Primary Research - Focus Group

I spoke to a group of 5 students about the importance of package design, none of the students have studied this package/product design before therefore they haven't expressed any biased or professional views.

Questions asked:

Do you take notice of the packaging when you buy shoes?

What package do you prefer when buying shoes, a box, a bag or both?

Would an appealing package make you want to look at that particular brand of shoe?

How important do you think package design is?

Towards the beginning, I got the impression that the students didn't appear particularly enthusiastic about the idea of package design, one of my peers highlighted that the package wouldn't influence their decision on whether they were going to buy the shoes or not; this comment is completely fair and understandable because it is the product itself they are paying for however when asked, "would an appealing package make you want to look at that particular brand of shoe?" The same student said that if she saw a style of shoebox that she liked, she would automatically assume that the shoes would reflect the packaging. Throughout the conversation, I noticed that the students were beginning to consider how much of an impact the package had on the product and the sales.

The response I received from the other students was extremely helpful, the students highlighted that if the package design was particularly impressive, they would be more interested in the product and that a good package can increase sales.

I asked my peers if they would prefer a pair of shoes to come in a shoebox, a bag or both, A shoebox inside a bag was the most popular answer, examples such as JD Sports and Apple were mentioned, both of these brands normally provide the customer with a box and a bag which I believe demonstrates that they care enough about their brand to go the extra mile.

As a result of the the focus group, I was hoping to work on suggestions on how I can make my branded package unique and appreciated by customers. One member of the focus group spoke about how she would value a package that can go the extra mile, she used an example of a shoebox that includes wipes to clean the shoes; I have been taking in the suggestions and throughout the process of designing and branding my product, I will also be experimenting with engaging the audience.