OUR METHODOLOGY

GATHER INSIGHTFUL SENSORY FEEDBACKS FROM THE CHINESE MARKET

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DAXENS SENSORY RESEARCH CASE STUDY

INDUSTRY: COSMETICS

Our client wants to conduct a sensory testing project in Shanghai and Beijing for their 5 different new products:

  • 3 day creams
  • 2 night creams

Daxens will conduct 4 rounds of testing sessions according to the following requirements:

  • A panel of women between 40 and 50 years old based in either Shanghai or Beijing who are using day and/or night cream from the prestige market. Among them, 200 women using dry skin products and 300 of them using normal or a combination of products
  • A hundred of women will test each 5 different products
  • 4 rounds of recall will be set up for each test group. 2 out of the 5 groups will have a 5th recall.
  •  Each round will have volunteers answering a market survey about the product (after first use, 1st day, 4th week and 6th week of use)
The brand has 2 main objectives for this sensory market research:
  1. Test the effectiveness of its new range of products
  2. Collect useful sensory feedback from potential users
 

EXECUTION OF THE SENSORY RESEARCH

FULL SCALE RESEARCH

In order to conduct the best sensory research, we follow a clear methodology:

  • Candidates are required to fill in the questionnaire on the 1st, 7th, 28th and 42th day as well as uploading pictures to see the possible difference on their skin (for further usage by Clarins’ team).
  • For quality checks, Daxens will schedule appointments with 1/5 (for day cream A and B) or 1/4 (for day cream C, night cream A and B) of the candidates each round in the office. Our team will ask them questions in the questionnaire face-to-face. Daxens will not pick up people to come to our office repeatedly. At the end of the study, it is sure that 100% of the volunteers in each group has at least come to our office once to complete the recalls. For those who haven’t been invited to come to our office for the recalls will complete the questionnaires at home on a specific link. Our team will call to remind them and check closely at the back stage.
  • Participants can call Daxens any time in case of inquiries (e.g. not enough sample, confused about the usage or the questionnaire etc.) as a project manager will be dedicated full time to the monitoring of the data collection.

SENSORY RESEARCH PURPOSE

THE TYPE OF QUESTIONS DAXENS TEAM CAN HELP YOU ANSWER:

  • Do technological, ingredient or marketing changes impact consumer purchase preferences?
  • Which sensory aspects most impact preferences and purchase intention ?
  • What physical and chemical measures represent important sensory KPIs?
  • Brix, acid, ratio, pH, residual sugars, etc.
  • Which formulation mix or blends are most suitable for a new product to go to market?

To answer those questions, we activate the following tools:

  • Monitor performance on a subject basis by and across tests
  • Use repeated trials design
  • Require a response; i.e., tests are forced choice
  • Qualify subjects based on product use and sensory skills
  • Use a panel of qualified subjects

CONSISTENT PANEL RECRUITMENT

DAXENS RECRUITMENT

Recruitment is done via our local social media channels (Wechat, Weibo among others), our website and our own sensory research panel specializing in the skincare industry.

Panel Quality Control:
We set up a questionnaire to narrow down the type of skin of our interviewees:

  • “Do you live in a dry/humid area?
  • How would you describe your skin, “oily”,”dry”, neither?
  • What is your top concern about your skin?”

We invite each interviewees to our Daxens office where they can use a sample of the product. Their ID is checked to comply with our Market Research standards and a short interview is conducted to better understand their cosmetic needs.

To ensure that we get at least a 100 volunteers who complete all the recalls for each product, we recruit around 120 interviewees, among them, 5 are selected for the pilot test in each group.