Concept developing and testing is a phase in new product
development. Defined as “A test to evaluate new [sports] product [&
service] idea, usually before any prototype has been created. (Lamb, Hair & McDaniel, 2009) It aims to achieve to identify
how the target market would react to the product. Therefore the product needs to
be presented in an enthusiastic way to motivate the target audience to give
feedback. (Hart, 1996) Researches get the feedback from target audience
through reactions when they describe the new product/service. In the past
concept testing has been identified to work successful if the new product/service
cannot be classified as already existing. However, concept tests are usually
inaccurate in predicting the success of a new product/service. (Lamb,
Hair & McDaniel, 2009)
Concept Development and
Testing involves two stages development and testing. Development concerns with
the sports brands concept and sports category concept. Testing is trying to
identify the level of need, purchase intention, target audience, gap level and communicability
& believability. This stage in new product development is very
important because the first connection between customer and product is created
and it identifies who the actual target market is.
NikeFuel is a new product that measures all types of
activity and is designed to measure whole body movement no matter to the age,
size and gender. (Gibbs, 2013) NikeFuel is
a product, which had to go through concept developing and testing
to become a successful product. Therefore Nike would need to identify who their
potential target market would be, probably their customers who are aware of
their health. But also a new audience, who seek to measure all their activity.
Furthermore the potential competitors need to be identified which could be
Apple or Adidas. NikeFuel
achieves to target athletes but also the non-sport market who aim to live a
healthy life.
Polf is a new sport where golf and pool is combined to
create a new and exiting variety of pool. This new sport will be played inside
a venue. Therefore, the price will be increase due to rent. Equipment which
will be necessary to purchase will be another cost factor; 18 pool tables where
one is around 200-500£, then a cue and the necessary balls.
The potential target
markets are pool players who enjoy playing golf and want to combine their
hobbies. It is also targets pool players who are seeking to find a new
challenge on the pool table. Furthermore, we are targeting golf players who
might not have the time or resources to play Golf. This could be a substitute
good for them. Therefore our potential competitors will be Golf, Mini-Golf and
Pool.
We presented our idea to a few people in each target market
to gain feedback. The results of the feedback can be seen in appendix A. This
feedback can be taken into account to gain a competitive advantage.
Once
interest for this sport is created it is important to keep our target market
updated concerning the development and progress made.
Appendix A.
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Question
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Strong agree
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Agree
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Disagree
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Strong disagree
|
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Is the idea easy to understand?
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✓
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✓✓
|
|
|
|
Would you participate in this sport?
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✓✓
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✓
|
|
|
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Would you say this sport product meets a real need?
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✓
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✓✓
|
|
|
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Would you say this sport is believable?
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✓
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✓✓
|
|
|
Key:
Person One
Person Two
Person Three
References
Gibbs, S.
(2013). Nike+ FuelBand SE review - the active person’s fitness tracker.
[online] the Guardian. Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2013/nov/12/nike-fuelband-se-review-fitness-tracker
[Accessed 26 Nov. 2014].
Hart, S. (1996). New product development.
London: Dryden Press.
Learnmarketing.net,
(2014). New Product Development (NPD). [online] Available at:
http://www.learnmarketing.net/npd.htm [Accessed 26 Nov. 2014].
McDaniel,
C., Lamb, C. and Hair, J. (2011). Introduction to marketing. Mason,
Ohio: South-Western.
Secure-nikeplus.nike.com, (2014). Join
me on Nike+. [online] Available at: https://secure-nikeplus.nike.com/plus/what_is_fuel/
[Accessed 26 Nov. 2014].
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