12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior

Segment

The segment I have chosen is parents, in their late twenties to late thirties, who are of middle class financial income and have jobs that allow for vacation time and ability to pursue tasks of enjoyment.  I chose this segment because parents of children may want to have a sand repellant product for their kids or for themselves.  The age limits I chose are for people who are old enough to have kids and have the desire to go to the beach.  The work and income description I chose would be for people who have the time and money to attend the beach on a frequent basis.

Interview #1

In my first interview I spoke to my neighbor who is 33 and the mother of two girls aged seven and nine.  My neighbor is a school teacher and told me that her and her family go to the beach about six times during the school year and more frequently during the summer.  Living in south Florida, my neighbor and her family would typically drive to Hollywood beach for the day.  I asked what she enjoys and if any problem could be solved about these day trips to the beach.  She told me her only issue with going to the beach is the amount of sand that her two girls would carry back on their skin that would get in the car and be a pain to vacuum and clean.  My neighbor expressed that no matter how much she insisted on using a towel and or public showers to get the sand off it was always inevitable that sand would make its way into the car.  This need awareness is evident every time they would get ready to leave the beach.  Additionally, my neighbor has told me that her husband is not a fan of the beach because of the sand.   

Interview #2

In my second interview I spoke to a graduate student while I was waiting in line at Starbucks.  This gentleman is 28 and has a child on the way.  This person I talked to grew up in Tampa and would go to the beach on a frequent basis.  In our conversation the man I talked to said he has a motorcycle and would enjoy driving it to the beach.  However, after leaving the beach the sand on his skin would rub against his shirt and would be very irritating while driving the motorcycle.  He acknowledged that he could drive his car instead but would rather use his motorcycle, so he would not get sand in his car.        

Interview #3

In my third interview I spoke to my aunt who is 39 and has a son that is twelve years old.  My aunt explained to me that she does not enjoy going to the beach but typically goes because her son loves going.  My aunt lives in New Jersey and typically goes to the beach only in the summer due to the harsh winters of the north east.  My aunt works from home and has a flexible schedule which has allowed her to accommodate the desires of her son.  My aunt told me she does not like the beach because the sand is irritating and hard to wash away.  Her son loves the sand and could care less if he comes home covered in sand.  My aunt has expressed interest in finding a way to enjoy the beach while not being bothered by the sand.

Conclusion

After conducting all three interviews I can conclude that people who enjoy going to the beach like the overall experience but may also see a need for change in some aspect of the event.  For example, all three people I interviewed had a reason for going to the beach but also a reason why they were not always a fan of the sand.  The segment I chose fits the need of a product that would repel sand because people within the age range I chose have a high capacity to want to go to the beach.  For example, people with kids or adults who are young enough to want to enjoy the beach.  Also, the segment I chose works because people need to have the time and money to spend a day at the beach because it may entail driving and spending money.