Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 2

Segment: 
I chose a segment of established business leaders. All three of my interviews were with people who own a business.

Alternative evaluation
From the interviews, I learned that people who own companies are very picky with what they sell. The boutique owner I interviewed said she would need to see a really good leather alternative before considering switching over and that the price would be a huge factor. She and the other business owners I interviewed all said they have guidelines they follow when selecting items to sell since it is a portrayal of their business. From these interviews, I learned that price and quality are the main factors.  

How/where do they buy?
I learned that business owners are more likely to select the products they want online or if they see something in a store they really connect with, but mostly they do all their picking online.  

Post-purchase:
What seems to matter most about the business owners when selecting items to sell is price, quality, and making sure the product will be appealing to customers. The main objective for business owners is pleasing their customers to make sure they stay in business. They would be willing to sell a leather alternative if they believe their customers will appreciate and buy it. The quality has to be in line with their standards and the price has to be acceptable. 

Interview:
I talked to the man who owns a small boutique in Fort Lauderdale and asked him what he thought of my product idea and if he would be willing to invest in a leather alternative. I talked with him about the different ways in which leather is bad for our environment and he showed some concern. He said it would be hard for him to switch over completely since his customers come for specific items and he might lose business, but he said he would be willing to incorporate the product into some of his items. The woman who is the manager of a department store said she thought my idea was really interesting but showed the same concern as the man I initially interviewed. Some customers might get upset about a changing product. The owner of the shoe store was very interested in the uniqueness of using fruit as a leather alternative and said she would be interested in using it for her handmade items, but said it might be difficult to sell to big corporations due to the societal norm of leather in products.

Conclusion:
All in all, this segment opened my eyes to different features and possibilities of the product. Over anything else, the faux leather needs to be perfect in order for people to consider it. I should go to a place that already sells a leather alternative and considers what can be improved on in terms of material, texture, and the product. If I have a product to compare to and improve on, it would make the product better.