Applications of market research to test and launch domestic appliances

1. Idea Creation and Concept Development

The process of idea creation is the initial stage where market research plays a crucial role in identifying gaps, understanding consumer needs, and generating new concepts. Ethnography, ideation sessions and needs based analysis all play a crucial role in the early stages of new product development. Bryter's market research insights have been instrumental in helping domestic appliance manufacturers shape their product development strategies. For instance, through a process of ethnography and market mapping, Bryter identified a series of white spaces where smart technology innovation could meet underserved consumer needs. These insights served as a springboard for fresh innovation, and were followed by a series of ideation sessions where new product concepts were formulated built around unmet human needs.

2. Concept Testing and Refinement

Once initial concepts are generated, market research is employed to assess their viability and appeal. Bryter utilizes a range of qualitative and quantitative research methods to gather consumer feedback and evaluate product or service proposition concepts. For example, when a leading appliance manufacturer approached Bryter with a concept for a new design of washing machine that that enabled users to add items to a wash once it had started they conducted focus groups and usability tests to gauge consumer interest, usability, and willingness to pay. The insights gained from these studies enabled the client to refine the concept and make informed decisions regarding design, features, and pricing before taking the idea through to development and a successful launch.

3. Marketing and Communications Testing

Effectively communicating the value proposition of different appliancesis crucial for success. Market research helps refine marketing and communication strategies by providing insights into target audience preferences, messaging effectiveness, and channel selection. Bryter's work with one the world’s leading appliances manufacturer exemplifies this stage. Through online surveys and focus groups, they assessed consumer perceptions of a range of different campaigns, identified key influencers, and tested different marketing messages designed to appeal to a range of audiences. This research allowed the client to tailor their marketing efforts, resulting in increased brand awareness, improved customer engagement and higher sales of their new products.

4. Post-Launch Usage Assessment and U&A Studies

After a product is launched, market research continues to provide valuable insights through usage and attitude (U&A) studies. Bryter's post-launch assessment studies enable appliance manufacturers to understand product satisfaction, usage patterns, and identify areas for improvement. For instance, when an appliance manufacturer released a new model of vacuum cleaner, Bryter conducted a comprehensive U&A study to measure customer satisfaction, identify features driving usage, and gather feedback for future iterations. This feedback loop ensures continuous product enhancement and customer satisfaction.

5. Tracking of Market Trends, Awareness, Consideration, and Ownership

To remain competitive in the ever-evolving domestic appliance industry, companies must monitor market trends, track brand awareness, consideration, and ownership. Bryter employs a combination of syndicated research, tracking studies, and voice of the customer research to track key metrics and provide actionable insights. By analyzing market trends, they have helped their clients anticipate shifts in consumer preferences and adapt their marketing and communications strategies accordingly. Additionally, by monitoring brand awareness and ownership, they have supported companies in identifying market opportunities, improving customer loyalty, helping them gain a competitive edge.

The market researcher has many approaches they can choose from when deciding the best approach to carrying out a study related to domestic appliances. Often projects will require a combination of approaches, typically combining qualitative and quantitative techniques to explore a potential area of interest and then validate the findings via a more robust data set. 

Outlined below are some of the most useful approaches that are routinely utilized to carry out primary research with consumers.

Focus Groups

Focus groups are a widely used qualitative research technique that involves gathering a small group of individuals to discuss specific topics. In domestic appliance research, focus groups offer valuable insights into consumer perceptions, opinions, and preferences. By facilitating group discussions, researchers can explore participants' experiences, attitudes, and usage patterns related to domestic appliances. These discussions provide valuable feedback on product features, design, usability, and branding, enabling companies to refine their strategies and better meet customer expectations. They are also widely used to explore consumer perceptions of new product concepts, or materials that are designed for marketing and communications campaigns. Groups are held face to face in specialist facilities or online either on standard video conferencing platforms like Teams and Zoom, or on specialist qualitative research platforms like Visions Live.

Ethnography and Observation

Ethnographic research and observation involve studying consumers in their natural settings to gain an in-depth understanding of their behaviors, motivations, and needs. In domestic appliance research, ethnography allows researchers to observe how individuals interact with appliances s in their everyday lives, and understand their habits and routines. This approach provides rich data on usage patterns, contextual factors, and emerging trends. By immersing themselves in the consumers' environment, researchers can identify unmet needs, pain points, and opportunities for innovation, enabling companies to develop consumer-centric products and experiences.

Semiotics

Semiotics is the study of signs, symbols, and meanings. In domestic appliance research, semiotics helps researchers analyze how consumers interpret and attribute meaning to product features, packaging, branding and communications. By examining the cultural, social, and psychological dimensions of appliances, semiotic analysis uncovers underlying motivations, emotions, and aspirations. This understanding aids companies in developing effective communication strategies, aligning their products with consumers' desires, and creating compelling brand narratives. It can help to guide companies so that they can position appliances as being appropriate for specific audiences or around specific use cases, for example showing a particular design of coffee machine as being targeted at bust professionals that are time poor but don';t want to compromise on quality. Semiotics helps to provide the deeper insights into the most appropriate way of showing products or communicating with the target audience.

Quantitative Surveys

Quantitative surveys involve collecting data from a large sample size to derive statistical insights. In domestic appliance research, surveys enable researchers to quantify consumer preferences, behavior, and satisfaction levels. This approach is often used as part of a two stage program of research to validate insights gathered in an initial quantitative stage. Through carefully crafted questionnaires, companies can gather information on purchase intent, product usage, brand awareness, using key splits in demographic profile and attitudinal differences to segment results by. Statistical analysis of survey data allows for identifying trends, segmenting the market, and making data-driven decisions. Surveys also facilitate tracking changes in consumer preferences over time, helping companies adapt to evolving market dynamics. 

In the fast-paced world of domestic appliances, market research and insights are indispensable tools for success. From idea creation to post-launch assessment and market trend tracking, Bryter, as a consultative market research agency, has demonstrated the significant role of insights in shaping the domestic appliances industry. You can read about examples of our work in the case studies section of the Bryter website and access downloadable reports and thought leadership insights on various consumer electronics and domestic appliance categories on the Bryter blog.