a retail outlet, then look at your surrounding business neighborhood. If your business is in e-commerce, than do a search in the Internet. Identify the company's name, the location, the management and the products/services they sell/provide.

2. Buy from your competitors. Yes, buy from them! Witness for yourself the type of service you are getting, the purchasing process, the product quality (try to buy something that you don't have), and the overall sales process. Try to relate an ordinary customer's buying experience from your competitor versus yours.

3. Sign in their mailing list. The mailing list is a means to find out their future promotions. If your competitor recognize your name, they would probably not send you any mailings at all. Also request that your friends and close relatives to sign in as well. Just to be sure.

4. Praise one of their employees. Yes, that's praise! Find something nice to say, either comment on the outlook of the store or the friendliness of the workers. Then ask whatever you want to ask about the company from the staff.

If your competitor is a physical outlet and doing CI means you have to pay them a visit, please note the "Do-Not-Do-List" :

Do not act suspiciously.
Do not linger around a certain aisle far too long.
Do not jot down the prices while in the store. Try to memorize and do it outside.
Do not bring anything that can relate you to your own store.
Do not pick up a product and watch the salesperson at the same time. You may be mistakenly caught for "attempted shoplifting"

Of course if sourcing for "Competitive Intelligence" information is a little too inconvenient and nerve-wrecking, you can always engage an independent competition monitoring service or a research service.