Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

In my interviews, I did not learn so much about alternatives to my product as much as I did variations. My first and second interview comprised of questions regarding to alternatives and both interviewees admitted that they were not interested in any alternatives so much, simply due to the fact that there wasn’t really a more beneficial alternative. They were content with the idea of there being a new dog food on the market that proved to be vastly more beneficial than what they were forced to buy at the time. My third interviewee mentioned the importance of having a large variety of diets to choose from, as her dogs were limited to certain foods due to health problems. All three mentioned that when searching for food, price mattered more than anything at the end of the day, but they wouldn’t be against shelling out a few more dollars if it meant their dogs would be less likely to face diseases and health complications such as canine periodontitis.

When it came to elements of the actual transaction, like previous interviewees, these individuals noted that convenience would be a major factor in determining whether or not they would be willing to purchase. Interviewee #2 explained that he was hesitant about purchasing food online for his dog, mainly because he was not interested in having to go through a whole process of returning and reordering if the food arrived in a damaged/inedible condition.

In regard to post-purchase, each interviewee explained an easy and smooth order/delivery process alone would make them happy and likely to purchase again but if they were truly able to see their pet’s health improve then they would be hooked.

All in all, I would have to take into account the importance of ensuring the ordering process and delivery process was setup so there would be little to no room for error. I could implement an appealing return policy that included free express shipping on the next order if a customer was unsatisfied with the product they received. Furthermore, a trial period for new customers would be an attractive component, I believe.