Week Ten Reflection

My blog post for this week will be relatively shorter in content than others in the past, due to my not being in class on Thursday. On Tuesday in HONB 200-02, the class viewed a Shark Tank episode in which the product being pitched was very unique. The product, known as FreshPatch, consists of hydroponically grown, dirt-free grass that functions as an all-natural, in house training pad for pets, specifically dogs. The product was originally designed to be sold to dog owners living in urban areas that are lacking nearby grass and that typically reside in confined spaces, such as condominiums and apartments. Andrew Feld, creator and owner of FreshPatch, had the idea to create the product due to the knowledge that his own dog, Chloe, would not even have to be trained to use the unconventional pee pad as dogs naturally have the instinct to go to the bathroom outdoors on grass. 

Upon learning of this product, the class discussed who exactly the target market of FreshPatch would be. We were able to successfully conclude that the target market would include pet owners who not only live in urban and confined areas that do not have as much nearby grass as their dogs need, but who also feel guilty about this lacking of their dog(s)'s exposure to outdoor spaces. This idea of there being a need for the owner to have a sense of guilt originated from the shark Barbara's comment that "This is a feel-good product for the owner even more than it is a bathroom training product for their pets." We determined as a class that the "feel-good" aspect is what primarily drives the product's sales; otherwise, no owner would feel the need to buy something to benefit their pet if they themselves do not care whether or not their pet is living a beneficial lifestyle. In this way, FreshPatch heavily emphasizes the emotional appeal that their product entails. Additionally, we deemed it to be a specialty product as there is no exact duplicate that can be substituted in its place, and those purchasing it would have to go out of their way to look for such an item. 

Yet although the product has been successful in its life thus far, Feld specifically told the sharks that his company has a retention rate of about only 25% of its customers. Because of this fairly low rate, the sharks began debating ways in which the brand could potentially expand its customer outreach, which should in part help the product cross over the "chasm" that lies between early adopters and early majority in the product life cycle. Once this break is crossed, the product would theoretically be deemed as successful.

One major way in which this could occur would be through the implementation of the product being made available for sale in retail pet stores, in addition to its sole current online availability. In order to broaden our understanding of the product's customer outreach, we were then assigned the task of creating a distribution channel that displays where FreshPatch is produced, sold, and shipped out to be distributed to its customers. 

 On Thursday, the class mostly discussed ways in which the company FreshPatch could greatly improve its marketing strategies, which would hopefully in turn generate a larger consumer return rate. Using an online database, the class was able to view and analyze the geographic data that makes up a majority of the dog owners in the United States, which is what makes up their market. From this, students were able to reach conclusions in terms of the company could better appeal to this large amount of people.

As for the BedBug, we were able to use our finalized survey questions to generate data that will better our marketing strategies from here on. We plan on reviewing the data together soon as a whole group, as well as actually begin the construction of our product, as the ordered parts to design it have arrived. The next few weeks should be an exciting time for my group as we will be able to watch the development of our theoretical idea finally become a reality.