Network Azerbaijan
Qualitative market research agency in Azerbaijan
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Azerbaijan, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to shop-alongs and mystery shopping, with moderators who live in the country and one project manager for your whole study. Azerbaijan has a population of 10.4 million and a median age of 33.6, and 89.0 per cent of residents are online (DataReportal, Digital 2026). TikTok counts 7.61 million adult users in the country and Instagram 4.25 million, so short video is where many brands are first seen. Baku concentrates the income from oil and gas, and a study that stays in the capital hears the best-paid part of the market.
AT A GLANCE
Azerbaijan at a glance for researchers
- Population. 10.4 million people, median age 33.6, 58.5 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Baku, the capital, and the neighbouring city of Sumqayit sit on the Absheron peninsula, on the Caspian Sea. Ganja is the second city, in the west, Lankaran leads the south, and Nakhchivan is an exclave reached by air. About three in ten residents live in and around Baku.
- Languages. Azerbaijani, written in Latin script, for most sessions. Russian is used by many professionals in Baku, and English in the energy sector. Each participant chooses the language, and our moderators live in Azerbaijan and work in Azerbaijani and in Russian.
- Internet and mobile. Internet users number 9.27 million, or 89.0 per cent of the population, alongside 12.3 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Median download speeds reach 76.61 Mbps on mobile and 83.95 Mbps on fixed lines (same source). Social media counts 7.61 million user identities, 73.1 per cent of the population.
- Where fieldwork happens. Baku and Sumqayit first, then Ganja for the west and Lankaran for the south. Sheki or Mingachevir are added when the decision is national, and villages are reached from the nearest town. Sessions are held in meeting rooms in Baku and Ganja, and online for other regions.
- Data protection. The Law on Personal Information of 11 May 2010 applies (DLA Piper, reviewed in 2022). We explain what is recorded and why, and take each participant's consent before we start.
- Timing. Fieldwork is never booked during Ramadan. Novruz, around 20 and 21 March, closes offices for several days, and the two Eid holidays for a day or two each. 28 May is Independence Day, and the last days of December are a holiday. The weekend is Saturday and Sunday. Schools are closed from mid-June to mid-September, which matters for family studies.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Azerbaijan?
In Azerbaijan, Baku and the regions are two economies. The capital has the head offices, the shopping centres and the highest salaries, and the regions live from farming, trade and public employment. A study in Azerbaijan names the city each finding comes from. Sumqayit, an industrial city next to Baku, gives a working-class read close to the capital.
- Baku, then one region. Most studies start in Baku and add Ganja or Lankaran. Each is recruited by people who live there, and the report keeps the capital and the regions apart. Sheki or Mingachevir stand for smaller towns when the product depends on them.
- Azerbaijani or Russian. The screener asks which language each participant prefers for the subject. Consumer sessions tend to run in Azerbaijani, and some professional interviews in Russian or English. Written stimulus is prepared in Azerbaijani, and in Russian when the audience asks for it.
- Women's and men's sessions, planned. For subjects such as household spending, health or personal care, groups are held separately for women and for men, with a moderator of the same gender, when participants prefer it. We ask at recruitment. Mixed groups are used when the subject and the audience suit them.
- Follow the short video. Interviews start with what the participant watched and saved this week on TikTok and Instagram. The same session then follows the product to the bazaar, the supermarket or the delivery app. Screenshots are shared only with the participant's agreement.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Azerbaijan?
- We recruit through local partners in Baku, Sumqayit and Ganja, by city, age, income and category use. A call the day before confirms every appointment, and quotas are set with you at the start. Participants in the regions are recruited by people who live there. Nakhchivan is covered by video.
- Professionals in energy, banking and telecoms are approached directly, and their role is checked before the interview is booked. People who join studies regularly are kept out of consumer groups. English is used with expatriate and international staff.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Azerbaijan?
Most studies in Azerbaijan run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with shop-alongs, mystery shopping or UX research when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Energy, finance, telecoms and B2B audiences, by video or in person | The week of Novruz, when offices close |
| Focus groups | Concepts, food, drink and advertising in Baku and Ganja | One Baku group taken as the national picture |
| Shop-alongs | Bazaars, supermarkets and shopping centres | The days before Novruz, when baskets are festive |
| Mystery shopping | Retail chains, car showrooms, telecom shops and bank branches | A shopper profile that does not match the usual customer |
| UX research | Banking, telecoms and delivery apps on the participant's own phone | A Russian-only version for a mass-market audience |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Azerbaijan
How much does market research cost in Azerbaijan?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Azerbaijan added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Fieldwork in the regions and a second language move the price more than extra sessions in Baku. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
How do I choose a market research agency in Azerbaijan?
Choose by what the study has to decide. A local polling company fits a national survey. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Azerbaijan that needs local people heard in their own language, by moderators who live there, with one team across every country. Read how to choose a global qualitative research agency.
Is Baku enough for research in Azerbaijan?
Baku gives a sound first read of better-paid city buyers. For a national decision in Azerbaijan, add Ganja or a southern city such as Lankaran, where incomes are lower and bazaars carry more of the shopping. Every city has recruiters of its own, who live there. Most first studies need no more than two cities.
Should research in Azerbaijan run in Azerbaijani or in Russian?
In Azerbaijan, every participant picks the language of their session. Azerbaijani is the language of most consumers; Russian is preferred by some professionals in Baku. We ask at recruitment, match the moderator, and your team follows through simultaneous interpretation. Our reports are in English.
When should fieldwork in Azerbaijan be avoided?
Fieldwork in Azerbaijan is not scheduled during Ramadan, and the week of Novruz in March is a holiday for offices and families. The two Eid holidays and the last days of December also stop work. Outside those periods, sessions run all year. Recruitment restarts the week after each holiday, so timetables allow for it.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Azerbaijan told us into a recommendation: what to do, what not to do, and why. We form the hypotheses, test them with your customers and recommend from their words. If you already work with strategy consultants, we work alongside them.
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