According to Asia Research’s 2012 Market Research Buyer Survey, 41% of corporate buyers across Singapore are now going direct to online panel companies for their survey requirements and around a third are using DIY research tools such as Survey Monkey. The shift has had the most impact on independent research agencies, whose share has fallen from 80% two years ago to 59% in 2012.

Overall, client budgets for research among Singaporean corporations are about the same as in 2011, with 21% reporting higher budgets and a similar number ( 20%) reporting lower budgets. In addition, only half of research buyers have evaluated a new agency in the last year. The most active agency in business development terms was Millward Brown. Nielsen’s and TNS’s position was relatively unchanged in the last year with both retaining around 40% market penetration.

Full survey results, including data from other Asian markets, are available commercially from Asia Research.