TESTING CONSUMER TRIALS
intuitive use of the product, including its ease-of-use and practicability before the product is launched.
The daily use of the product will provide insights into how the product is perceived and may include information on skin or other intolerances. The products are given to the home users, where the product is used under real conditions and for a predetermined time frame.
The participants are asked through a series of questions (normally a questionnaire) how they perceived their experience and the performance of the product.
This information is captured and processed in a statistically viable format so that important marketing feedback can be collated. • DO ensure you as the responsible person have liability insurance;
• DO give your participants basic guidance on how to use the product;
• DO issue any necessary precautions or warnings;
• DON’T set up the trial before ensuring that the product has passed the Safety Assessment and is safe to use for the public;
• DON’T use old or expired samples for a trial;
• DON’T influence the participants through biased language, including what they should expect, see, smell or perceive on a sensory level.
The dos & don’ts of consumer trials
Dr Henry Brew, CEO of Here2Grow Cosmetics & Homecare Labs, discusses the different approaches of consumer trials
Firstly, we want to ensure that the product is accepted by the consumer; secondly, it is a great indicator if the product performs according to the consumer’s expectations and provides the preferred sensorial feedback;
C 48 April 2023
onsumer testing can take different permutations and is performed for different reasons.
thirdly, the product can be supported by any marketing claims.
CONSUMER IN-USE TESTING, ALSO HOME USER TESTING This test method involves placing the product into the hands of consumers to use the product within their home setting (focus group). The information gleaned from this test provides the
INTERNAL SENSORY PANEL Many personal care companies that develop products often use an internal sensory testing panel.
This approach has a few benefits.
Firstly, the scientists who developed the products get to evaluate the product before a consumer uses it. This means there will be an initial pre-screen of the product and its performance. The panel may include colleagues from different departments, which increases the testing pool and allows for different perceptions and opinions to be heard and fed back to the developing scientists. To have a successful internal trial, it is very useful and effective to calibrate your research team regarding sensory perception.
Calibration entails setting ground rules to use specific prescriptive language, which will ensure that we have captured the sensory feedback in a holistic and more accurate way. This also means training the panel to reduce the human emotional variables,
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