Defect Detective

A global client wanted to investigate the consumer’s ability to identify defects on their haircare products and the impact these defects had on experience.

Business Challenge

Through an auditing program that we had ran in Asia for a global Hair care manufacturer, we found an early indication of a number of on-pack defects within the marketplace. The client wished to assess consumer identification of these defects and the resulting impact on consumer experience.

Project Challenge

Our client didn’t want to focus on this situation in isolation, instead they wanted to understand it in the context of the wider category and other possible defect scenarios. The challenge was in understanding consumer perception and acceptance levels to an agreed set of possible defects that might not exist in the physical marketplace.

How did we help? We used our Defect Detective tool to measure consumer identification and response to defects using interactive online stimulus. Using a set of 4 key defects across 2 levels of severity plus a control pack, we produced high quality 3D images which were then presented to consumers online.

In addition to measuring consumer identification, acceptability and impact on purchase we also explored category purchasing behaviour and previous experience across in-store and eCommerce and overall views on competitor packaging.

What was the impact on the business? By stepping outside of their own situation and taking a category led approach to defect detective, the business was able to understand how experience of packaging quality differs across channels, brands and whether sensitivity to quality issues varied by consumer type. The results helped direct efforts focusing on the in-store experience so as to maintain shoppers and improve experience and to mitigate brand switching as a result of experiencing some of the key defects.