PRODUCT STUDIES–Concept Testing

With concept testing new product ideas can be evaluated at a very early stage to get buyer input before costly production is incurred. Manufacturing a new product, especially prototypes, can be extremely expensive. Therefore, before a company incurs that expense the concept should be tested with buyers to understand the potential and to make design changes.

Marketing Questions

• Is our idea viable?
• What improvements should we make before we go into production?
• Which product has the greatest potential?
• What are the most important benefits of our product?

Savitz Success Story

A diet food concept was tested and that there was a high level of interest among the category users. By allowing those who had high interest in the product to take it home and use it, the food manufacturer discovered that its product needed reformulation. The company changed the formulation prior to launch to meet consumer expectations and increased sales among target consumers.