Robotic Mowers: A Winning Business Idea?
A new type of gadget is popping up - the robotic lawn mower. Is this product with all of its bells and whistles providing enough benefits to homeowners?
Value Innovation Associates' research shows that while many consumers can see the functional benefit derived from this product (e.g., helps save time) they have significant emotional concerns that are inhibiting growth of this product offering.
Some consumers are concerned that this product will not produce good results (i.e., nicely groomed lawns) when compared to traditional lawn mowers. Others are concerned about safety (will this run over my cat?), reliability (will it break often?), serviceability (how do I get it fixed?) and even how to protect the product from being stolen when it sits in their yards unattended.
Until suppliers address all of the key elements across the Buyer Experience Cycle, it is unlikely that demand for the current version of these products will grow significantly. If you would like to learn more about our research and how Value Innovation Associates can help you to create new market space with offerings that consider the full buyer experience, please contact us.