12A – Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

[Reminder: the unmet need- the need to learn technology due to the lack of teachers, usually among older individuals]
I've completed three interviews with individuals who possess this unmet need about their behavior process. I specifically asked about their need awareness and how they tried searching for solutions.

Need Awareness 
All three individuals I interviewed cannot pinpoint an exact time when they realize that they experienced this unmet need. However, they generally believe that their need arose when they realized that they can achieve something with the use of technology, but cannot due to knowledge constraint. One of these interviewees knew that being able to sell online would be easier, but was unsure of how to do so on sites like eBay. The other two interviewees revealed to me that language is a large factor playing into their unmet needs. Because English is their second language, they cannot understand certain terms and phrases that are associated with technology. There is also a general realization of this need when they are required to access technology. One example I can give is when trying to upload or download files, one of the three finds difficulty in trying to locate and send the file to a different location.

Information Search
A common solution my interviewees tried was asking for help from one of their relatives. This is usually through calling a relative. Other solutions they mentioned was trying to learn on their own through online resources, however, they find that it is not easy when they run into variations. Since they are not always able to receive help, one has to bear the inconvenience of doing it in person. One example they provided was providing a file for insurance discounts. However, because they did not know how to operate the scanner function on their printer, they had to hand in the file in-person for the insurance agent to copy themselves.

Based on these three interviews, I find that basing my market on finding people who need to sell online is too narrow. I've learned that there are individuals who could have avoided inconvenience if they possessed the knowledge and experience to do so. Instead, I should broaden my market to reach those who wish to make their life easier through the use of technology.