Question

Topic: Strategy

Market Research For A New Desktop Software Product

Posted by Anonymous on8/11/2004 at 3:49 AM ET 125 Points
We're producing a new PC desktop software product that promises to bring into one application - with increased user-friendliness and access to files - much of the functionality of most programs people use on their PC.

We don't have a big marketing budget. How do we get some reliable analysis on 'market acceptance' (to use a new piece of jargon I have learned) or what I really want to be able to demonstrate: 'will people buy it?' (are these identical terms?).

The existing offerrings are well 'accepted' of course (by 100s of millions of people). How can we show our potential investors and granting bodies that we have 'market acceptance' for a product currently in development?

Beta-testors? Potential customers who say they'll use it? What genuine and/or statistical value does that really have? Of course I can come up with these written statements. Is that what I need or more? Can I just show that that the competion is doing well?
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RESPONSES

  • Posted byInbox_Interactiveon8/11/2004 at 10:49 AM Member
    Given that the product might not even be ready to beta test to a live focus group, and given that such focus groups are expensive to assemble, particularly on large scale, another option to consider is a Web survey.

    You can find a vendor such as Internet Survey Panel, or you can rent an e-mail list of computer users and build your own survey on something like SurveyMonkey.

    Am I correct in determining that you're trying to go head-to-head with Microsoft's Office products?
  • Posted bySRyan ;]on8/11/2004 at 11:17 PM Member
    Hello, TranquilityBase, this is Houston...

    To me, "market acceptance" means that a significant mob of people are buying/downloading/using your stuff.

    It's the dog food analogy. Sure it's nutritionally superior, yes the package is attractive, wow the price is low, harhar the ads are so funny, BUT... will the dogs EAT the food?

    Why are you developing this product in the first place? (Seriously, I'd love to know.)

    If you've got a lot of statistics or market research about how people HATE windows or how INEFFECTIVE existing interfaces are, that might be one way to seduce investors. The best way, though, is to have real users. Even if you get those user by giving the product away for a year.

    Tell us more if you can! I'd love to help.

    - Shelley
  • Posted bySRyan ;]on8/12/2004 at 12:52 PM Member
    Do NOT accept any answers until you are ready to CLOSE the question.

    Your new account has 250 points right now. When you close this question, the 125 points you assigned to it will be deducted from the 250, leaving you with 125. (If you want more points, you can buy some for just $5... or you can "earn" some by answering other postings!)

    When you are ready to close the question, just check off the answer that was most useful. If you want to choose more than one answer, the system will allocate the 125 points equally to those whose answers you picked.
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