Figuring Out Buyer Behavior, Part 2

For these interviews, I found three people who fit the previously identified segment – young adults (ages 18-30) who ride motorcycles regularly. I presented them with three products that currently exist as alternatives to my product: Wireless (Bluetooth) running/gym headphones, a Bluetooth earpiece, and ordinary headphones. I showed the interviewees photos of each product (reproduced below) and the prices of those products (sourced from Amazon.com). The interviewees were asked to pick the products most and least suitable for use while riding a motorcycle, then describe the primary considerations of their decision. After answering the initial questions, the interviewees were asked open-ended questions about their buying behavior, such as their likelihood to buy online versus in-store, and the degree of “rightness” they would expect to feel after the purchase.

Wireless Headphones, $29.99

Earpiece, $15.99

Ordinary Headphones, $8.79

The findings of these interviews are as follows:

            Interview #1, Thomas:

                        Most suitable: Wireless headphones

                        Least suitable: Ordinary headphones

            Primary considerations: Functionality. Thomas felt that the ordinary headphone cords would be restrictive, and that the earpiece could fall out while riding. He noted that these considerations were strong enough to offset the higher price of the wireless headphones. Thomas also noted that he would almost exclusively buy products like this one on Amazon due to the perceived higher price and inconvenience of buying in-store. However, he mentioned that that these wireless headphones would not feel as “right” as a typical purchase due to its insufficiency for riding a motorcycle.

            Interview #2, Hailey:

                        Most suitable: Earpiece

                        Least suitable: Ordinary headphones

            Primary considerations: Functionality and price. She believed that the ordinary headphone’s cords would be restrictive, but also that the wireless headphones were too expensive. As such, she selected the earpiece, which she called the “middle-of-the-road” option. When asked whether she is more likely to purchase this type of product in-store or online, she strongly indicated a preference for shopping online. She also added that, based on the picture and price, she sees no reason why this product would not be suitable for use while riding a motorcycle.

            Interview #3, Logan:

                        Most suitable: Wireless headphones

                        Least suitable: Ordinary headphones

            Primary considerations: Functionality and quality. Like the other two interviewees, functionality was Logan’s primary consideration. The ordinary headphones were deemed too restrictive, while the wireless headphones were selected as the best option of the three. Interestingly, Logan also indicated that the quality of the wireless headphones was perceived to be higher than that of the earpiece. When asked if price was a consideration, he indicated that it was not; in his words, “I don’t care about price when it comes to something I use on my bike. I just care that it works and is safe.” He also indicated that he would be much more likely to purchase the product online.

Conclusions: This segment seems much more likely to consider functionality and quality over price when making a purchase. Additionally, this segment shows a strong preference for online shopping rather than traditional, in-store purchases. They also appear less likely to indicate a favorable post-purchase evaluation if the product does not entirely meet their needs, indicating a high degree of selectivity when making a purchasing decision.