I went back the same gun shop that I went to before and
interviewed a different 3 people in my category of people over the age of 65.
Alternative Evaluation: They all did not care about
style since the lock isn’t something they would be showing off. They all cared
about quality since the lock is something that needs to be able to hold up
against people that are pulling and yanking on it. Price does matter but isn’t
the main factor. All three people had various answers on how much they would
spend. The first gentlemen said that he wouldn’t pay more than $100. The other
one couldn’t think of a price tag that he would be willing to pay until he saw
the lock. The last guy said he would be willing to spend up to half of the cost
of his gun on the lock. They all said that they would pick quality over
everything else.
How/Where do they buy: Two of the three-gentleman
said they would be more likely to buy in the store. They like to look at stuff
in person before they buy it. The third
guy likes the convenience of buying online so he would be more likely to do
that. They would use cash because this really isn’t a big enough purchase to
warrant financing.
Post Purchase Evaluation: I asked this question to
everyone: When would you know if this purchase was a good idea? All of them
said that they wouldn’t know unless their car was broken into and if the gun
was stolen. It is one of those things where it won’t be needed unless something
bad happens. It is like insurance. You aren’t glad you have it until you have a
big medical bill. 1 of the guys said he would know if the purchase was a good
idea if he had more peace of mind thinking that his gun wouldn’t get stolen. They
also said that it would not be a good purchase if they needed to access it and
if it was too slow. They also said they wouldn’t be happy if their gun got
stolen.
Draw conclusions: From the three gentlemen over the
age of 65 that I talked to, I think that this segment is relatively similar
based on alternative evaluation, purchase decision, and post purchase decision.
Alternative Evaluation: They all said that quality
was the most important. They did not care at all about how pretty it was. They
would buy the lock that is the strongest. Quality over everything is a great
way to sum that up.
Purchase Decision: Two of the three guys were most
likely to buy it in store because they like to get a feel of something before
they buy it. The last guy said he was more likely to buy it online because of
the convenience. I think a 2/3 ratio of buying it instore vs online is a pretty
accurate ratio for this segment.
Post-Purchase evaluation: Does the lock keep the gun
from getting stolen if their car is broken into? That is essentially the only
way they will know if it was a good purchase decision.
Your interviews gave you very clear and accurate answers to each category. The fact that now you know it’s a convenience product and does not have to be esthetically pleasing is a big plus. In addition, you know that this segment is not as technologically advanced as others and would most likely go to the store to buy the product rather than buy it online.
ReplyDeleteRiley, I think your interviews revealed some very important and interesting information about your potential customers. Since the segment consists of older individuals, they seem to value quality and functionality over everything else. They obviously want the product to last and do what it is advertised to do. I think that if you're really able to emphasize its quality and how dependable it is you will be able to connect more with the customer's expectations.
ReplyDeleteI think your interviews and evaluations were very well written. You had a clear customer base of people over the age of 65. I agree with the majority of your interviewees because quality is very important when buying a lock, especially if it's protecting something like a gun. It's like how we choose bike locks. The plastic and cheap bike locks can easily be cut and stole, so the higher price and quality of the lock would be more worth than a cheap and flimsy lock.
ReplyDeleteI think you have really been able to drill down on your ideal segment. Since your segment wants to see this item in store how would you bring in your initial clientele? Would you open your own store or try to get your product in an exiting gun/sporting goods store? Perhaps even a pop-up event?
ReplyDelete