Figuring out Buyer Behavior 1

1.     My segment is college students who Smoke in any capacity whether it is tobacco or cannabis.

2.     Interviews:

o   Interview 1: A college male who smokes cigarettes

My interviewee started off by saying that he is bothered during summer by the immense heat that you feel in Gainesville, Florida. He says that sometimes when he wants a cigarette he dreads the thought of sweating profusely just to go outside and do something that he enjoys and that helps him relax. He also is aware that when he does smoke and then goes to social events or out to midtown that his friends will tell him that he smells like stale smoke. He says this is frustrating because him smelling like smoke may inhibit his ability to meet and become friends with new people. When asked about what he does to fix these problems he stated that there is no great way to fix the problem of having to be in the heat other than trying to stand in the shade. On the other hand, he says that for the smell of smoke he often must chew gum constantly and wear copious amounts of cologne to even attempt to mask the smell. One thing I did not consider that he brought to my attention is that his car often smells like smoke and this is something that not only smells bad but lowers the value of the car if he ever wants to sell it or trade it in. He says he has used Ozium spray in his car to help with the scent and it is somewhat effective but not effective enough for his liking.

o   Interview 2: A college female who smokes cigarettes

This interview really focused more on the social aspect of this problem because as a girl my interviewee said that she felt like smoking was more frowned upon then for men. For this reason, she said that she must take many extra steps after smoking to not smell bad so that people will not look at her in a negative way. She says that she purposely stops smoking before she goes out anywhere that she will be around other people that do not smoke. She takes a shower during this time and makes sure she has fresh cleaned clothes. She says this is frustrating because it takes up a lot of her time before going out, but also because she likes to be able to smoke when she is out, especially if she is drinking. She says that she has tried just covering the smell with perfume that she carries in her purse in the past but that does not do enough to hide that she smokes.

o   Interview 3: A college male with an office job

This interview started off with this interviewee stating that one of his biggest frustrations about smoking was how it interfered with his work day. He said that there were only certain break times that he could go outside of the building to smoke and that it was usually very hot anytime but winter. He said that during these break times he sweats a lot and is very uncomfortable when he gets back to his desk to continue work because he feels sticky the rest of the day. He also talked about the fact that people in the workspace around him did not smoke and he often felt guilty because he knew he smelled like smoke and they may thin that it is gross. He says that he has also tried using cologne that he brings to work with him to cover the smell. He has the same problem that my other two interviewees had in that it does not completely eliminate the smell. Sometimes he thinks the blend of cologne and smoke is even more agitating.

Conclusion: This segment is very aware of their need. It seems as if all three of the people I interviewed worry about their need as it relates to my product every day. It seems like they have somewhat given up on information search and live with what semi-solutions they have now, but they know these solutions are not good enough for them.