Criteria for Success in New Product Development for Consumer Goods: A Comparative Study

A very high proportion of new consumer products fail to reach their sales targets and are withdrawn. This is despite apparently rigorous and expensive testing procedures prior to launch. In this article the launch of two alcoholic beverage products in the UK is studied. One was a success while the other was a failure and the reasons for both cases are examined. What emerges is that it is dangerous to cut corners in the accepted testing techniques for new products.