12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Assignment 12A- Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Choosing a segment: 

• For this assignment, I chose a segment of college students between the ages of 18-22. All three of my interviewees were college students at UF with acne problems. Carlos is an upperclassman at UF who studies Civil engineering and says that he has had acne problems ever since he started high school. Another is a biology student from FSU who uses skin care products but hasn't found one that matches her skin. The last one is a nursing student from UF who does not use skin care products but wants to start.

Interviews:

• Interview # 1
• Carlos proved to have this unmet need. He seems to have this need whenever he breaks out or tries to look for products for his skin and cannot find it. He does not have this need whenever his skin clears up or he is not stressed.
• Interview # 2
• Kaitlyn, a biology student from FSU has this need as well. Although, she already uses skin care products to control her acne. The issue is that her products have harmful chemicals in them, which causes a need for Smart wash. She does not have this need when she buys skin care products that are made from natural ingredients.
• Interview #3
• Julie, a nursing student from UF, has similar experiences to Carlos'. Her need is the most salient whenever she is stressed and has acne outbreaks. Her need is the least salient whenever she has a healthy diet and is not stressed by schoolwork.

What I learned:

• The findings were exactly as I expected. There is a need for the acne product whenever acne is caused randomly by stress, hormones, or other factors. There is not a need whenever the consumer is not stressed or their acne is not triggered. One of my interviewees talked about using a different product with natural ingredients. The need for my product may not be as strong for her.

How I would describe this segment: 

• I would describe this segment as very insightful. I will be able to use the information gained from the interviews in order to improve my product and see if there is strong enough of an unmet need for it.