Figuring Out Buyer Behavior #1

Summary of What I Learned from 3 Interviews

I interviewed college students that fit the segment of brand new dog owners. This was a great segment for me to interview because lots of college students at UF are getting new puppies, and living on campus gave me the ability to interview these types of people. College students are great because as new dog owners, this is their first real big responsibility of having to raise something on their own, so they care a lot about their dog. In addition, college students don't have too much time to research everything their dog needs and take time to go to retail stores to try to figure it out. Additionally, college students are often price-sensitive and cannot spend too much money on their dogs.

All of the people I interviewed had the same unmet needs: The need to save time, the need to know they are providing their dogs with the right items to raise them properly, and the need to not spend too much money to keep their dog happy & healthy.

It appeared that the people I interviewed were aware of the need when they first considered getting a puppy but didn't realize the severity of the need until their first weeks and months of being a dog owner. When this group, specifically new dog owners in college, become aware of their need, they often seek help from friends, family, and the internet to solve the need. It seems like first, they consult their family because all the people I interviewed grew up in a family that had a dog. Some of the questions they ask are about the best foods to buy, which treats are ok for their dogs to eat, which products aren't safe, and what items they need to make sure their dog is living a good life.

Conclusion

I determined from my interviews that the segment of brand new dog owners, and more specifically those in college, are prime people who have a need for my service. The information search aspect of this segment made it interesting when thinking about how to best market to this segment. For this segment, having family and friends refer our service would be the best way to appeal to those in the segment so establishing credibility is key. To make sure this happens, it is crucial for us to only include the best items in the boxes and make sure every customer has a great experience with our service. In addition, internet marketing, especially on Facebook, seems like an optimal way for us to target new dog owners since Facebook is a place where people are reading content about those they are close with.