Product Tester - Marketing

Have been too busy and not been back to here for a while. Or shall I said I hadn't have time to think. Or maybe I was thinking but not writing... Anyway, here I am again after a bad cold and busy week.

The reason I am here about another marketing idea I saw on TV. It is about internet tester writers. These people would try out new products and write about it on BBS or blogs. Company used to hire professional shoppers to test their products. These tester are not hired by the company therefore they can give honest feedback. People who are interested in the products would do some research and maybe communicate with these "testers". Many consumers were more comfortable of trying new products after receive some idea or suggestion. Thus many company now would pay them or send these tester free samples to try out. With help of the testers the new products would be better promoted to some potential consumers and target market.

Only issue would be once the business is involved may influence the tester's judgement. So can these tester still true to their publishing would be hard to tell. I think consumer would still need to make the final judgement themselves.

This is another type of Web2.0 marketing tool. I guess it is another creative way to reach the young consumers. It can reach another type of consumer who not necessary buy into the fancy commercial but believe in someone just like them.

There is even business developed base on the concept of sample testing in personal care products. Member of the store can receive fix number of free sample each month. By giving feedback/survey of testing the product, the member can upgrade to be able to have more sample testing per month. The store receive payment from the producer/supplier by providing product display space and survey result. Company will receive first hand marketing research result by supplying sample and maybe pay some fee. Not sure are the member the right target consumers. I guess if they are interested of trying out the sample, they should be in the potential consumer. But I am not sure whether this group would be the target consumer who will actually purchase the products. I wonder what if this is just a group of young people who can't afford to buy the actual product. Then the feedback from this group won't honest reflect the target consumer feedback.

In conclusion I think those tester who do not receive payment for the testing or free sample should reflect the actual target consumer's true feedback. But once business deal is involved, the honesty may be questionable. Nevertheless, company also has to carefully select the tester who is also the target consumer. If anything goes wrong, it would be hard to control the spread of the bad publicity.

I was also thinking of the samples that were giving away on magazines or with product purchases. In the old days, company wishes to attract consumers to try out their new product by giving away samples without knowing the result of product testing or who are these people. I wonder how many people were actually purchase the product base on those samples. It will take more then a week to see the result of the skin care therefore how can one testing convince the consumer to spend so much money buying it. I wonder do they ever try to retrieve the feedback from these normal people like us, not just some super stars. I understand before putting a new product to the market the company would have feedback on some tester already. But I still think after launch the product, it is as important to know the marketing feedback to better improve and promote new or existing products.

One of the importance of marketing I learn is not only how do you promote the product but how can you trace it or measure it. Therefore was able to receive feedback would be part of the success of this type of marketing tool.