Research on Demand for Smart Kitchen Appliances Regeneration

In recent years, the smart home industry has been developing rapidly, and market demand has gradually upgraded from basic functions to intelligence and diversification. A well-known smart home brand hopes to gain a deeper understanding of the pain points and unsatisfied needs of existing and potential users in the process of product iteration and innovation. It wanted to ensure that the next generation of smart home products could more accurately match market trends and improve user satisfaction. For this purpose, the brand commissioned Loya International to conduct a specialized demand insight study. The study was based on user feedback on the direction of specific product upgrades to support future product positioning, feature development and marketing.

Loya International conducted the research for two types of user groups in the mid-to-high-end integrated kitchen appliance market: existing users, i.e., consumers who have purchased and used integrated kitchen appliances for more than 6 months; and potential users, i.e., consumers who plan to purchase integrated kitchen appliances in the next 6 months. The research covered four regions, namely South China, North China, East China and West China, including super first-tier cities, second-tier cities and third-tier cities, and was conducted by cross-sampling in large regions and at the line level to ensure the comprehensiveness and representativeness of the market insights.

According to the project requirements, Loya adopted an innovative research methodology of video observation + in-home immersion research + co-creation to ensure comprehensive and accurate user insights.

• Video observation: After obtaining users' consent, video equipment is installed in users' kitchens for one-week observation of the use process. By recording the details of the users' use of integrated kitchen appliances, we can more intuitively understand the use habits of different types of users, the operation process and the difficulties encountered in the process of use. The collected videos were then analyzed in detail to deconstruct the usage characteristics of different user groups (e.g. housewives, young singles, etc.). The output of the analysis helps the brand understand the pain points of different users in the use of the product, discover potential needs and clarify the direction of improvement.

  
  

• In-home immersion interviews: The research team accompanies users in kitchen operations, observes their entire process of using integrated kitchen appliances, and conducts in-depth interviews. By experiencing first-hand the actual needs and difficulties of users in the kitchen, the team was able to gain better insight into users' real emotions and needs, and provide data support and optimization suggestions.

  
  

• Co-creation: Through the above research results, Loya International organized a three-way co-creation workshop among the client's product development team, marketing team, and user representatives, to combine the real needs and feedback of users, put forward suggestions on the direction of product concepts, and conduct co-creation discussions with the client in order to ensure that new product iterations are in line with the market trends and at the same time, accurately match the user's needs.