A new compressor tested against real kitchen needs
The brief
A world-leading maker of refrigerator compressors was developing a new technology and wanted to be sure the benefits it foresaw met real needs, and to know what people would pay for them. It also wanted a wider view of how Chinese households use and buy fridges, which features they value and whether they would pay more for them.
Why it was hard
Nobody buys a fridge for its compressor. The benefits of the technology had to be translated into things people notice in their kitchens, and the answer also depended on the manufacturers who build the fridges and the retailers who sell them.
How we did it
We started in people’s kitchens. In-home interviews let respondents show us how they use their fridges and talk about likes, dislikes and problems with the fridge right in front of them, without relying on memory. Shop-alongs then showed how they choose a new one.
We also interviewed major Chinese manufacturers, including Haier, Hisense, Whirlpool and Kinghome, about pricing, what drives it and where the industry is heading. Retailers showed us round their stores and explained what customers ask for and how prices are set. Finally, 1,600 online surveys across key cities ranked the features and measured what people would pay for each one.
What the client got
Two full reports showing whether the new technology answers real needs, which benefits matter and what they are worth, with recommendations for the China market.
What it shows
We combine homes, shops, manufacturers and a large survey into one answer about whether a technical innovation will sell.
Services: ethnography and home visits · in-depth interviews · quantitative fieldwork
