How to evaluate concepts
Concept evaluation is not about asking consumers whether they like a concept. It is about understanding which attributes drive preference, what separates the concept from alternatives, and whether enough people accept the price point.
Most concept tests centre on general appeal - 'do you like this concept?'. The problem is that general appeal rarely predicts market success. A concept everyone finds 'somewhat good' can lose to one that a defined target audience loves.
Reflect evaluates concepts by decomposing the decision: which attributes drive choice? Where does the concept differ most from existing alternatives? And crucially - is there a price level at which the concept is accepted without eroding perceived value?
This approach ties concept testing directly to business decisions, not just appeal scores.
Key takeaways
- General appeal rarely predicts success
- Decompose into attribute drivers, differentiation and price acceptance
- Avoid binary yes/no tests, measure trade-offs
- Conjoint provides better decision support than top-box scales
- Always tie the test to a specific decision context
Example
A food manufacturer tested three new concept variants using top-box scales. All three scored similarly. When we used conjoint analysis instead, one concept showed significantly higher price elasticity margin - customers were willing to pay 12% more without volume loss.
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