If you are planning on launching a new product but want to make sure you have done enough market research first, consider implementing in-home usage testing, otherwise known as IHUT. This type of research is effective and can provide you with a realistic analysis of your product. Whether you are testing out skincare products, kitchen appliances, or just about anything else, in-home usage testing is the best way to see how customers will interact with the product. Below you can learn more about the many benefits that come with using this type of market research.
1. Hands on Experience
One of the best things about implementing IHUT is that it gives customers a hands-on experience with the product. This means that they can give you an honest opinion about everything, such as smell and taste and whether or not the product was easy to use. They can even provide you with insight about the packaging used on the product. After being provided this information, you can go back and tweak anything that needs to be worked on to ensure that your product is perfect before it eventually hits the shelves.
2. Real-Time Feedback
Another major benefit to in-home usage testing is the fact that it allows you to get feedback in real time. You can use surveys on a regular basis to see what the tester thinks of the product or monitor use in person while the person is home. Not only that, but it gives users more time with the product so they are able to give you more accurate feedback. If a product needs to be used several days before you see results for instance, there’s no way testers in a focus group would be able to provide you with valuable feedback.
3. Variety of Options
When it comes to getting feedback from your testers, you have a few options. You can choose to mail out surveys, do in-person interviews, have virtual meetings, make phone calls, or you can even send emails. You also get to choose how much time you leave between the product testing and the actual interview process. Having a large variety of options means it makes the testing that much more flexible for the users. Therefore, you are more likely to have willing volunteers test out your products as well.
4. Track Progress
Using in-home usage testing from companies like Highlight isn’t just a great way to get feedback right away, but also to track the progress of the product. For example, you can compare your product six months or even a year down the line to the prototype you initially sent out to the testers. This allows you to perfect the product and take what you’ve learned and apply it to other, future products you may be considering launching. At the end of the day, you want your product to be the best of the best, and seeing the progress over time is a great way to know you’re on the right track.
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
