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Table of Contents
Executive Summery.................................................................................................................................................................. Introduction............................................................................................................................................................................. Problem Statement.................................................................................................................................................................. Objective Statement................................................................................................................................................................ Competitor Analysis................................................................................................................................................................. Overview of Competitor Profiles.......................................................................................................................................... UNIQLO............................................................................................................................................................................ Columbia.......................................................................................................................................................................... Comparison of Common Attributes..................................................................................................................................... Uniqueness...................................................................................................................................................................... Technology....................................................................................................................................................................... Conclusion........................................................................................................................................................................ Idea Generation....................................................................................................................................................................... Attribute Listing................................................................................................................................................................... Outcome.......................................................................................................................................................................... Evaluation........................................................................................................................................................................ SCAMPER............................................................................................................................................................................. Product Concept Description................................................................................................................................................... Introduction to Product....................................................................................................................................................... Availability for Purchase....................................................................................................................................................... Features............................................................................................................................................................................... Functions.............................................................................................................................................................................. Frequency of Usage.............................................................................................................................................................. Technology........................................................................................................................................................................... Comparison between BabySuit and competitor products................................................................................................... Market Identification............................................................................................................................................................... Price..................................................................................................................................................................................... Idea Evaluation........................................................................................................................................................................ SWOT Analysis..................................................................................................................................................................... Strengths.......................................................................................................................................................................... Weaknesses..................................................................................................................................................................... Opportunities...................................................................................................................................................................
Threats............................................................................................................................................................................. References............................................................................................................................................................................... Table Table 1: Comparison of Common Attributes............................................................................................................................ Table 2: Feature, Attributes and Ideas..................................................................................................................................... Table 3: SCAMPER Attributes................................................................................................................................................... Table 4: Idea Evaluation Data Collection Model...................................................................................................................... Table 1: Comparison of Common Attributes............................................................................................... 5 Table 2: Feature, Attributes and Ideas......................................................................................................... 6 Table 3: SCAMPER Attributes................................................................................................................... 7 Table 4: Idea Evaluation Data Collection Model....................................................................................... 10
Introduction
There is always a new product in the market, every now and then there would be a “new and improved” product that airs on the television or on the radio. This is the sign that technology is ever evolving, everyday items are being recreated into something much more than they normally would. In other terms, the world is becoming more innovative. It is the only way one can survive and thrive by winning over their consumers in the terms of creativity and practicality. The proposed product is a daily necessity for a baby – a piece of baby clothing. As there are many different types of baby apparel available now in stores, this one should be made differently. The clothing should have the function of thermal insulation, meaning that the baby can stay warm and at body temperature at all times. This concept will ease parents’ burden, possibly medical costs in the long run. A baby can be put into the clothing and be kept at optimal temperature at all times, even for long hours. To be innovative, the shirt and pants can be color customized according to the user. It will also have a GPS tracking system in the form of a chip at the top left pocket of the shirt, to help the parents monitor the baby easily.
Problem Statement
In this new era where people put emphasis on design and style, it is also important that the product itself is practical. Ordinary baby clothing simply does not have the functions of the proposed product and needs to be attended or changed frequently. With this new product, the baby can stay stylish and also comfortable at the same time.
Objective Statement
The concept product will be properly named as “BabySuit”, fitting its two-piece description of a suit. The objective of developing this product is to provide comfort for the baby and at the same time, ease the parents with their workload without having them to change the baby’s clothes frequently. A plus point is that it also has a stylish design and customizable according to the parent’s fancies. This will very likely create a new business opportunity and expand market diversification.
Competitor Analysis
A competitor analysis is a very crucial part of marketing, as it is where a company can determine whether their product is unique or what can be done to improve it to attract their target market[ CITATION Ent19 \l 1033 ]. The competitors of the BabySuit include Uniqlo and Columbia.
Overview of Competitor Profiles
UNIQLO
Uniqlo’s headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. It was first founded as a small men’s clothing shop in 1949, where it then expanded and was renamed Uniqlo in 1984. By April 1994, there were over 100 Uniqlo stores in Japan and has expanded to across the regions such as Australia, Canada, Singapore, United States and many more. It has also expanded its product range, from jackets to tees and baby products[ CITATION UNI19 \l 1033 ]. Figure 1 : Source[ CITATION UNI19 \l 1033 ]
Columbia
Columbia Sportswear Company is a United States company that specializes in outerwear and sportswear. It was originally founded in 1938 by Paul Lamfrom. The headquarters of Columbia is situated in Washington Country, Oregon- Texas. It has outlets in over 72 countries and more than 13,000 retailers. Figure 2 : Source[ CITATION Col19 \l 1033 ]
Uniqueness
The Uniqlo shirt is of a more vibrant color, with various designs. It has a free sizing, with suitable and stretchable materials so that it can fit toddlers of various sizes. However, the Columbia shirt is more of an outdoor shirt, where it is more suitably used in cold and chilling weathered places.
Limitation
The limitations of Uniqlo’s shirt are that it needs to be washed carefully as the fabric is soft and presumably more brittle. It has to be handled with care. The limitation of the Columbia shirt is that it is bulky and not suitable for wearing indoors.
Technology
Both brands have their own specific technology. Uniqlo’s technology is Heattech, where it provides thermal insulation by converting the vapor generated from the body into heat, and then retaining the heat in between the fiber of the shirt (Uniqlo, 2015). Columbia also has its own technology, named Omni-Tech™, which is waterproof and also conserves heat within the body.
Conclusion
Both products have its uniqueness and strongly fulfill its purposes. However, Uniqlo is the much better brand here as it can be worn casually, thus making it more suitable for toddlers. Columbia can adapt from their products and apply Uniqlo’s concept to create a new product and capture more market potential.
Idea Generation
Attribute Listing
Attribute listing is a suitable technique to ensure all aspects of a problem are examined and monitored. Attribute listing works like this; an initial problem is broken down into smaller and smaller parts. As a user progresses through attribute listing, he/she will discover more attributes. Table 2 : Feature, Attributes and Ideas Features Attribute Ideas Prints Design on shirt Attractive and suitable designs for toddlers Mobility Stationary Stretchable fabric Material Cotton/Nylon Easily washable, breathable fabric
GPS GPS chip Removable chip
Outcome
- Easily washable + removable chip + attractive designs
- Stretchable fabric + removable chip + easily washable
- Attractive designs+ easily washable + Stretchable fabric
Evaluation
After considerable evaluation, the best outcome would be number 1. A clothing which is easily washable, with a removable GPS chip and attractive designs would appeal to the target audience much more. Attribute listing techniques are very common and very effective when used for quality improvement, especially on complicated products, procedures or services. It can be used in conjunction with group discussions or brainstorming sessions, which will increase its effectiveness by allowing the researchers to study on one specific part of a product in order to gain more ideas.
SCAMPER
SCAMPER is a mnemonic that stands for
- Substitute
- Combine
- Adapt
- Modify
- Put to another use
- Eliminate
- Reverse SCAMPER is used to generate ideas for new products by encouraging a user to ask questions on how they can improve the existing product. The questions asked will help the user define the attributes in SCAMPER and solve their problems. Table 3 : SCAMPER Attributes Method Improvement Benefit Substitute Make it into a two-piece suit Easily removed Combine Combining science with Breathable clothing
Availability for Purchase
Because this is a clothing product, it can be started off just about anywhere. According to the existing technology curve, it would be ideal to start off in America, as they are known for being brand leaders in the clothing line industry already. Prototypes can be distributed to regions across the country for data collection and feedback from customers and retailers. The product can be sold either online of at local stores depending on the retailer’s preference.
Features
BabySuit has multiple features. It is mainly designed to keep the infant or toddler at optimal body temperature at all times. The clothing provides thermal insulation by converting sweat or vapor generated from the infant’s body and then retaining the heat between the fibers of the clothing. It is a perfectly safe and eco-friendly way to keep the baby safe at all times. It is easily removable and washable, as the GPS tracking chip has a clip-on mechanism that can be removed before washing the clothing. The GPS device acts as a defense mechanism and also a surveillance tool for parents who are always away from the baby.
Functions
BabySuit is created to help assist parents in the terms of not having the need to frequently change their babies clothing and also maintaining the temperature of the infant. The GPS locator helps with enabling the parents to monitor their baby even from work.
Frequency of Usage
The frequency of usage is expected to be daily as the child should be kept at optimal temperature at all times, even with a babysitter or not. The lifespan of the product is deemed to end at around 6 or 7 years old and it may start from as young as infancy, as the baby might outgrow the suit starting at ages 6 or 7.
Technology
There hasn’t been much technology regarding clothing in these few years. It isn’t entirely out of development though; companies such as Uniqlo have proven that they can come up with new and innovative products. By merging science and technology, there would be plenty of room in the future to develop clothing technology. This product may be simple, but it can be revolutionized in a few years and grow as time progresses. A working internet connection is
required to access the GPS locator on the clothing. With the capabilities of the internet implemented already on the chip, it opens up many opportunities to develop more complex and advanced systems into the clothing.
Comparison between BabySuit and competitor products
When compared to Babysuit, Columbia is incapable of matching as it is too thick and not suitable for a tropical climate country like Malaysia. Uniqlo has a better chance of competing with BabySuit, but it lacks the GPS technology that BabySuit has. This primary factor and its customizable colours and designs might just make BabySuit lead the market of baby apparel and clothing line in the near future.
Market Identification
The target market of the products are mostly parents and their toddlers, as toddlers cannot pick their own clothes yet, the parents will have to pick it out for them. The idea of the product is aforementioned to allow the baby to feel comfortable and also stylish at the same time. As a new product, not everyone may be interested, and even little people might even fork out that sum of money for just baby clothing. But with the extra features and the implementation of technology into it, it will be truly worth it. As it is popularized, the probability of the clothing will be prone to price dropping is very likely, as the technology will grow old.
Price
The price of the product shouldn’t be too cheap, but it cannot be too expensive either. This is because of the GPS chip implementation, which can cost quite a fortune to implement. A rough estimation of around RM70 per suit is considerable. If the product receives steady revenues from sales, there can be more features and/or designs added for the clothing.
Idea Evaluation
Table 4 : Idea Evaluation Data Collection Model Evaluation Questions Data Collection Methods Staff Questionnaire Lecturer Questionnaire Student Questionnaire What are the limitations of the proposed idea?
Opportunities
- More technology parts may be implemented (QR Code scanning etc).
- High value target market, as toddlers are centres of attention in family reunions & social gatherings.
Threats
- Other companies are very competitive
- Many consumers may not see the potential of the product
References
CITATION Ent19 \l 1033 : , (Entrepreneur, 2019), CITATION UNI19 \l 1033 : , (UNIQLO, 2019), CITATION Col19 \l 1033 : , (Columbia, 2019),
