Product Testing 101: How to Improve Your Chances of eCommerce Success
Experts estimate that more than 30,000 consumer products enter the market every year, but more than 90% never succeed.
Some of them may not make it because of poor marketing, while others never take off due to administrative issues. But for most, the products fail because they are simply not what the public wanted.
This is where product testing comes in. Below, we’ll discuss the concept of product testing, why all companies should trial their goods before product launch, and how to check the performance of your items before they hit the market. These tips will apply to you whether you’re a major eCommerce business or a Kickstarter fueled start-up just entering the marketplace.
What Exactly is Product Testing?
Product testing is the process of measuring the performance of a product. You’ll assess consumers perception of value, quality, and benefit (whether tangible or conceptual). Here’s the bottom line:
Product testing will help you to make business decisions based on facts, not assumptions.
Your goal is to give the people what they want. Product testing helps you do this by offering actual data on how your product is perceived by the public.
Did you think everyone in the world needed a koozie shaped like a beluga whale? Well, the public might not agree.
Product testing benefits:
- Learn if there is a market demand
- Measure the durability, sturdiness, and quality of your goods
- Give your sales team more insight into how to build a winning marketing strategy
- Are you charging too much? Too little? Find out.
- Receive a head-to-head comparison with your competitors. Do people think you’re better or worse or the same as your competitors? Are you standing out?
Getting your hands on this type of data will help you be far more successful and allow you to make eCommerce decisions based on facts, not assumptions. The process may vary depending on what you sell — for example, a SaaS company will have to have a different approach than a toy manufacturer.
Regardless of what eCommerce industry you fall into, however, pretty much every brand will benefit from testing their products before launching them.
When Is Product Testing Helpful?
Many entrepreneurs see testing as part of the final stages of product development. But, piloting your goods throughout multiple phases of the design, manufacturing, and distribution will likely be your best bet.
Research and Development: This is the most important stage to actively pursue feedback on your product ideas. Hire a market research firm to provide full-scale product testing services, or test it out yourself. Create a prototype and test it out on friends, neighbors, and family members.
Product Development: Product designs are done and on the way to manufacturing? Great! Now that you’ve got more completed prototypes, test those out on a broader range of potential customers. This will be a great way to identify tiny flaws and areas of improvement, plus you can test the waters to see how much your audience is willing to pay for your product. Adjust as you hit the ground running.
Post-Launch Analysis: Just because your product is on the market doesn’t mean product testing needs to be over. Far from! Continue to gather feedback from your customers and use this to make improvements in future models. It may even inspire you to create an enhanced version of your original item.
What You Need to Avoid
Just like a scientific experiment, there are certain elements of product testing that may lead to false conclusions. These include, but are not limited to:
- Product bias
- Too few test samples
- Measurement errors
- Trials that don’t test the full extent of the product
Think You’re Too Small For Product Testing? Here are 5 Easy Ways to Make it Happen
Even though some people still associate the term “product testing” with big corporations, the process is accessible to operations of all sizes. Here are five great ways to test your products without spending a fortune.
Allow Pre-Orders for the First Production Run
Complex products are usually expensive to prototype, so allowing pre-order to fund your first round of testing is ideal. Encourage customers to provide feedback in order to produce better models, and don’t forget to reward those who pre-ordered with complimentary or discounted products.
Setting Up a Product Testing Program
If your product is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, you may choose to pay for the first round of tests out of pocket. Set up a testing program and send free samples to potential customers in order to collect feedback and analyze its performance. (This is a good option for businesses who already have an established customer base.)
Amazon and eBay
Amazon and eBay both provide you with a massive pool of prospective customers. Sell your new product here to test out consumer response before you commit to mass production.
Hiring a Private Firm
You can now find market research firms that specialize in product testing. Some of the firms you can choose to work with include:
Keep Up to Date with Techniques to Help Improve Your Products
Want to learn more about ways to improve your products and increase your eCommerce success? Follow our blog or get in touch with our team. We’d love to talk!
Love,
Mammoth Factory
