The role of market research in the commercialization of technology

Abstract

The objectiv eof this report is to provide information on available empirical work that describes criteria used by the residential consumer market in selectign energy and energy-related products. This market is important to the US Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Building and Community Services (OBCS), which sponsors the developement of many energy-conserving technologies ultimately used by the residential consumer. In this report, the consumer decision-making process is described, and case studies are presented to illustrate the importance of conducting systematic market research in the early stages of the technology-development process. Consumer decision making is examined through a discussion of the steps of the decision-making process: problem recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, and purchase decision. Post-purchase behavior and its implications to the OBCS and to commercial marketing research are also discussed. The four case studies that are presented in this report illustrate the importance of market research in building energy loss, lighting, water heating, and refrigeration: (1) low-emissivity (low-E) windows; (2) long life light bulbs; (3) heat pump water heaters; and (4) energy efficient refrigerator-freezer.