Who: College student and young adults who go out and drink at bars, clubs, and house parties.
What: They lose their keys and are unable to get back into their dorm/apartment/house late at night.
Why: They put their keys in unsecured places like their pockets or purses and they fall out during the night because they are moving through crowds and dancing.
Interviews: I interviewed different students on campus. I thought it would be best to interview students while they were sober since this is when they would be buying to product. I felt that if I went to the bars people would be more likely to agree with it simply because they were drunk and in a good mood.
- My first interview was with a sophomore female. She agreed that there was a problem with people loosing their keys while out drinking. She was most willing to wear the bracelet version of the product as long as it was fashionable and would go with her outfit. She stated that she would also be interested in something that would keep you from losing your phone and ID as well. The biggest comment she had was that for her to wear it, it had to be cute and fashionable.
- My second interview was with a senior female. She agreed that the problem existed but thought that it applied to men more than female. She also thought that underclass man who are more likely to get extremely drunk would be more likely to need a product like this. She personally would not buy this product because she does not have the problem because she controls how much she drinks. I suggested adding the phone and ID and she said that it would be too much. If anything stick to just the key. Out of the options available she would use the clip if she had the problem. But again it would need to be fashionable.
- My third interview was with a sophomore male. He agreed that the problem existed. He thought that females would be most likely to wear the anklet because it does not interfere with their outfits as much. He also thought that the bracelet would be risky because it could easily be pulled off or fall off while dancing. He personally would use the clip. He really liked the idea of not having to worry about where his key is. He suggested to make the clip fashion forward and in different materials such as metals and leather. He also added that he thinks the problem applies to anyone who goes out not just college students and young adults.
- My forth interview was with a junior male. He thought that the problem did not exist. He said that he simply keeps his key a mat or in a hiding place so he doesn't even need to bring it with him. I suggested what if he lived in a dorm and didn't have a safe place to stash a key. He said in that case he would be willing to buy a product like this. He was most interested in the clip.
- My fifth interview was with a graduate female. She agreed that the problem existed but mainly for college students. She did not think that the problem applied to young adults or people who went out to drink regularly. She said she would buy a product like this as long as it wasn't bulky and had a good style. She wouldn't want it to clash with her outfit. She said she would only be interested if it was just for keys. She made the point that with a key you only have it out when you lock your home and when you return. With a phone or ID you are constantly taking it out and putting it back so it would be a hassle. She said that she would not feel comfortable just leaving a key under a mat or hidden place. In apartments so many people are around it would be easy for someone to notice you put the key somewhere and use it get into your home. She also mentioned that some people don't have spare keys to do this with.
Summary of what I found: I found the interviews very interesting. I learned a lot about who the problem applied to and what people would be willing to buy. Some people were more excited about the product than others. I think it depends on how much of a problem this was for each person and their experiences. Most people said that whether it was a bracelet, anklet, or clip it would need to be fashionable and not bulky. Most people were interested in a clip. I found it interesting that one person didn't even bring their keys out with them. To me this is risky but I think it highly depends on where you live and how safe your area is. I still believe this is a problem and this could be a potential product that customers would buy.
I will admit I have stumbled onto this problem a few times as I am very clumsy with my keys, especially at Midtown.
ReplyDeleteRegardless, I like the insight that you brought with the interviews, especially with some of the people having relatively polar opinions on the issue.
It seems like you have a possible nice starting base for a product with indication towards a clip with fashionable design/trends to help keep the item "fashionable".
I look forward to seeing what you can do with this idea!
I think that you have presented a valid opportunity. There is a need for a product that solves the problem of losing your key when going out partying. But it may be beneficial to come up with other times when your product could be used. This would widen your market. A suggestion would be for people who run or jog and don't want to lose their key. Your opportunity, like mine, focuses mainly on college students, but can include other people too.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing,
ReplyDeleteI find this to be a very interesting idea because I have been there done that. Losing your key and getting locked out in the middle of the night isn't fun for anyone. It's not fun for the person who lost the key or the roommate that has to be woken up at three in the morning to let them in. If there was a way to secure my key when going out I'd definitely be interested. As noted, the idea would have to come in the form of a fashionable accessory that isn't bothersome to carry around.
I feel your idea has a practical application at the University of Florida. From your interviews, you gathered very useful information you can use to your benefit. You found out that there is a limit to who you can market your product towards. Your fifth interview showed that not everyone will be interested in the key saver product. You also realized that two different versions of your product could be marketed towards men and women.
ReplyDelete