Multi-Market Hair Clipper

Multi-Market Clipper Design

Consumer Research

London ∙ Berlin ∙ Shanghai

Introduction

A new cordless clipper was being planned for international markets.

The purpose of this research was to identify which style, design, and feature preferences were region specific and which had multi-market appeal.

This would enable:

Design & feature consolidation across multiple markets
Regional adjustments through styling, imagery, & color

If successful, Wahl could realize:

Considerable savings in development costs
Shorter production timeframes
Higher ROIs
Improved market alignment

Findings and recommendations are withheld due to privacy, though I can provide insight on the process below.

Objectives

Gain insights of clipper consumers in three key markets: London, Berlin, & Shanghai
Gain insights of purchasing decisions among mentioned consumers
Identify attributes and design features preferred by consumers in these markets
Uncover red flags or current product or packaging issues that don’t appeal to users

Challenges

Time constraints
Logistics
Prototypes needed to be carried through airport security. Because the focus groups were back-to-back and reliant on one set of prototypes, it was essential that flights and backup flights were secured.

Outcome

These focus groups had proved to be very successful. One of the designs presented was clearly preferred across the board in all tested regions. Insights to color preferences were also helpful in the development of this clipper. Promising alignment was identified, and new insights were gained for future product and packaging development.

Summary

Wahl had a new cordless clipper for international markets in its product roadmap. To ensure a higher probability of success, it was essential to develop a compelling clipper that had a design and feature set that could greatly appeal to consumers.

For this project, I was endeavoring to find what users valued in several key markets. The ultimate goal was to identify cross-market opportunities through the design of a single new clipper. If successful, Wahl could realize considerable savings in development costs, achieve higher ROIs, and could offer a new, relevant product to consumers across the globe in a shorter timeframe.

Three markets were selected for testing: London, Berlin, & Shanghai. Along with preliminary secondary research review, a series of surveys had been developed and distributed prior to the selection of 3D mockups and prototypes that would be displayed at focus groups.

Methods:

Competitive Audit
Surveys
Focus Groups
Cultural Probes

I was responsible for the entirety of the project from proposal to data analysis. Along with developing the framework for the study, I conducted a competitive audit of other clippers in relevant markets.

In each location, two focus group sessions were held with 12 respondents in each group. Participants were given polling remotes for data recording purposes and to reduce groupthink during opinion questions.

A selection of market-relevant competitive products and packaging were displayed during the sessions. At times throughout the focus group, participants were asked to engage in a shopping experience with prices displayed and select their preferred item. They were also given the chance to handle the products and asked about their thoughts regarding the various attributes at hand.