One pillar of product research is testing the products on an audience before it is released to the public. Companies offer products for an in-home usage test, or IHUT, so that customers can try them out and provide feedback on their experiences. This method is cost-effective, and companies get an idea of how the product will be received once it hits the market. Take a look at the top six things to know about in-home usage testing.
1. You Can test Your Products in a Natural Environment
When you develop products and test them in your factory, you can get an idea of how they work. However, you can’t replicate what it will be like when consumers have the product in their homes. In-home product testing puts your products out in a natural environment, and you will get realistic feedback on what it’s like to use the product regularly. This information can help you determine whether or not the product is ready for market and where it may have flaws that you should address. The success of your product depends on how well it is received by consumers, and this gives you insight into where you stand.
2. You Can Access Your Target Audience
Every product has a target audience, and your product testers will be among yours. When you use IHUT, you can send your products out to likely consumers, who, in turn, will share the product with others who may be interested when it is released to the public. Your product testers will be highly engaged, and they can share with you how they believe that others will react. You can target consumers based on location, age, and other demographics to test your product in different markets.
3. IHUT Is Cost Effective
One reason that companies use in-home product testing is that it is cost-effective. Rather than mass producing a new product and hoping that people buy it based on research, you can find out exactly how people will receive your products when they are released. Before you produce the products for the market, you can make changes and improvements based on this feedback. In addition, your product testers may become loyal users of the new product, which helps to predict future sales.
4. You Get Fast Results
You will also get results from IHUT quickly. Once you send out your products, you can have a simple system where your recipients answer questions online, on the phone, or in some other way. With certain products, you can get results in under a week. This allows you to move quickly when you modify your product, and you will know right away if it isn’t well-received. Getting these results back quickly will help you improve your bottom line.
5. You Can Stay Ahead of Your Competitors
Staying relevant in this fast-paced world is more difficult today than ever before, as consumers have plenty of options, and they have expectations for new and improved offerings. When you send products out to home testers, you can show them that you care about meeting their expectations. This builds loyalty and trust in your brand and helps you stay ahead of your competition. If you can get your new products out faster, consumers will learn that they can rely on your brand.
6. You Get Real Data
Finally, when you use real consumers to test your products, you get real data that can drive your business. Rather than producing products based on what you think consumers want, you can test your ideas and improve them so that you know that they are exactly what consumers are looking for.