Know-How Exchange : Customer Behavior

To add: Hello Kitty is an old 80's theme brought back to live by the Asian anime and trend stylists. A high-tech product with Hello Kitty may do well in Asain countries, but I would do some serious testing if you plan to ditribute elsewhere.

As Jim suggested, perhaps some kind of nylar, spandex, leather, vinyl, or neoprene sleeve would be better served in the US markets. Hello Kitty is making a come back, but a small one, and usually restricted to the 20-30 something eccentric adults who wish to be nostalgic. Some little girls are using the products, but most are sold in anime comic book/gift shops and other "underground" boutiques.

I would suggest something more popular like a classy leather, or more popular character licensing to attract college kids (Comic book heroes, Rock bands, etc).

Good Luck!

The appearance change a lot and you will need to be in constant changing. Can you handle it? Review how to do it (Example: now you can change the cellular phones appearance,..).

Remember that if the competence could very quickly copy the software and hardware, they could do the same with the appearance. What will be your long term advantage? Or, are you going to change your business? Not to sell computers, but appearance things, and be the provider of different brands?

It will be an opportunity if you could related the appearance and the computer functions, example: "easy to use, or travel in the fantastic world of comics, or design your heroes, or develop a movie, or have fun,...".

Bye,

Juan Carlos

Maybe there's a different, more flexible opportunity here. I remember a few years ago someone marketing bike helmet covers. They fitted any helmet, were made of some stretchy breathable fabric and were elasticated to stay in place. They allowed people to totally change the appearance of a $60 - $200 item with a slip-on, $15 item. And if the kids wanted a different character, they could easily slip on a new cover for only $15. The bike helmet still worked exactly the same way.

Maybe you can rethink what market you are in. Do you really want to be in notebooks? Maybe you are getting into the "customisable cover for notebooks" market - I'm guessing as the first mover.

Hope this is food for thought.

ChrisB

PS if you're firmly entrenched in the notebook market and are fervently searching for a point of difference, maybe offering themed covers or bags would be a cheaper way to test your theory about Hello Kitty without permanently characterising the expensive component (the notebook)