I identified five dog owners at UF that are students to interview about this opportunity. I specifically identified college students because they typically do not have tons of money and would be skeptical about ordering a monthly dog subscription box. The stance I talked about in my solution explains that I believe that these boxes should be available to all dog owners, not just pup pamperers, so this is why I interviewed the people I did. Two of the students I interviewed were females and the other three were males, all undergraduates aging between 19 and 22.
Who
Yes. I have identified the who as all dog owners because I believe it makes sense and is affordable for nearly all dog owners, however, those that own dogs and are very poor would not be able to pay for this subscription and fall outside the boundary. There are also some cases where dogs may not enjoy toys or are very picky with treats and for them, they would not fall within the boundary.
What
Yes, their need is different. With those that are very poor, they primarily look to keep their dog healthy and fed whereas other dog owners with more money do that as well but also find it necessary that their dog has the best products for them and is always happy with toys and treats at their use.
Why
Yes. The outsider's need is caused by their financial circumstances and thus cannot allocate their money to buying products for their dogs whereas the people inside the boundary can.
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Inside the Boundary
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Outside the Boundary
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Who is in?
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The people in the boundary are dog owners that
can afford to and like treating and caring for their dogs
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Who is not?
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People who cannot financially afford this
service, people with picky dogs, complete pup pamperers (although would
probably include an upgrade option at checkout to upgrade to a pampers box)
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What is the need?
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To provide all dogs with the necessary items
they need to live a healthy and happy life. Also, to save dog owners’ time by
shipping these items directly to their door, this should be the alternative to
having to go to PetSmart and deciding which toys are best and what you
actually need
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What the need is not
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A traditional dog subscription service aimed
at people that are absolutely in love with their dogs and want to spoil them
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Why the need exists
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The need exists because everyone is getting
busier and has less time. Also, more Americans are getting dogs and are
looking to care for their pets so the pet service industry is exploding
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Alternative Explanations
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People are lazy, they just think its cool to
be surprised
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Ben,
ReplyDeleteI think it is a really good idea because all people want the best for their dogs. One thing you might want to consider is maybe finding a way for it to be cheaper while you are still able to make money off of it? Or maybe creating different boxes with different prices for people who can't afford the top box.
Ben,
ReplyDeleteBy testing you'r hypothesis, I believe that you proved that this economic opportunity exists, and you determined your preferred customers. I like how you bring economic boundaries by explaining the different needs each interviewer would have based on their income. The difference of income is what leads people to not be in the boundary of this need, yet I believe that besides because of economic issues, most dog owners would fit into the boundary.
Ben,
ReplyDeleteI think you did a fantastic job in convincing anyone who still had doubt that there is room for your opportunity in the market. I feel as though your interviews even opened me up to what the product actually would be. I orginally thought your idea for the product would be exactly what you labeled out in "What the opportunity is not". However, with this new knowledge I think it is a great niche group to aim at, and could be very profitable.
Hey Ben,
ReplyDeleteThis assignment really helped narrow your product in order to better materialize what it is meant to be. Now that you've done a small amount of market research it'll be easier to move forward and develop this idea into a successful business potentially. Marketing this product as a bare necessities box that delivers what you need and nothing that you don't is like the Dollar Shave Club where they manage to send quality products for very cheap.