A start-up, PulsePod, is developing a refillable insulated bottle that tracks hydration and sends reminders through an app. The team is unsure which customer segment to prioritise and which features justify a higher price.
Before committing to tooling, PulsePod ran a two‑stage market research plan:
- Stage 1 (exploratory): 12 online interviews with runners, office workers and students.
- Stage 2 (quantitative): a survey of 240 potential customers recruited through social media ads.
The survey results are summarised below.
| Finding | Result |
|---|
| Would consider buying a bottle in the next 3 months | 58% |
| Most important purchase driver | Leak-proof lid (34%), keeps drinks cold (29%), price (21%), app reminders (16%) |
| Most important purchase driver by segment | Runners: keeps drinks cold (38%), leak-proof lid (33%), price (17%), app reminders (12%); Office workers: leak-proof lid (39%), price (24%), keeps drinks cold (22%), app reminders (15%); Students: price (36%), leak-proof lid (28%), app reminders (20%), keeps drinks cold (16%) |
| Preferred buying channel | Online marketplace (44%), brand website (31%), sports store (25%) |
| Acceptable price range (most common) | 25–35 |
PulsePod’s draft concept sheet (used in interviews and the survey) included:
- three colour options (black, mint, sand)
- two lid types (flip-top, straw)
- optional app subscription (1.99/month) for reminders and weekly reports
PulsePod’s investor asks for evidence that the product will meet real customer needs and that the marketing plan is based on reliable research.
Figure 1: PulsePod draft concept sheet
Figure 2: Summary of PulsePod survey results
