Consumer Research – Product Testing During COVID
When it comes to product testing, we offer a fully comprehensive service. We can retrieve your products (or your competitors products) from more than 120 countries around the world and deliver them directly to consumers for further testing.
See how this integrated approach to product testing has helped one of clients launch a reformulated product despite Covid-19 restrictions.
BUSINESS CHALLENGE
A global client was reformulating one of their popular food products, prior to launching they wanted to understand consumer acceptability of the new flavor. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, traditional testing methods such as hall testing were not an option.
Our client had developed 4 prototypes and wanted to benchmark each of these prototypes; against each other, the existing product and 3 competitor products.
KEY OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Our client was working towards a tight launch deadline and needed to decide which prototype to launch based on: consumer preference, prototype performance against existing product and competitor products.
HOW DID WE HELP?
Using our In-Home Testing service, we overcame the barrier of face to face research in a central location. Managing our own recruitment, we recruited 100 consumers of the product according to a demographic target, to take part in the research.
1. Product Retrieval & Prototypes
Using our own network of trained auditors, we retrieved more than 400 products from store shelves all over the UK, including the existing product and 3 competitor products. Our auditor network shipped these products to our central warehouse. Our client shipped their prototypes to us.
2. In Home Product Testing
Using our In-Home Testing service, we overcame the barrier of face to face research in a central location. Managing our own recruitment, we recruited 100 consumers of the product according to a demographic target, to take part in the research.
WHAT WAS THE IMPACT ON OUR CLIENTS’ BUSINESS
Our client was able to confidently validate which of their new formulations to take to launch, as a result of clear consumer preference. The level of feedback was richer than previous projects using hall testing as the consumers were completing the test from the comfort of their own home and during the natural consumption moments. The level of detail highlighted which attributes were similar to competitor products and which outperformed the original formulation.
With ongoing restrictions, In Home Product Testing is a safe and effective way to gather rich data from consumers. Contact martina@eolasinternational.com for more information on how we can help you test food & personal care products throughout Covid-19.