Moms and Market Research

Hey, mom! Market research wants you! Of course they do. We are the *perfect* subjects as reseach shows. Take the Hannemaniacs, for example.

In our household alone, I...
-Make the general purchasing decisions? CHECK
-Responsible for decisions on baby products? CHECK
-Brand loyal? CHECK!!!!

I do all of these things and so do you (if you're a mom), which means people need to know what you think, yo! And they'll pay you for spending an hour in a focus group (or in this case in a one-on-one interview with a video camera). And, man, they pay well. (I may just quit my job and do market research from now on.)

Moms hold the key to getting ahead in the marketplace, their mind is a reflection of the pulse of America, right? So, I went to a diaper study, all ready to wow them with my opinions. However, I learned tons about diapers. TONS. When you're handed an array of various brands of diapers and are asked to rank them on whether they'll keep your kid dry, last overnight, be gentle on your child's skin, whether you would buy them, etc. etc.... You suddenly feel like a total jerk for not doing more diaper research to begin with. I'm rethinking nearly 15 months of diaper purchases!

I am brand loyal to a fault when it comes to staples. Even if the competitor is on sale, I generally stick with the brands I trust... Jif Natural peanut butter, Edy's Slow Churned ice cream, Stoneyfield Farms yogurt, Reduced Fat Wheat Thins, Daisy Light Sour Cream, Brownberry Healthy Muti-Grain bread, the list goes on. But, when it comes to toilet paper, paper towels, diapers... Costco it is. And the problem with Costco? Suddenly you're on a hunt for the cheapest deal, not the best product. I fell into that cycle with diapers. And now I feel like a huge jerk. I should have been hunting for the best diaper to last for a long time, keep my baby dry, fit comfortably, keep his skin healthy, and look great. What have I been thinking all this time?

So, while I hope that I was able to share some worthwhile opinions with the market research folks, I walked away having learned something myself... Time to take a better look at William's diapers. Well, when I get through the three jumbo boxes I have in the basement.