What is concept testing?

Concept testing is an early research methodology that maximizes the chances of you launching a product or service that people want to purchase. Concept testing uses surveys to evaluate consumer acceptance of a new service or a product idea before introducing it to the market. Asking the consumers questions about your concepts and ideas for a service or a product before the launch will allow you to gauge customers’ acceptance and willingness to buy and make critical decisions.

Why is concept testing important?

Concept testing gives the brand a better understanding of consumers’ reactions to your ideas before the product launch, clarifying the consumers’ perceptions of the product, the need your solution is addressing, how the product fares against other solutions on the market, and what can be done to maximize product adoption and market impact. The tests sheds light on blind spots, misinterpretations, inefficiencies, or problems that can lead to product failure.

What are the benefits of concept testing?

Concept testing offers two main benefits: 

1. The brand makes the right decisions based on actionable insights 

Concept testing provides the depth and the granularity needed to make the right choices. Mistakes and do-overs can be costly and detrimental, so it’s imperative to utilize insights from consumer research to make the right decisions.

2. Gain support for the concept from the getgo

A confident team provides more support and willingness to go the extra mile for you. If the product or service requires a great deal of input from leadership or other members in the group, providing stakeholders with a ‘first look’ at evidence speeds up the product development process. The research shows the potential of the work they’ll be helping with.

What Concept Testing Is Not

Concept testing does not replace the ideation phase of a product development cycle. Instead, the object is to evaluate the ideas and concepts born during the ideation phase. Regardless of whether those ideas are fully cultivated, the testing is executed early as the target audience may change as the product idea evolves. Concept testing also differs from the brand test, advertisement, or marketing campaigns typically executed as a product or service promotion when fully developed.

How do you conduct a concept test?

Stitch Marketing Research helps you create the best concept tests for your products and services. We start by addressing the core topics:

• Select the correct concept testing survey methodology
• Select the correct survey components for your concept test
• Select the correct flow for your concept test
• Identify promising concepts
• Concept test common misconstrued items and determine how to rectify those mistakes.