With the number of choices that buyers have, in any category, an offering must be noticed before it is even tried. That is why products must be tested from inception (concept testing) to rollout throughout the development process. Research can actually speed up time to market by measuring consumer behavior based on hypothetical product introductions. So product offering shifts can be made earlier in the development cycle. For new product rollouts, research can answer:

• Will consumers purchase the new product?
• Do sales steal share from portfolio or from competitors?
• Does product introduction grow the category?

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