15A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #2

Interview #1

1)      In my first interview I talked to my supervisor at the sleep away camp I worked at.  This woman is in her mid-30s and has three kids who also attend the summer camp.  I chose to interview my supervisor because we have lake and beach at the camp.  According to my supervisor, her kids dread going in the lake because they do not like the sand.  To minimize the amount of sand that sticks to the skin my supervisor said her kids do a few things.    They often use a towel to wipe the sand, water to wipe the sand, or anything that could be effective.  Usually when deciding between the options my supervisor said her kids use whatever is convenient rather than most effective.  In terms of wiping sand off, the price is not typically considered with items that are convenient.  When suggested the use of my product, my supervisor said that she would be interested in it and would rather purchase online.  With three kids and a busy schedule she said that its typically more convenient to purchase items online.  My supervisor said that in purchasing a product customer service and product reliability are two important things to consider in deciding whether to purchase a product.

Interview #2

2)      In my second interview I interviewed the father of my friend who annually attends Aruba with his family.  In this interview we discussed how him, his wife, and two kids go to Aruba each year to spend time relaxing on the beach.  According to the guy I interviewed, they typically use the convenient showers opposed to a towel to wipe off the sand after leaving the beach.  However, he said the water pressure is never enough to get the entirety of the sand off his body.  In this interview he said price would not be an issue in purchasing a product that would be effective in preventing sand from sticking.  Although he said that the towels and showers are convenient, they do not do a good enough job in getting the sand off his body.  He also said spending money on a product like this would save him from hearing his kids complain that they are itchy from sand.  He said he is more likely to buy a product in a store such as a convenience store rather than online because he is not tech savvy when it comes to ordering products online.  When using product, the father I interviewed said he wants to product to work and no be deceptive.  When using products, he said he typically likes to recommend products that work as described and hates when the products lie about the quality and benefits.

Interview #3

3)      In my third interview I talked to a mother and school teacher in south Florida.  Living in south Florida, this mother and her daughter tend to visit the beach on a frequent basis.  In this interview we discussed how her daughter loves rolling in the sand and does not care if she leaves covered in sand.  As they leave the beach, the mother said she tries very hard to evaluate her options and decide what the best way to get the sand off, so it does not get in the car.  Her alternatives are usually limited to a towel and the convenient showers.  In the end she said she typically uses a combination of both to get the most amount of sand she can get off.  This mother said she would buy a product to prevent sand from sticking both online and at a store depending on the price.  As a single parent, she likes to get the most for her money for the best product available.  Since price is very important she would want the product to act as described and would feel like it was a waste of money if they product did not work. 

Draw Conclusions

4)      All three people I interviewed have a reason for not liking sand and fit the segment I want to reach.  All three also expressed that their alternatives to get the sand off are limited to using a towel and the convenient showers located at the beach.  However, the introduction of y product would intrigue them and all three would consider purchasing it on the basis that it works effectively.  In 2/3 of my interviews, the people said they would be willing to purchase the product online but in one the person said they would rather purchase it product in store.  The price of this product mattered for some but in the end if the it was a clear consensus that if the product worked as described the price point did not matter as much if it was reasonable.  Additionally, as I mentioned, for this product to be successful over other alternatives it would need to work as described.