Information isn't of much use if you can't find a way to locate it, so any tools which make that easier are certainly worth knowing about.
One of my favorite market research tools is Google Answers. This is an online forum in which people of all walks of life can ask questions in an open format that anyone can see. The poster of each question includes the $ amount they are willing to pay for the answer to their question. Then, a designated Google Researcher will take on your question and see it through to a completed answer. Google gives the researcher 75% of the fee you're willing to pay for your answer.
The entire exchange back and forth between poster (customer) and researcher is completely transparent, meaning we can all see and benefit from any knowledge which might surface during the discussion. Often comments are added by all involved, including innocent passersby who have read the post or the researcher's answer.
Often your question has already been asked and it can be found by searching for it by keyword, using the smaller field underneath the main question box.
I've found all sorts of things using this service and it has saved me a tremendous amount of time, particularly where I'm searching in unfamiliar territory. I should note that, so far, I haven't even had to pay for an answer, as I have been able to find it using the search of existing answers from others' questions.
Link: Google Answers.
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