Developing an Effective Concept Testing Program for Consumer Durables

Recent empirical research studies of the new product development process indicate little marketing research is done in the early stages of the process to determine the degree of buyers' interest in the new product idea. Concept testing is a research technique designed to provide this sort of early, market‐based input. The literature and theory about concept testing is oriented towards packaged goods, but durable goods manufacturers can find concept testing especially useful. There, the substantial investment involved in the tooling to make prototypes can be saved if concept tests indicate future buyers have little interest in the product. Albert Page and Harold Rosenbaum describe the development and use of an effective concept testing procedure for durable goods by Sunbeam Appliance Company that is particularly appropriate for the presentation of product concepts that are more complicated than consumer packaged goods. The procedure has wide applicability to other types of durable products, so its use is illustrated in detail with the description of its application in a complete concept testing study.