In the highly competitive small appliance market, successful products often stem from a deep understanding of user needs and precise market positioning. Identifying and refining user needs to improve products is not only a task for the development phase but should be integrated throughout the entire product lifecycle. Achieving this requires various methods, including market research, user feedback, data analysis, etc. Additionally, actively collaborating and communicating with OEM/ODM manufacturers or production teams can help efficiently reach your goals. In this article, we will discuss and share these specific methods.

1. Market Research

Field Research: By observing consumer purchasing behaviors in supermarkets, appliance stores, and other locations, you can gather firsthand information. For example, an air purifier manufacturer conducted field research at major retail channels and found that consumers had a strong demand for high-efficiency wall-mounted air sterilizing purifier.

Competitive Product Analysis: Purchase and use competitor products to understand their strengths and weaknesses, identifying opportunities for improvement and innovation.

Trade Shows and Expositions: Attending industry trade shows, such as the Canton Fair, allows you to stay updated on the latest market trends and innovative products. This sparks product ideas and helps establish contacts with potential OEM/ODM manufacturers to learn about the latest production technologies, preparing you better for product development and improvement.

2.User Feedback

User Interviews and Focus Groups: Invite potential or existing customers to participate in interviews and focus group discussions to gather their needs and suggestions for the product.

Product Trials: Provide product samples or prototypes to users for trial and collect their genuine feedback. For example, when developing a new travel shoe dryer, an OEM boots drying racks manufacturer discovered through limited user trials that portability and temperature control improvements were needed. The company successfully enhanced the product design with this feedback, boosting user satisfaction.

3.Data Analysis

Sales Data Analysis: Analyzing the sales data of existing products can help identify the most popular items and their common characteristics, guiding product improvement and new product development.

User Review Analysis: Analyzing user reviews on e-commerce platforms and social media can reveal specific opinions and suggestions from users about the product.

4.Brainstorming

Internal Brainstorming: Organize brainstorming sessions with team members to collectively discuss product ideas. Through collective brainstorming, valuable ideas and concepts can emerge.

Design Thinking Workshops: Using design thinking methods, create quick prototypes and conduct user testing to iteratively improve product designs. For example, a company developing a smart rice cooker made multiple prototypes quickly and optimized the product design through user testing.

5.Requirement Documentation

User Persona: Create detailed user personas to describe the characteristics, needs, and behaviors of target users. For instance, when developing a new household pet bathing machine, a company created user personas for pet owners and pet-owning families, determining the product's main functions and design direction.

User Journey Mapping: Create user journey maps to showcase the various touchpoints and pain points users experience when using the product. This helps to understand the overall user experience and optimize product design. For example, when developing a new baby bottle sterilizer and dryer, a baby products manufacturer created a detailed user journey map, identifying that many users have a habit of sterilizing baby bottles before making formula. Thus, they added a quicker sterilization feature to the product, making it easier for users to prepare formulas.

Feature List: Detailed feature requirements ensure that each function meets the specific needs of users.

6.Technical and Feasibility Analysis

Material and Manufacturing Process Research: Study and select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to balance product quality and cost. For example, a company developing a new hair dryer communicated actively with small appliance ODM manufacturers to understand the latest materials and production technologies, choosing lightweight and durable materials to enhance product competitiveness.

Prototype Creation: Create product prototypes for initial testing and verification. This helps identify potential issues and make improvements.

7.Market Validation

Small Batch Production and Test Sales: Conduct small batch production and introduce the product to specific markets to test market reactions and user acceptance. For example, when developing a new air disinfector, a brand company partnered with an OEM UV air purifier factory to leverage their production capabilities for small batch production and conducted test sales in select markets, gaining valuable market feedback.

Channel Collaboration: Work with retailers, distributors, and agents to get their feedback and market suggestions. This not only aids in product improvement but also prepares for large-scale market launches.

8.Continuous Optimization

KPI Monitoring: Define and monitor key performance indicators to evaluate the product's market performance.

User Feedback Loop: Establish a continuous user feedback mechanism to keep improving the product, ensuring that enhancements can be quickly implemented.

By employing these methods, you can better identify and refine the user needs for small appliance products, ensuring they meet market and user expectations. This approach helps your product stand out in a competitive market and extends its lifecycle, capturing more market share.