Market research for UK expansion - consumer products
Budget: $50 – $0 AUD
Overview:
We currently supply continence management consumables to the Australian market using a direct-to-consumer model. We are looking to expand into the UK, bringing with us deep ecommerce skills and experience, and an exceptional product range with great supplier relationships. We are looking to engage a specialist consultant to research the UK market and to help us identify how best we should tailor our offer specifically for a UK audience.
Of specific importance is that we offer subscriptions as a key part of our offer in Australia. We supply mostly to consumers, skewed female, mostly in the 50-70 year old age group. Our service sets us apart.
Deliverables:
You will deliver a market research report for us including:
- Competitor Landscape:
a) Who are the main retailers where incontinence products are sold - major supermarket and pharmacy. Provide the top 4 supermarkets and 3 pharmacy groups
b) Who are the major online independent retailers of incontinence products (ie excluding the online offering of the above supermarkets and pharmacies) and other than amazon.co.uk
c) Key brands each of these offer (looking for common brands and also unique own/home brands)
d) Pricing comparison:
i) Focused on two categories:
- Disposable pants (women or unisex), standardise on size large
- Highest absorbency pad (typically overnight or Maxi Plus level pad)
ii) Identify the most popular products in each of these categories that seem to be consistent across all or most of the retailers and note for each - price per pack (total price and price per piece and also price per bulk pack (how many in bulk pack, total price per bulk pack and price per piece in bulk)
iii) Cost of delivery or minimum spend to get free delivery
e) Are you able to identify any particular competitive advantages for each retailer - what is their Unique Selling Proposition (if you can tell?)
i) What are their key value propositions? (e.g. subscriptions, 24x7 service, free delivery, low prices, ...)
- The Total Market:
a) If possible, split between low need and moderate-to-high need
b) Market size
c) Age demographics
- Operational Considerations:
a) Identify at least 2 3PL (third party logistics operations) within England - preferably close to the chunnel (i.e. closer to Europe where our stock comes from) and build a simple model of what our stock handling and delivery would cost, including:
i) Receiving
ii) Storage
iii) Pick and pack
iv) Delivery across the UK
- For regular and express deliveries (what do these look like?)
- With same day dispatch (what are the cutoff times approx)
v) Returns costs back to the warehouse, assume 2% returns
vi) For a sales mix of:
- 70% full cartons of 50 x 40 x 40cm, weight 6kg
- 30% satchels of 1.5kg
b) The approximate costs of an in-country customer support team, made up of:
i) Manager
ii) Customer service staff members (to scale with orders)
iii) Admin/finance assistant
- Commercial / Government:
a) Taxes and duties affecting both disposable and reusable continence management aids
i) Understanding laws around VAT both on import to UK from Europe and also on sales to end customers
b) Any relevant government disability or aged care assistance schemes that fund people in need to remain independent and out of care facilities (looks like certain people can get incontinence products through the NHS - not sure how prevalent this is and how many people qualify). How do suppliers adhere and/or participate in these schemes?
NOTE: any reference to any company or product please put a link so easy for us to find that page used.
This will be delivered as a document and presentation.
We currently supply continence management consumables to the Australian market using a direct-to-consumer model. We are looking to expand into the UK, bringing with us deep ecommerce skills and experience, and an exceptional product range with great supplier relationships. We are looking to engage a specialist consultant to research the UK market and to help us identify how best we should tailor our offer specifically for a UK audience.
Of specific importance is that we offer subscriptions as a key part of our offer in Australia. We supply mostly to consumers, skewed female, mostly in the 50-70 year old age group. Our service sets us apart.
Deliverables:
You will deliver a market research report for us including:
- Competitor Landscape:
a) Who are the main retailers where incontinence products are sold - major supermarket and pharmacy. Provide the top 4 supermarkets and 3 pharmacy groups
b) Who are the major online independent retailers of incontinence products (ie excluding the online offering of the above supermarkets and pharmacies) and other than amazon.co.uk
c) Key brands each of these offer (looking for common brands and also unique own/home brands)
d) Pricing comparison:
i) Focused on two categories:
- Disposable pants (women or unisex), standardise on size large
- Highest absorbency pad (typically overnight or Maxi Plus level pad)
ii) Identify the most popular products in each of these categories that seem to be consistent across all or most of the retailers and note for each - price per pack (total price and price per piece and also price per bulk pack (how many in bulk pack, total price per bulk pack and price per piece in bulk)
iii) Cost of delivery or minimum spend to get free delivery
e) Are you able to identify any particular competitive advantages for each retailer - what is their Unique Selling Proposition (if you can tell?)
i) What are their key value propositions? (e.g. subscriptions, 24x7 service, free delivery, low prices, ...)
- The Total Market:
a) If possible, split between low need and moderate-to-high need
b) Market size
c) Age demographics
- Operational Considerations:
a) Identify at least 2 3PL (third party logistics operations) within England - preferably close to the chunnel (i.e. closer to Europe where our stock comes from) and build a simple model of what our stock handling and delivery would cost, including:
i) Receiving
ii) Storage
iii) Pick and pack
iv) Delivery across the UK
- For regular and express deliveries (what do these look like?)
- With same day dispatch (what are the cutoff times approx)
v) Returns costs back to the warehouse, assume 2% returns
vi) For a sales mix of:
- 70% full cartons of 50 x 40 x 40cm, weight 6kg
- 30% satchels of 1.5kg
b) The approximate costs of an in-country customer support team, made up of:
i) Manager
ii) Customer service staff members (to scale with orders)
iii) Admin/finance assistant
- Commercial / Government:
a) Taxes and duties affecting both disposable and reusable continence management aids
i) Understanding laws around VAT both on import to UK from Europe and also on sales to end customers
b) Any relevant government disability or aged care assistance schemes that fund people in need to remain independent and out of care facilities (looks like certain people can get incontinence products through the NHS - not sure how prevalent this is and how many people qualify). How do suppliers adhere and/or participate in these schemes?
NOTE: any reference to any company or product please put a link so easy for us to find that page used.
This will be delivered as a document and presentation.