Key Takeaways:
What is Concept Testing?: A research method to evaluate the appeal, clarity, and market potential of a product, service, or feature before development or launch.
When to Use it: Early ideation, pre-launch, UX refinement, and market entry.
Concept Attributes: Tagline, benefits, how it works, price
Common Concept Testing Methods: Surveys (quantitative), interviews/focus groups (qualitative), A/B testing
Example in Action: Concept Testing a new product – how a tech startup validated their AI-powered smart doorbell
What Is Concept Testing?
Concept testing is a research method used to evaluate the viability of a new product, service, or feature before full-scale development or launch. It involves presenting a product concept – a summarized description of the idea – to potential customers to gather feedback on its appeal, usefulness, and potential market success.
The purpose of concept testing is to minimize risk by ensuring that the product aligns with customer needs and preferences. By conducting concept testing in market research, businesses can refine their ideas, identify potential flaws, and make data-driven decisions before investing significant resources.
When to Use Concept Testing
Concept testing for new product development is valuable at multiple stages:
- Early ideation: To validate initial ideas before prototyping.
- Pre-launch: To refine messaging, pricing, and features.
- UX research: To assess user experience and usability (UX research concept testing).
- Market entry: To gauge demand and competitive positioning (market research product testing).
Why is concept testing important? It helps companies avoid costly mistakes by ensuring they’re developing solutions that customers actually want.
Concept Testing Methods
There are several concept testing methods, but the process typically involves:
1. Defining the concept: Create a clear, concise description, including:
- A tagline: what the product does
- Benefits: how it solves a problem
- How it works: key features without oversharing proprietary details
- Price: if available
2. Choosing a research method
The best approach depends on your goals, budget, and the stage of development. Common methods include:
| Method | Best For Analyzing | Why Use It | Case Study |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quantitative Feedback (Concept Testing Surveys) | Broad appeal, Pricing Sensitivity, Feature Preferences |
|
Medical device manufacturer uses a concept testing survey for quick customer feedback |
| Qualitative Insights (Focus Group or Interviews) | Deep Perceptions, Pain Points, Emotional Reactions |
|
An energy management company conducts focus group discussions to capture detailed qualitative feedback from their target audience |
| A/B Testing (Comparative) | Ad/Message Variations, Competing concepts, or positioning strategies |
|
A technology company utilizes A/B testing to evaluate effectiveness of branding and user experience on their website |
Example of Concept Testing
To illustrate the concept testing process, imagine a fictional tech client is developing a new AI-powered smart doorbell camera to demonstrate using concept testing before committing to full production.
A clear product concept was crafted which centered around the tagline “Know Who’s Knocking Before You Answer” and highlighted key features like advanced facial recognition and smart lock integration, with a proposed price point of $199.
In this hypothetical scenario, the team conducted mixed-method research:
Quantitative Survey: They began with an online survey of 500 homeowners. The results might have shown strong initial appeal, with a high percentage of respondents (e.g., 72%) rating the concept as “very appealing.” However, price acceptance might have been lower (e.g., only 58% found the $199 price acceptable).
Qualitative Focus Groups: Follow-up focus groups could have uncovered deeper insights, such as significant privacy concerns about cloud-stored facial data and preference for a guest access feature for package deliveries.
Armed with these insights, the client would be equipped to make strategic refinements:
- To address privacy, they might implement local, on-device data storage as a standard feature.
- To create a more attractive pricing model, they could add an optional $9.99/month cloud backup subscription.
- They would also likely refine their messaging to better clarify the AI’s capabilities and directly address security assurances.
This fictional case demonstrates the power of concept testing. By combining broad quantitative data with targeted qualitative insights, a company can identify critical improvements early, avoid costly post-launch fixes, and better align both the product and its messaging with market needs before a single unit is manufactured.
Conclusion
Concept testing in new product development is a crucial step to validate ideas, reduce risk, and enhance success rates. Whether through concept testing user research or market research product testing, gathering customer insights early ensures businesses invest in the right innovations.
By partnering with GLG to conduct concept testing, companies have been able to make more informed decisions, refine their offerings, and launch product that truly resonate with their audience. Key benefits of GLG Concept Testing Include:
- Expert Methodology: From surveys to focus groups, GLG is a one-stop shop for all research methods. GLG’s knowledgeable teams have extensive experience across sectors and can help eliminate bias from your research.
- Powerful Analysis: Get high quality deliverables, such as concept heat maps that help you determine what your customers consider valuable.
- Unmatched Buyer Populations: GLG has populations that are not readily available at typical market research firms, including lab professionals, IT decision makers, trader professionals, medical professionals, B2B customers, and many more.
Other Recommended Resources:
Writing an Effective Product Concept
Understanding MaxDiff Analysis
The Right Moment to Put Your Value Proposition to the Test
