Consumer Studies

It is essential to know how consumers respond to a product before bringing it to market. And there is a science to uncovering the development, design and marketing issues that can make or break a product's success. UL's technical experts know how to extract relevant feedback from targeted consumer groups and turn that data into the actionable intelligence essential for a successful product launch or rebranding initiative. Definition UL uses focus groups, home-use tests (HUTs) and concept testing to gain knowledge of how a consumer reacts to a product prior to market release. This information helps our customers substantiate product marketing claims or amend critical product development and marketing decisions prior to launch. Benefits UL’s customizable consumer product assessments utilize proven research techniques, combined with advanced analytics, in order to elicit relevant consumer feedback and in-depth guidance that enables our customers to put this knowledge to work. Location Options UL can conduct local testing at our own facility, and we partner with national research facilities for central location tests (CLTs) in order to provide our customers with a broad range of excellent options for consumer product assessments. HUTs evaluate product performance in a real-world setting that can provide a deeper understanding of a customer’s product and the most valuable consumers. Focus Groups Our focus group service provides valuable information that can enable our customers to gauge potential market success. Sensory Analysis and Consumer Preference UL’s in-depth sensory analysis and consumer preference testing substantiates attributes that drive consumer acceptance, in order to help our customers determine how a product stacks up against the competition. Preference and Parity Preference and parity testing offers insight into how a product stacks up against its predecessor, competition, national brand or store brand through blind or branded, in-house or central location evaluations with consumers. Concept Testing Service Our concept testing service uses quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate consumer responses, helping our customers generate effective messaging for new and existing products. Customized Test Designs and Protocols If a business’s needs extend beyond our standard services, UL can design a customized program utilizing the desired study parameters.