A national workwear brand
- Sector
- Retail and manufacturing
- Duration
- 2 weeks
- Methods
- 10 in-person sessions combining unboxing, fitting, walking evaluation and before-and-after price reveal ratings
The question
The brand’s design and innovation team wanted an independent view of how their safety boot compared with three primary competitors. What do buyers actually notice, value and pay for, without a salesperson in the room?
What we did
We ran 10 in-person sessions with no sales involvement. Participants unboxed, fitted and walked in all four boots, then rated each one before and after seeing the price. Sessions were recorded and edited into video highlight reels.
What we found
Findings were ranked into five themes: comfort, fit, quality signals, brand trust and price sensitivity. The price reveal showed where perceived quality and price lined up, and where they didn’t.
What changed
The design and innovation team received a direct set of product and positioning recommendations, backed by footage of real buyers making their judgements in the moment.
Perceived quality and price didn't always line up. The price reveal showed exactly where.