MAKING SENSE OUT OF THE NUMBERS

Determining the size of the CD-ROM market has always been a difficult task. The availability of sales surveys seems to offer a solution to p redict market size. However, these surveys need careful scrutiny and e valuation to draw any meaningful conclusions. These surveys generally study only the consumer market which is usually viewed as more profita ble than narrower mai markets. This study examines several of these su rveys, looking at their assumptions, their deficiencies, and what rema ins unreported. However, conclusions drawn from one market cannot be e xtrapolated to make comparisons with other markets. After a brief exam ination of some of the problems selling to both markets, the article c oncludes by raising some of the questions that need to be asked in ol der to understand what the surveys report. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science L td.