Network Ecuador
Qualitative market research agency in Ecuador
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Ecuador, from in-depth interviews and focus groups to shop-alongs and UX research, with moderators who live in the country and one project manager for your whole study. Ecuador has 18.3 million people with a median age of 29.3, and 83.9 per cent of them use the internet (DataReportal, Digital 2026). It has two leading cities of similar weight: Quito, the capital in the Andes, and Guayaquil, the port on the Pacific coast. The Sierra and the Costa differ in accent, retail and taste, and a study that hears one has heard half the country.
AT A GLANCE
Ecuador at a glance for researchers
- Population. 18.3 million people, median age 29.3, 65.4 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Ecuador's two largest cities are of similar size: Guayaquil on the coast and Quito in the highlands. Cuenca is the third city, and about a third of the population lives outside urban areas. Santo Domingo, Machala and Manta are the next largest cities.
- Languages. Spanish, in every session, with coastal and highland accents that participants recognise at once. Kichwa is spoken in many highland communities, and those participants are asked which language they prefer. Our moderators live in Ecuador, and your team follows through simultaneous interpretation.
- Internet and mobile. 15.4 million internet users, 83.9 per cent of the population, and 18.4 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Home broadband is faster than mobile data, with a median download speed of 134.68 Mbps against 39.43 Mbps (same source), so video sessions are booked on a home line where a participant has one.
- Where fieldwork happens. Quito and Guayaquil, each recruited and moderated by people who live there, then Cuenca for the southern highlands and Manta or Ambato when the decision is national. The Amazon provinces are planned as their own fieldwork.
- Data protection. The Personal Data Protection Organic Law applies, with its regulation of November 2023. Each participant agrees in advance to what is recorded and to its purpose.
- Timing. Carnival and Holy Week close offices for several days. Public holidays fall on 24 May, 10 August, 9 October, 2 and 3 November, and 6 December in Quito. School holidays differ between the coast and the highlands, so the quiet weeks do not match.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Ecuador?
In Ecuador, the question is which city speaks for the country, and the answer is neither. Quito and Guayaquil differ in climate, accent, retail and what people cook, and a brand that leads in one is often second in the other. A study in Ecuador names both cities in the brief, or says plainly which of the two it speaks for.
- Sierra and Costa, side by side. Quito and Guayaquil are recruited separately, moderated by people from each city and compared on the same guide. A national decision is read as two results first, and merged only where they agree. Cuenca is added when the southern highlands matter to the brand.
- A moderator from the city. Participants place an accent at once. Each session is led by a moderator who lives in that city, so the conversation starts on familiar ground, and stimulus uses the brand and food names of the region.
- Prices in dollars. The US dollar has been Ecuador's currency since 2000. Stimulus shows dollar prices at local shelf levels, with the small pack sizes sold in neighbourhood shops, checked in the week before fieldwork. Offers tied to a card or a store promotion are shown as shoppers meet them.
- Neighbourhood shops and markets. Small neighbourhood shops and municipal markets sit beside supermarket chains, and many households use all three. Shop-alongs follow the purchase to the place where it is made, and the shopkeeper is interviewed where the brand depends on their advice. The same shopper is asked about each place, so the comparison comes from the person who uses them.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Ecuador?
- We recruit through local partners in Quito, Guayaquil and Cuenca, by city, neighbourhood, income and category use. Participants receive a reminder call the day before, and quotas are agreed with you before recruitment starts.
- In highland communities, recruiters work in person and ask each participant which language they prefer. Those who take part in research as a habit are screened out. Amazon communities are reached in person, with a local guide and the agreement of community leaders.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Ecuador?
Most studies in Ecuador run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with shop-alongs, UX research or ethnographic home visits when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Finance, telecoms, health and family purchases, by video or in person | One accent for the whole country; match moderator and city |
| Focus groups | Concepts, food, drink and advertising, city by city | A Quito group read as the national answer |
| Shop-alongs | Neighbourhood shops, markets and supermarkets | Single-unit prices that differ from the pack price |
| UX research | Banking, wallet and delivery apps on the participant's own phone | Mobile data too slow for a live prototype; use a home line |
| Home visits | Cooking and household routines, which differ between coast and highlands | A coastal kitchen read as a highland one |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Ecuador
How much does market research cost in Ecuador?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Ecuador added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Running Quito and Guayaquil as two cells moves the price more than extra sessions in one city. 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 Ecuador?
Choose by what the study has to decide. An Ecuadorian fieldwork company fits a survey or a retail audit. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Ecuador 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.
Do I need both Quito and Guayaquil for research in Ecuador?
For a national decision, yes. The two cities are of similar size and differ in accent, retail and taste, so each is recruited and moderated locally and the results are compared. For a first read, start with the city where your product will be sold first. The same discussion guide runs in both, so a difference in the answers comes from the place.
Are prices tested in dollars in Ecuador?
Yes. The US dollar has been the currency since 2000, so stimulus shows dollar prices at Ecuadorian shelf levels, checked in the shops in the week before fieldwork. Small pack sizes carry their own price, because many everyday purchases are made by the unit.
Can you run online interviews in Ecuador?
Yes: 83.9 per cent of the population uses the internet (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Home broadband is faster than mobile data, so each participant's connection is tried before a video session, and rural audiences are met in person. Phone diaries with photos and voice notes are used where video is not practical.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Ecuador 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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