Testing FMCG innovations: experimental real store versus virtual
| Published date | 19 July 2013 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-05-2012-0141 |
| Date | 19 July 2013 |
| Pages | 286-292 |
| Author | Etienne Bressoud |
| Subject Matter | Marketing,Product management,Brand management/equity |
Testing FMCG innovations: experimental real
store versus virtual
Etienne Bressoud
BVA, Boulogne-Billancourt, France
Abstract
Purpose – In order to cope with the challenge of developing successful fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) innovations, market research vendors
offer several methodologies to test concepts. The purpose of this article is to examine the discrepancy between the well-established experimental real
store methodology and the most recent of these alternative methodologies that is the virtual store.
Design/methodology/approach – A parallel testing of a new adult cereal was conducted in France with 200 shoppers in each store.
Findings – Results show that all attitudinal measurements are similar in terms of cognition and conation, but affect and behavior cannot be compared
across both methodologies. In conclusion, virtual store testing is a new method that does not exactly fit with one of the previous.
Research limitations/implications – The study is limited to a single product and should be generalized to more product categories.
Practical implications – Virtual store should be used carefully in order to take capital expenditure decisions. It generates different attitudes and
behaviors, but more research is needed in order to debate on predictability.
Originality/value – With the emergence of virtual stores to test FMCG innovations, this paper is of high value for practitioners who have to proceed to
several tests, with different objectives, before a product launch.
Keywords Virtual store, Experimental real store, Innovation, Shopper, Behaviour, Attitudes, Shops, Shopping, Fast moving consumer goods
Paper type Research paper
An executive summary for managers and executive
readers can be found at the end of this article.
Introduction
The fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) environment is
becoming increasingly challenging in terms of innovation. As
a result, the failure rate for FMCG innovation reaches 80 per
cent (Kotler, 2 003). FMCG player s acknowledge that
traditional market research techniques are struggling in this
fragmenting environment, and that predicting the likelihood
of success by soliciting consumers’ purchase “intent” is no
longer reliable: what consumers say is not what shoppers do,
partly because the shopping process is largely unconscious
(Ariely, 2008; Zaltman, 2003). Industries are increasingly
refocusing their efforts toward understanding what happens at
the “first moment of truth” (FMOT) in store (Inman et al.,
2009).
The different stages of the innovation process have been
clearly identified (Cooper, 2008). Market studies are available
that trace progress from one stage to another and help the
marketer to select concepts to be sold in stores. The stages
progress from ideation and design to selection and launch.
The triggers of innovation and indicators such as purchase
intent that need to be measured at each stage are well known
(Cooper et al., 1998; Crawford and Di Benedetto, 2006;
Dolan, 1993). Drawing on new technologies, several market
research methodologies are proposed (Dahan and Hauser,
2002). To identify the decision-making processes involved in
purchases the product concept can be presented in different
ways that condition the shopping experience. Since more than
half of purchase decisions are made in store (Inman et al.,
2009), the way the product is displayed in a concept test study
is important.
Testing a product in a virtual store is of par ticular interest
because real prototypes are not needed and the product can
be presented within its competitive environment (Burke,
1996). The question is whether the indicators measured in a
virtual store fit with the one measured with the traditional and
improved concept test methodologies. To answer that
question the present research compares the results of a
concept test conducted using a traditional methodology with
those obtained using a virtual store.
The FMCG innovation process is presented as are the main
methodologies u sed to test innovati on. Following this,
hypotheses are proposed and the experiment is reported.
The results and the limits of the research are discussed, and
the managerial implications outlined.
The innovation process and associated market
studies
Over the different stages of the innovation process, the design
of the associated market studies is of importance since it
reproduces, or not, the shopper experience which is part of
the buying decision.
The innovation process
Product innovation is a long process with different stages
(Cooper, 2008; Dahan and Hauser, 2002). Market studies
and feasibility reports are em ployed at each step (see
Figure 1).
“Ideation” is a contraction of “idea generation”. It is the
result of qualitative study, the objective of which is to identify
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1061-0421.htm
Journal of Product & Brand Management
22/4 (2013) 286–292
qEmerald Group Publishing Limited [ISSN 1061-0421]
[DOI 10.1108/JPBM-05-2012-0141]
286
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