Case Study #5
Market Research
Need:
Set long-term product strategy by determining:
(1) If cannibalization occurs between similar product lines
(1b) The manufacturing impact of combining those product lines
(2) The key features involved in consumer purchase decisions
Solution:
Conduct End-customer & Dealer Market Research
Write qual/quant market research RFP
Solicit vendors, select partner, develop content, coordinate implementation and shepherd results
Present results and recommendations to management & global affiliates.
Result:
Interpreted Research for Product Strategy Guidance
- Identified product key characteristics
- Competing products target different market segments
- Any manufacturing cost savings from combining products, outweighed by potential of lost sales
- Features important to end-customers: Reliability, Purchase Price, Total Cost of Ownership
- Features important in choosing a dealership: Customer Service and Product Availability
- Results folded into global product manufacturing and market communication strategies
