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In-Home Product Tests and Online MR Communities: A Perfect Fit

Our client, a nationwide sporting goods retailer, was looking to launch a made-to-order product line for sport hunters. Before advancing to full-scale production, the client needed to validate the product concept with users to gather insights and improve the offering. The primary challenge was to recruit customers willing to provide genuine feedback and to integrate this feedback into the production workflow efficiently.

What We Did:

Big Village utilized its Always On Hive to identify 10 consumers who fit the target market for the new product. Following recruitment, necessary measurements were collected from these customers to tailor the products accordingly. The client’s product and manufacturing teams then proceeded to create and ship these custom items for trial.

Post-trial, Big Village organized a series of online video interviews between the product team and the customers. This direct dialogue enabled the collection of candid feedback and reviews, offering invaluable insights into the product’s performance and customer satisfaction.

The Result:

The initiative to directly involve target customers in the product testing phase proved instrumental for the client. It not only facilitated immediate and actionable feedback but also marked a pioneering approach to customer engagement for the client. The insights gained from this process were critical in refining the product specifications and moving confidently into production. This approach significantly mitigated the risk of launching a new product line without concrete customer validation, thereby enhancing the prospects for its success in the market.

This case underscores the importance of integrating customer feedback into the product development process, especially for custom offerings. By adopting a customer-centric approach to validation, the client was able to make informed decisions, tailor their products more effectively, and set a new standard for engagement within their industry.