12A- Figuring out buyer behavior #1

Market segment: For this exercise, I have selected the college-aged surfer for my market segment. There are many levels of experience on campus, all of which who are of legal-driving age, and have to drive to the beach from UF to surf. 

Interviews: 

1. Has surfed a handful of times:
1. Interviewee said they understand how frustrating getting sand in the car is, but they've only surfed a handful of times, and don't own their own board. She is just a beginner, but noted that once she becomes more advanced and ready to invest in a board, she would like to decrease the amount of sand that enters her car from the board.
2. She did raise the point that the device should be cheaper than a hand-held vacuum. She said that when she gets sand in her car from going to the beach now, she just uses a hand-held vacuum to get the sand out.
2. Surfs 2-5x per month:
1. Interviewee mentioned how much sand gets into his van from his board.
2. Mentioned pressure would have to be at a sweet spot that gets the sand off without damaging the board or peeling off all of the wax.
3. Works at a local surf shop: 
1. Interviewee said that their shop sells more accessories than just surf items. Also sells beach items.
2. She said that the hose could be used to hose off other beach items, like balls or shoes.

Need awareness:

• When need occurs: Driving with surfboard in car after surfed at the beach, and sand is traced back into the car.
• When the problem is most prevalent: Some people don't care if their car is messy, but most people hate when sand ends up all over their stuff. The problem is most persistent when you want to be clean and just can't escape sand in every crevice of your belongings.
• All of my interviewees found excess sand to be annoying.

Information search:

• There are no current, adequate products on the market currently for this need.
• When you search for removing sand from surf boards, all that comes up are discussion forums with little help and mostly littered with complaints, how to remove the sand once you're at home, or kitchen scrub brushes.

Findings summary:

• Ideal skill level: moderate-advanced
• They don't surf enough if they're just a beginner
• Might not even have a board if they're super new to the sport
• Market might not be limited to surfers because all people hate sand, but I still think surfer's are our best focus

Conclusion: The market of moderate-advanced level, college aged surfers struggle with getting sand off of their boards before putting them into their cars, and there are no solutions directly targeting this issue found immediately on Google.