Network Taiwan
Qualitative market research agency in Taiwan
MindMarket is a market research agency that runs qualitative studies in Taiwan, 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. Taiwan has 23.1 million people, 80.9 per cent of them in cities and 96.7 per cent online (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Research there works in Mandarin with traditional characters, with time for rapport, and with translation prepared before the session. We have interviewed high-net-worth investors and their advisors in Taiwan for one of the world's largest asset managers.
AT A GLANCE
Taiwan at a glance for researchers
- Population. 23.1 million people, median age 44.8, 80.9 per cent in urban areas (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Most of them live along the west coast, between Taipei in the north and Kaohsiung in the south.
- Languages. Mandarin, written in traditional characters. Taiwanese Hokkien is common at home, more so in the south and among older people. Our moderators live in Taiwan and work in the language participants use, with translation for your team.
- Internet and mobile. 22.3 million internet users, 96.7 per cent of the population, and 29.4 million mobile connections (DataReportal, Digital 2026). Online interviews run without difficulty across the island.
- Where fieldwork happens. Taipei and New Taipei first, then Taichung in the centre and Kaohsiung or Tainan in the south when the decision is national. The high-speed line links them in under two hours.
- Data protection. The Personal Data Protection Act applies, with amendments adopted in November 2025. Consent is collected before each session, with a clear statement of what is collected and why.
- Timing. The Lunar New Year, in January or February, stops fieldwork for more than a week. Typhoons between July and September can cancel in-person sessions at short notice, and the Dragon Boat and Mid-Autumn holidays make long weekends.
IN THE FIELD
How does an interview run in Taiwan?
In Taiwan, as in our interviews with senior investors there, the frank view comes late in the session. Time for rapport is part of the method.
- Traditional characters, local words. Stimulus written for mainland China uses simplified characters and different everyday vocabulary. In Taiwan it reads as foreign. Every screen, concept and card is rewritten for Taiwan before fieldwork.
- Rapport before questions. Our investor interviews in Taiwan, Japan and Hong Kong took longer than those in Europe or the United States. The opening was unhurried, pauses were left alone, and the moderator said in so many words that criticism was welcome.
- Translation prepared, not improvised. Sessions in Taiwan and Japan ran with simultaneous translation. The research materials were fully translated, and the moderator and the interpreter agreed the key financial terms before each session, so your team heard the same meaning the participant intended.
- North and south. Taipei is the centre of finance and technology. Kaohsiung and Tainan differ in age, industry and language at home. For a national decision we recruit in both.
RECRUITMENT
How do you recruit participants in Taiwan?
- We recruit through local partners in Taipei, Taichung and Kaohsiung, who find the people your brief describes.
- High-net-worth participants are recruited by personal approach. For the investor study, we recruited individuals with more than a million dollars in investable assets, and the advisors who serve them, and verified each profile.
- MindMarket pays every participant's incentive itself. You never handle it.
METHODS
Which methods work in Taiwan?
Most studies in Taiwan run as in-depth interviews and focus groups, with dyads and triads, UX research or online diaries when the question needs them.
| Method | Works well when | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|
| In-depth interviews | Investors, advisors and senior professionals, with translation prepared in advance | The frank view comes late; plan a longer session |
| Focus groups | Concepts, food, technology and packaging among peers | Deference to the oldest or most senior person |
| Dyads and triads | Friends, couples or colleagues who decide together | Recruit people who already know each other |
| UX research | Apps and sites localised for Taiwan | Simplified characters or mainland wording left in the interface |
| Online diaries | Daily routines, convenience stores and food delivery | Short tasks; photos say more than text |
QUESTIONS
Questions buyers ask about research in Taiwan
How much does market research cost in Taiwan?
A full-service qualitative study with MindMarket starts at $40,000 for the first market, and Taiwan added to a multi-country study starts from $8,000. Wealthy and senior audiences, and simultaneous translation, move the price more than the number of sessions. 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 Taiwan?
Choose by what the study has to decide. A Taiwanese fieldwork house fits a team that brings its own moderator; a pan-Asian network fits large tracking studies. A qualitative specialist such as MindMarket fits a brand from outside Taiwan 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.
Can a team from mainland China or Hong Kong run my study in Taiwan?
A moderator who lives in Taiwan is the better choice. The characters are traditional, everyday words differ from the mainland, and references to local brands, media and politics need someone who shares them. MindMarket's moderators live in Taiwan, and one team coordinates Taiwan with China or Japan.
Can you recruit high-net-worth participants in Taiwan?
Yes. For one of the world's largest asset managers we recruited individuals in Taiwan with more than a million dollars in investable assets, and the advisors who serve them. Candidates were approached one by one and each profile was verified. Read the case study.
Can my team follow sessions in Taiwan live?
Yes. Sessions run with simultaneous translation, online or in the room. Materials are translated beforehand, and the moderator and interpreter agree the key terms of your category before each session, which matters most for finance, health and technology.
Can you help us decide, not only run the interviews?
Yes. Beyond the fieldwork, our Customer-Led Strategy work turns what people in Taiwan 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.
NEXT