Assignment 12A-Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Assignment 12A-Figuring Out Buyer Behavior No. 1

Choosing a segment: 

I have chosen the segment of horse owners that are willing and can afford the expense of whole horse removal and cremation. Included in this segment are my three interviewees: the first, an owner of a small farm with 16 privately owned horses bred or purchased for racing and showing, the second, a woman who boards her imported jumping horse at a facility in Ocala while running a company out of NYC, and the third, a local ambulatory equine vet whose duties sometimes include euthanasia and end of life decision consulting. I interviewed people who I imagined would use my service and share their experiences on social media. I chose the vet because he is in the position to guide owners toward services available for removal of remains.

Interviews:

INTERVIEW INFO

What I learned: 

I learned that this is not a subject that people were prepared to talk about. While everyone knows the inevitable death of their horses will put them in a position to deal with removal, the people I spoke to were somewhat prepared to do the unpleasant, and “try not to think of where the body was heading”. Upon hearing the offer of crematory services, my interviewees responded positively and agreed that “Absolutely, cremation would be the obvious choice”. The horse owners reported that they are greatly influenced by fellow horse owners, they are constantly seeking advice and referrals from one another for various services. They felt the idea would spread like wildfire. I estimated the top end of the price range and these particular owners pointed to the fact that a certain level of horse-ownership is extremely expensive, cremation would be consistent with that fact.

How I would describe this segment: 

I would describe this crowd as middle-class to wealthy horse owners, highly influenced by choices and experiences of fellow horse people. They are emotionally invested and consider their animals as family. They are accustomed to paying top dollar for services and see aftercare as no exception.