Concept Development and Testing

The third stage in the procedure is concept development and testing. Concepts can take on several forms are following:

1). A product idea is an idea for a probable product that the company may see itself on the market.

2). A product concept is a thorough version of the new-product idea specified in meaningful consumer terms.

3). A product image is the way consumers perceive real or potential product.

a. Concept development includes generating product ideas into some alternative product concept, searching out how attractive each of the concepts is to consumers, and selecting the best one.

b. Concept testing involves testing the concepts with a group of focused consumers to discover if the concepts have strong consumer appeal. Concepts can be presented to consumers either physically or symbolically. Marketers are always attempting to discover new ways to create product concepts more actual to concept-test subjects.

1). A word or picture description might be sufficient for some concept tests.

2). Virtual reality tests are becoming famous.

3). It is routine to test concepts before consumers before trying to turn them into actual products.