Once the need for data is determined, when the next step is blocked
Whether it's AI, dashboards, or market analysis, there is usually agreement within the organization that external data is needed. The problem arises next. "So how do we secure that data?" — Should we buy data products, build our own collection system, or outsource to a specialized company? Without criteria for judgment, it is difficult to make a request, and choosing different methods for each department leads to duplicate investments across the organization.
This article is a decision-making framework that organizes the three ways of securing external data — purchase, build, outsource. The purpose is not to favor a specific method but to provide a guide for determining the most suitable method for our situation.
Three methods
Purchase — Buying pre-processed data products
This method involves subscribing to or purchasing completed datasets or reports from market research firms or data vendors. The advantage is that verified data can be used immediately. However, it is difficult to customize to my desired target, items, and frequency. It can only be used within the range and format set by the vendor, and often the data that perfectly fits our competitive landscape may not exist as a product.
Build — Building our own collection system
This method involves developing and operating crawlers with internal development resources. It offers the highest level of flexibility to tailor as desired. However, the operating costs are higher than the development costs. It requires continuous monitoring for blocking responses, maintenance when sites change, and making data collection monitoring a regular task. If the responsible person leaves, the system may be abandoned.
Outsource — Providing requirements and receiving data from a data supplier
This method involves entrusting the collection, refinement, and delivery to a specialized company and receiving the resulting data. We can determine the target, items, and frequency, but we are not burdened with operational responsibilities. However, careful consideration is needed for vendor selection and contract structure (responsibility allocation, transferability).
How to choose: Five decision criteria
| Criteria | Purchase Advantageous | Build Advantageous | Outsource Advantageous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customization Level | Sufficient with standard data | Requires complete customization | Customization needed but do not want operational burden |
| Update Frequency | Occasionally or one-time | Ongoing (with internal capability) | Ongoing (without internal capability) |
| Internal Capability | Irrelevant | Continuous availability of development and operational resources | No development resources/ancillary tasks |
| Target Difficulty | Covered by vendors | Low complexity sites | Includes sites with strong blocking |
| Risk Management | Vendor responsibility | Fully self-responsible | Risk sharing through contract |
Reading this is simple. If you occasionally use standard data, purchase, if complete customization is needed and you can afford ongoing operational resources, build, and if customization is needed but you do not want to bear the operational burden, outsource. Especially for sites with strong blocking (large e-commerce platforms, SNS) or data requiring continuous updates, the operational costs of building increase significantly, tilting the balance towards outsourcing.
Common Trap: The illusion that "building it ourselves is cheaper"
The most common mistake is calculating the construction cost only as 'development cost'. Thanks to AI, crawler code itself can now be made cheaply, but it still requires considerable effort to develop a new crawler, and the real costs come after that — monthly server and proxy operating costs, repairs whenever the site changes, and development that repeats every time the target expands.
Therefore, when comparing the three methods, it is essential to consider not just the initial cost but the total cost of ownership (TCO) for one year. By comparing the annual subscription fee for purchase, labor, infrastructure, and maintenance costs for building, and service fees for outsourcing on the same one-year basis, the illusion can be dispelled. (The TCO calculation framework is separately summarized in the article 'Recommended Reading').
Mixing the three methods is also possible
In reality, it is common to mix methods rather than choosing just one. Standard market indicators are purchased, data specialized for our competitive landscape is outsourced, and a few simple sites are run internally in a lightweight manner. The key is to tailor the method to the nature of each data (customization level, update frequency, difficulty) rather than standardizing the entire organization with one method.
Hashscraper offers the 'outsourcing' method among these. If you specify the target, items, and frequency, it will supply the collection, refinement, and delivery through a pipeline, and crawler development, maintenance, and additional development are included in a monthly fee, allowing you to continuously secure customized data without operational burden.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. I am already purchasing market research data. How is crawling data different?
Purchased products provide verified data within the target, items, and frequency set by the vendor. Crawling (building, outsourcing) allows us to tailor the data to our desired targets and items and determine the update frequency. They are often complementary rather than substitutes.
Q. Isn't it difficult to internalize or change vendors after outsourcing?
Vendor lock-in is indeed a critical consideration. Before signing a contract, check the data ownership, standardization of output formats (such as Excel, API, transferable formats), and termination conditions. Receiving data in a standard format significantly reduces the burden of transition.
Q. Even if we outsource, does the legal responsibility for the data still remain with us?
Distinguishing between data collection execution and data utilization responsibilities is a fundamental principle in contracts. It is safer to ensure that the contract clearly defines the responsibility sharing for the intended use and reuse methods.
Recommended Reading
- Subscription vs. Pay-per-use for Crawling — You'll lose if you don't compare the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) for one year
- Why do large companies give up on crawling data themselves?
- Companies that crawl separately by department — Ending duplicate investments through enterprise data collection governance
- How to start web data extraction — Comparing 4 methods from manual copying to collection services
Start now
If you are unsure which of purchasing, building, or outsourcing is suitable, please let us know the nature of the data you want to secure (target, items, update frequency). We will assess the costs and risks of the three methods together.
