Network Mexico
Qualitative market research in Mexico
Mexico has 132 million people, a median age of 29.6 and 110 million internet users (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Qualitative research there works when the moderator is Mexican, when Mexico City is not taken for the whole country, and when the team following from abroad can hear every word. MindMarket has a project manager based in Mexico and runs in-depth interviews, focus groups, shop-alongs and mystery shopping there with local moderators, and has run remote sessions with Mexican shoppers for a major US retailer.
AT A GLANCE
Mexico at a glance for researchers
- Population. 132 million people, median age 29.6, 82.2 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). A young country, with large differences between the capital, the North and the South.
- Languages. Mexican Spanish. Guides written in Spain, or for Hispanic audiences in the US, need adapting, because everyday words and brands change. Our moderators live in Mexico, and your team can follow live with simultaneous interpretation.
- Internet and mobile. 110 million internet users, 83.5 per cent of the population, and 145 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Online sessions reach audiences spread across cities.
- Where fieldwork happens. Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey first. Add a city in the South when your product depends on cash, small shops or regional tastes.
- Data protection. The Federal Law for the Protection of Personal Data in Possession of Private Parties, renewed in March 2025: a privacy notice and consent before personal data is processed.
- Timing. Holy Week, the Day of the Dead on 1 and 2 November, and the weeks from 12 December to 6 January slow recruitment. Avoid them for anything that needs full groups.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Mexico?
In the US or the UK, paying by card or by app is taken for granted. In Mexico, how people pay depends on where they live and how much they are spending.
- Ask about the amount and the payment together. For purchases above 500 pesos, 55.2 per cent of people in Mexico City said cash was the method they used most, against 82.0 per cent in the South region (INEGI, ENIF 2024, set out in our Latin America consumer guide). A payment idea tested only in the capital will mislead you.
- Your team follows live. In our study for a major US retailer, the US team followed every Spanish-language conversation live through simultaneous interpretation, across 20 remote sessions with shoppers in Mexico and Chile.
- Mexican Spanish, not neutral Spanish. Words for everyday products change from country to country. Our moderators adapt each guide with us, so the objectives stay the same and the phrasing belongs to Mexico.
- A personal call the day before. In Latin America a personal phone call reduces no-shows far more than a written reminder. Our local team calls each participant the day before and confirms again on the morning.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Mexico?
- We recruit through local partners in each city, by region, income and category use. Platicadero, our own participant community, is one of the places our participants in Mexico come from.
- Recruiters look for people who live the question. For the US retailer's study they found shoppers juggling several regional accounts for the same brands, and shoppers already using a single global account.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Mexico?
Most studies in Mexico run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with UX research, shop-alongs or mystery shopping when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| Online in-depth interviews | Audiences spread across cities, and teams abroad who follow live | Book interpretation early; test each participant's connection |
| Focus groups | Concepts, packaging and advertising in Mexico City, Guadalajara or Monterrey | Evening traffic in the capital; start times decide attendance |
| UX research | Accounts, checkouts and apps used across borders | Test with the payment methods people use, cash included |
| Shop-alongs | Grocery and household purchases, from supermarkets to neighbourhood shops | Ask what the shopper will spend before asking how they will pay |
| Mystery shopping | Retail, car showrooms, banks and restaurants | One checklist and one briefing for every city |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Mexico
How much does market research cost in Mexico?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Mexico added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Each extra city adds recruitment and moderation, and interpretation for a team following from abroad adds to the budget. Every quote is itemised and follows within 48 hours of a first call. Estimate your study.
Does MindMarket have a team in Mexico?
Yes. MindMarket has a project manager based in Mexico, alongside London and Dubai, and works with moderators who live in the country. Sessions run in Mexican Spanish, and your team can follow them live with simultaneous interpretation.
Is Mexico City enough, or should I add other cities?
Mexico City gives a first read, but it does not stand in for the country. Guadalajara and Monterrey add the West and the industrial North, and a city in the South shows a market where cash and small shops weigh far more. Choose the cities by where your product will be sold.
Can my team in the US or Europe watch the sessions?
Yes. Sessions run in Spanish with simultaneous interpretation, so your team hears every conversation live. In our study for a major US retailer, the US team followed all 20 remote sessions this way. Read the cross-border UX case study.
When should I avoid fieldwork in Mexico?
During Holy Week, around the Day of the Dead on 1 and 2 November, and from 12 December to 6 January, when families gather and recruitment slows. Holy Week moves each year, so check the dates when you plan.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Mexico 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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