Product Customer Analysis

Introduction and background information

The calorie management device is designed to measure the calorie intake of an individual, as well as the amount of it they are able to burn. It does this by recording what one eats, how much of calories is contained in the diet and the amount of it that one burns during their daily activities such as work out programs using sensors that are fitted to it. Its features include a MP3 player to entertain the users and a mini massager, which “is a unique feature of this device aimed at massaging some part of the body after working out” (Pindyck 470). Further, the device can be connected to a computer to show progress on loosing weight using an extra program.

Considering this is a new product for a new company, conducting a product customer analysis on issues that are relevant to its marketing is necessary. In order to set up goals and objectives as well as know who to target considering it is mostly meant for those who intend to loose weight as well as those who want to stay healthy, the analysis will have to be conducted before the new product can be introduced in the market. This paper aims at conducting the product customer analysis on the Personal Calorie Management Device. Some of the key areas to look at include the level of category involvement in making the decision, consumer product category knowledge, consumer information search strategy, decision-making process, attitudes and social influence on product choice and selection, which are detailed below.

Customer Level of Category Involvement in Decision-Making Process

Achieving a healthy weight has become an increasing issue in the society with awareness of risks posed by being overweight. Thus, one can expect that selection of a device to use in achieving the ideal weight will require high involvement since it is a device to use everyday. Normally, for higher involvement product categories, consumers are inclined to put more efforts in making the decision to be sure they made the best selection they could as well as one that suits them. Thus, consumers will put as much effort as they can to acquire more knowledge on the particular product in order to make informed decisions.

Considering the product category of the calorie management device, consumers may not understand the technical part of its features. However, the function of the device is well understandable. This might lead them to making decisions based on the recommendations from trusted people such as nutritionists, and institutions in making the decision on which device to purchase. On the other hand, for consumers that have used such a device before, may rely on their own knowledge about such devices. Thus, such consumes will be in a position to make a decision faster since they understand the device better than those that have never used such a device. Consumers could also choose whether to purchase the device or take up other programs considering that nutritionists could offer programs designed to achieve the same goals as the device. However, before making any decision, consumers will have to make a huge effort in finding out what suits them better. Thus, considering the effort they make in the decision-making, there are opportunities of influencing consumers during this process such as using advantages realized by using this product.

Consumer Product Category Knowledge

Personal Calorie Management Devices have been in existence for a short period. The devices have come because of technology advancement, thus not many people will have enough knowledge on such devices to make their own decisions without assistance. Although there are quite a good number of people using such a device from other producers, many of the potential consumers have known that loosing weight involves having a program with nutritionists, or a doctor as well as a fitness instructor who provide workout programs for people. Most of the people may not have adequate knowledge on the technical functioning of the device, considering the programs from nutritionists and doctors require no such devices. However, considering the current emphasis on healthy weight, there is a possibility that quite a good number of people have an idea of what they are about however exceptions do exist “due to rapid emergence of calorie management devices, many customers may have very little knowledge of them technically” (Blignaut 344). What many people know is that there are such devices, except that many have not used them. However, considering technology is an interesting phenomenon, many people may be interested in finding out more about the device. More so, since the device is equipped with a mini massager that is unique to this device, many people may not be aware of a calorie device fitted with a massager.

Considering the uses of the device, many consumers will be able to understand its functioning from reading the manuals. In addition, the added features such as MP3 player are common to many people. Therefore, many customers might have a good knowledge on the Personal Calorie Management Devices (Donald 49). The customers can be in position to understand the non-technical terms of the device, helping some make their own decision from reading reviews. Considering the device is meant for guiding people on their calorie management, the technical part of the device may not be necessary to users. Therefore, information provided should lay more emphasis on how to get the best out of the device, which consumers can understand rather than detailed technical terms, (Peter 344). However, to allow all kinds of customers, technical information should also be availed for those interested (Thompson 542).

Consumer Information Search Strategy

Many people in the whole world have become increasingly aware of the dangers of not having a healthy weight. Thus, there is already problem recognition. Many people know whether they are overweight or not since they can calculate their BMI. Thus, when people witness dangers of overweight on others such an obese people, they are likely to seek help to maintain a healthy weight. On the other hand, those who are already using such devices or are into some kind of program meant to achieve a healthy weigh might seek other more efficient means of achieving their ideal weight. Thus may consumers will seek information if they have already recognized a problem or a need for loosing weight (Schiffman, 45).

Theoretically, consumer information search starts with the recognition of the problem they need to solve. In this case, as explained above, consumers will have to realize their problem in order to seek information. After realizing the problem, customers go ahead to search for information on the alternative solutions to the problem (Furht, 56). Alternatives are then evaluated to weigh them in terms of which would best suite the problem in question, after which a decision is made whether to purchase or not. Finally, the consumers make a post purchase activity such as returning the product if it does not fit their purpose, or improve it as well as recommend to others (Babbie 304). Due to such post purchase activities, when a consumer is pleased with the results, the will recommend it to others. Consumers are likely to believe those that have already tried the device and succeeded. However, in our case, considering the product is new to the market, there might be no advantage of post purchasing activities to help consumers in getting more information (Loudon 203). However, considering there are several people who might have used a calories management device before, more might be aware of them.

After gaining information from other people such as family members who have used such devices, some might still want more answers before they decide to make any decision. Such information could be sourced from external sources (Peter 344). For a calorie management device, the consumer could get information from several sources such as nutritionists that people will trust concerning diet. Many might just go by the recommendation of their nutritionists. However, nutritionists may not provide the best free information considering they are competitors to this devices in one way or another (Porter 120). Thus, interacting with those who influence consumers in making decisions to illustrate that the device work better than the others might have quite positive results (Kotler 60). Another external source that is sought by majority is the internet that provides answers to almost all questions. Through the internet, consumers can get a lot of information concerning calorie management device. Thus, there should be substantial information about the new product on the internet as well.

For this product, consumers may get a lot of information from the internet more than they could get from other people since nutritionists too may not have all the answers concerning the device (Good-Pasture 231). In addition, not all people might come a cross a family member of a friend who has already used the device before. Thus, customer strategy for knowledge could be more inclined to the internet. Therefore, extensive information should be provided in the internet (Thompson 542).

Attitude

Attitude of the customers is yet another factor in customer buyer behavior that affects their buying decisions. Attitude incorporates Attitudes in this case, incorporate the firm beliefs that a customer holds to, and affect, lastly the behavioral intentions (Kioumarsi 231). The attitudes incorporate the plan to either let go the product and all other products in that category, it can involve buying Personal Calorie Management Device with Music Player and Mini Massager together with or just without a complementary product. It can also mean buying a product that is a competitor to what we are offering the market or going on with further market research (Czinkota 274). Considering this is a high involvement product, it requires more efforts to influence the consumers.

Decision-Making

After a thorough search for information, a decision remains to be made, over whether to purchase of not to purchase the product. It could also mean changing brand to another. At the long last, a decision is made. In this case, consumers might make their decision to favor our device because of the added feature of a mini massager that is not found in other brands. When devices come with added features, consumers are attracted, which might lead them to finding out more about the product to reach the stage of making the decision. Many consumers might also make their decisions based on the recommendations of others (Evans 200). Considering that there have been resent detrimental experiences with some calorie management devices, some of the users could switch from their previous brand to the newer one. At this point consumers will use several means of making the decision (Kioumarsi, 231). One way of influencing the consumers at this stage is citing all the benefits of the product. Some decision criteria that consumes use may include the amount of benefits, effectiveness of the device inters of achieving an ideal weight. Another criterion that consumers might use is recommendations from trusted people. However, this cannot be from people who have already used the product considering it is not yet in the market. Another criterion is its ease of use. When a product is complicated in terms of using, many consumers may opt for another one.

Social influence of product choice

People are influenced by social issues when it comes to product choice. Social influence for consumers could come from family members, social roles and status. In addition, wit the advancement of internet, people are involved in social media that has great influence on consumer product choice. Considering many people are seeking to maintain a healthy weight, there is a probability that some people will talk about a calorie management device. This could influence people to get the device. Therefore, the device should target the influential people that other follow, as well as people with huge population in their blogs to provide more influence to consumers. Another social influence in this product category is emphasis on sliminess as the fashionable figure especially for women.

Typical characteristics of the shopping occasion

Shopping occasion refers to when customers are likely to buy a product in plenty, or the occasion that makes consumers buy a certain product. For instance, the shopping occasion for beachwear is during summer time when people visit the beach. It would be hard to sell summer wear during winter. For this product, the shopping occasion could be during anytime it checks the calories in the body as well as those that are burnt. Therefore, the calorie management device can be purchased I any occasion

Family Members Influences and Roles

Family remains the basic social unit, and the most influential force when it ocmes to buying decisions. Family members, the father, mother as well as children have a big influence on product choice. They influence product choice depending of cultural issues, social class and status. For affluent and rich families, there might be pressure to be concerned more about maintaining their healthy weight I all ways possible. Thus, they we likely be more interested in the product. One the other hand, culture, does have influence since some cultures do not value sliminess as fashion. In addition, the knowledge within the family matters. The person with most influence in the family will most likely influence others to buy the product.

Means end association with the product

A mean-end association aims to establish a structure that can connect the values of consumers to their behaviors. The means are the objects or activities that consumers engage in such as working out and jogging in the morning aimed at achieving ends. Ends are the achievements that are gotten from the means, such as being happy. In this case, the personal calories management device acts as the means while the desired end is the healthy weight. Thus, it should be emphasized how the device can help the consumers achieve their ends if the use it as the means (Mort and Rose 230).

Situational influences relevant to the product category, target market, and distribution channel.

Every product has situations that are relevant to its category and target market. the target market for this product is the people who want to loose some weight to stay healthy especially the obese and overweight people. Thus, the situation fitting this category is being overweight, obese, or still within healthy weight but willing to loose some weight. Thus, the product should be well targeted to people needing to use them.

Conclusion

The paper has comprehensively analyzed the products in terms of consumer behavior that are most likely to affect its marketing once introduced in the market. Considering the relatively complexity of the product and its involvement level, consumers are likely to go through a lot of information search before making any decision. Thus, in order to capture them, extensive information has to be provided to the consumers. More so, considering the strategy of searching information, the information should be placed in the internet, which they are likely to consult to have many alternatives. Thus, information should be made readily available in the internet as well as to trusted institutions and influential people.

Work Cited

Blignaut, Koch. The Influence of Length Relationships. Manage. Sci.,7.6 (2004):134-144.

Babbie, Monton. The Practice of Social Research. Cape Town: OxfordUniversity

Press. 2002. Print

Czinkota. International Business. 6^th edition. California: Harcourt College Publishers, 2002.

Donald, O’Toole. Modern Marketing Methods. England: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print

Evans, Anderson. Applied Production and Operations Management. New York: West Pub Co.,

2000, Print.

Furht, Book. Hand book of social network technologies and applications. New York: Springer,

Fred , Raaij. Consumer Behaviour. A European Perspective. Hoboken, New Jersey: John

Willey and Sons Pub, 1998.Print.

Good-Pasture, JC. Quantitative Methods in Project Management. New

York: J Ross Publishing, 2004. Print

Kioumarsi, Khorshidi. Customer Satisfaction: The Case of Fresh Meat Eating Quality Preferences and the USDA Yield Grade Standard. Int’l Journal of Arts & Sciences (IJAS) Conference. 2009. Web. 30 April. 2012. < http://www.internationaljournal.org/austriaconf.html >.

Pindyck,Rubinfeld. Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts. Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill

International, 1999, 467 – 488. Print

Porter, Mark. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1999.

Kotler, Peter. Marketing Management. 6^th Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.

Loudon, Bitta. Consumer Behavior. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 2000. Print.

McDonald, Mark. “Marketing Plans”. How to Prepare Them: How to Use Them. 3rd Edition.

Butterworth and Heinemann, 1995. Print

Mort, G. S. & Rose, T. (2006). The effect of product type on value linkages in the means-end chain: implications for theory and method. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 3 (3): 221-234.

Peter, Olson. Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher

Education, 2005. Print

Schiffman, Lee. Consumer Behavior. India: Prentice Hall, 2004. Print.

Thompson, Andrew. Crafting and Executing Strategy. Text and Readings. 25^th edition.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print

Wilson, RMS and Gilligan C. Strategic Marketing Management. Planning,

Implementation and Control. 2^nd Edition. Oxford: Butter-worth and Heinemann, 1997. Print.

Product Customer Analysis

Introduction and background information

The calorie management device is designed to measure the calorie intake of an individual, as well as the amount of it they are able to burn. It does this by recording what one eats, how much of calories is contained in the diet and the amount of it that one burns during their daily activities such as work out programs using sensors that are fitted to it. Its features include a MP3 player to entertain the users and a mini massager, which is a unique feature of this device aimed at massaging some part of the body after working out (Pindyck 470). Further, the device can be connected to a computer to show progress on loosing weight using an extra program.

Customer Level of Category Involvement in Decision-Making Process

Consumer Product Category Knowledge

Personal Calorie Management Devices have been in existence for a short period. The devices have come because of technology advancement, thus not many people will have enough knowledge on such devices to make their own decisions without assistance. Although there are quite a good number of people using such a device from other producers, many of the potential consumers have known that loosing weight involves having a program with nutritionists, or a doctor as well as a fitness instructor who provide workout programs for people. Most of the people may not have adequate knowledge on the technical functioning of the device, considering the programs from nutritionists and doctors require no such devices. However, considering the current emphasis on healthy weight, there is a possibility that quite a good number of people have an idea of what they are about. However, due to rapid emergence of calorie management devices, many customers may have very little knowledge of them technically (Blignaut 344). What many people know is that there are such devices, except that many have not used them. However, considering technology is an interesting phenomenon, many people may be interested in finding out more about the device. More so, since the device is equipped with a mini massager that is unique to this device, many people may not be aware of a calorie device fitted with a massager.

Consumer Information Search Strategy

Decision-Making

After a thorough search for information, a decision remains to be made, over whether to purchase of not to purchase the product. It could also mean changing brand to another. At the long last, a decision is made. In this case, consumers might make their decision to favor our device because of the added feature of a mini massager that is not found in other brands. When devices come with added features, consumers are attracted, which might lead them to finding out more about the product to reach the stage of making the decision. Many consumers might also make their decisions based on the recommendations of others (Evans 200). Considering that there have been resent detrimental experiences with some calorie management devices, some of the users could switch from their previous brand to the newer one. At this point consumers will use several means of making the decision (Kioumarsi 231). One way of influencing the consumers at this stage is citing all the benefits of the product. Some decision criteria that consumes use may include the amount of benefits, effectiveness of the device inters of achieving an ideal weight. Another criterion that consumers might use is recommendations from trusted people. However, this cannot be from people who have already used the product considering it is not yet in the market. Another criterion is its ease of use. When a product is complicated in terms of using, many consumers may opt for another one.

Attitude

Social influence of product choice

Typical characteristics of the shopping occasion

Family Members Influences and Roles

Means end association with the product

Situational influences relevant to the product category, target market, and distribution channel.

Conclusion

Work Cited

Blignaut, Koch. The Influence of Length Relationships. Manage. Sci.,7.6 (2004):134-144.

Babbie, Monton. The Practice of Social Research. Cape Town: OxfordUniversity

Press. 2002. Print

Czinkota. International Business. 6^th edition. California: Harcourt College Publishers, 2002.

Donald, O’Toole. Modern Marketing Methods. England: Prentice Hall, 2002. Print

Evans, Anderson. Applied Production and Operations Management. New York: West Pub Co.,

2000, Print.

Furht, Book. Hand book of social network technologies and applications. New York: Springer,

Fred , Raaij. Consumer Behaviour. A European Perspective. Hoboken, New Jersey: John

Willey and Sons Pub, 1998.Print.

Good-Pasture, JC. Quantitative Methods in Project Management. New

York: J Ross Publishing, 2004. Print

Pindyck,Rubinfeld. Econometric Models and Economic Forecasts. Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill

International, 1999, 467 – 488. Print

Porter, Mark. The Competitive Advantage of Nations. London: The Macmillan Press Ltd, 1999.

Kotler, Peter. Marketing Management. 6^th Edition. New York: Prentice Hall, 1998. Print.

Loudon, Bitta. Consumer Behavior. New Delhi: Tata McGraw-Hill, 2000. Print.

McDonald, Mark. “Marketing Plans”. How to Prepare Them: How to Use Them. 3rd Edition.

Butterworth and Heinemann, 1995. Print

Mort, G. S. & Rose, T. (2006). The effect of product type on value linkages in the means-end chain: implications for theory and method. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 3 (3): 221-234.

Peter, Olson. Consumer Behavior and Marketing Strategy. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher

Education, 2005. Print

Schiffman, Lee. Consumer Behavior. India: Prentice Hall, 2004. Print.

Thompson, Andrew. Crafting and Executing Strategy. Text and Readings. 25^th edition.

New York: McGraw-Hill, 2001. Print

Wilson, RMS and Gilligan C. Strategic Marketing Management. Planning,

Implementation and Control. 2^nd Edition. Oxford: Butter-worth and Heinemann, 1997. Print.

Last Completed Projects

topic title	academic level	Writer	delivered

Are you looking for a similar paper or any other quality academic essay? Then look no further. Our research paper writing service is what you require. Our team of experienced writers is on standby to deliver to you an original paper as per your specified instructions with zero plagiarism guaranteed. This is the perfect way you can prepare your own unique academic paper and score the grades you deserve.

Use the order calculator below and get started! Contact our live support team for any assistance or inquiry.

[order_calculator]