Product Development Process for CHOCCHICK Tall Baby Gate

Developing a tall baby gate requires thorough market research, which is a key step in creating a successful product. Here are some essential considerations for developing a tall baby gate.

Understand the overall size and growth potential of the baby safety gate market. Identify different market segments (e.g., household use, public places) and their specific needs and characteristics, such as safety, aesthetics, and durability.

Platforms: Amazon, eBay, Walmart, Target, Home Depot, YouTube
Research Focus: Analyze sales, user reviews, and ratings of safety gates. Study the features, materials, and price ranges of various brands and models. Understand consumer needs regarding safety, aesthetics, and ease of installation.

Platforms: Amazon (UK, Germany, France, etc.), eBay, Tesco, Carrefour, IKEA
Research Focus: Analyze sales and user feedback on safety gates in the European market. Understand consumer preferences and demand differences across countries and regions. Study mainstream products, focusing on their design and features. Familiarize with safety standards and regulatory requirements in each country, such as EN1930:2011.

Identify major competitors in the market and analyze their products’ strengths and weaknesses. Study competitors’ product features, materials, prices, etc., to find areas for improvement and innovation. Understand competitors’ market positioning and brand image, and identify target customer groups and market segments.

Existing Competitor Models:

1. Metal Safety Gates
2. Metal and Wood Composite Safety Gates
3. Plastic Safety Gates
4. Foldable Safety Gates
5. Retractable Safety Gates

Main Competitors: Regalo, Summer Infant, North States, Evenflo
Research Focus: Analyze competitors’ product features, materials, and functionalities. Study their market positioning and brand image. Understand their pricing strategies and sales channels.

Main Competitors: Lindam, BabyDan, Safety 1st, Hauck
Research Focus: Assess competitors’ product quality and innovation points. Analyze their market coverage and target customer groups. Study their marketing and sales strategies.

Study the consumer purchase decision process: understand information sources, evaluation criteria, purchasing channels, etc. Use methods such as surveys (targeting colleagues, family, friends, customers, etc.) to understand specific needs and preferences regarding the functionality, safety, and design of safety gates. Analyze consumer feedback to identify problems and improvement opportunities for existing products.

Key Needs and Conclusions:

1. Safety: Prevent accidental passage of children and pets; compliance with safety standards (e.g., double locks or child-resistant features).
2. Material and Durability: Ensure durability and resistance to rust and corrosion.
3. Ease of Installation and Use: Easy to install, non-damaging to walls, and easy to remove.
4. Aesthetic Design: Fashionable, minimalist designs that match home decor are more popular.
5. Price: Price is a critical factor in consumer decisions; products with high cost-performance ratios are more readily accepted.
6. Versatility: Multi-functional use in various settings is attractive (e.g., can be used as a safety gate or a playpen).
7. Special Features: Differentiate from standard models with unique selling points, such as:
   • Safety Alarm Feature: An alarm system triggers sound or light alerts when objects below 130 cm (e.g., children or small pets) are detected, also connectable to smart home security systems to send alerts to parents’ phones. Suitable for public places like kindergartens and daycare centers, providing additional safety measures.
   • Height Detection Feature: Automatically unlocks or partially opens when objects above 130 cm (e.g., adults) are detected, allowing smooth passage. Adjustable height threshold based on user needs, suitable for malls, hospitals, etc., offering intelligent passage solutions to enhance efficiency.

Discuss final requirements with designers and team members involved in the project to ensure consensus. Compile a detailed requirements document, specifying each function and design requirement to provide clear guidance for subsequent development.

Familiarize with safety standards and regulatory requirements in the target market to ensure product design and development compliance. (e.g., ASTM F1004 and 16CFR1239 for the US market, EN1930:2011 for the European market).

Conduct patent research to ensure the product design does not infringe existing patents. Consider applying for patents to protect innovative designs and prevent competitors from copying.

Study the price range of similar products in the market to determine a reasonable pricing strategy. Understand the price sensitivity of the target customers to ensure the pricing strategy meets consumer expectations.

Market Price Reference:

• US market safety gates typically range from $20 to $100.
• European market safety gates typically range from £20 to £80.

Conclusions:

1. A new basic tall baby gate priced at $12-$20 would be more competitive.
2. Add unique visual features (e.g., plastic appearance, pipe shapes, or color schemes).
3. Add other functional differentiators (e.g., integrated LED lighting for night use to enhance safety and convenience).

Estimate the development costs for product design, mold making, and sample production, as well as production and marketing costs. Ensure all cost factors are considered in pricing to guarantee a reasonable profit margin.

Cost Influencing Factors:

1. Material Cost: Includes the weight of plastic parts, thickness, weight, and shape of pipes.
2. Functionality: Safety gates with special features (e.g., sensor functions, dual locking mechanisms) are priced higher.
3. Surface Paint Color: Wood grain colors are much more expensive than standard black and white colors.

Determine the materials and dimensions needed for the tall baby gate fence, ensuring material safety, durability, and cost-effectiveness. Finalize the design draft.

Have the factory assess mold costs and product costs based on the design draft.

Mold Cost Factors:

1. Mold material and usage frequency (e.g., 200,000 cycles or 300,000 cycles).
2. Whether the plastic parts are single or multi-part molds; multi-part molds and multi-cavity molds are considered.
3. Pipe shape (custom-shaped pipe molds are more expensive).

Plastic part mold time typically takes around 45 days, and pipe mold time about 10-15 days, with additional time for post-mold adjustments. The overall product development cycle, from mold to product launch, is estimated to take 2 months to a year, depending on 3D prototyping evaluations and necessary adjustments for compliance with safety regulations.

For existing pipe fittings, 3D prototyping of plastic parts takes about 2-3 days. For custom pipe fittings, additional mold development is required, extending the sample cycle to 15-20 days.

Send 3D samples to testing agencies to evaluate compliance with relevant safety regulations and standards. (Commonly used global testing agencies include SGS, ITS (Intertek), BV (Bureau Veritas), and TÜV).

Based on feedback from the testing agency, make necessary adjustments and improvements to ensure the final product meets all regulatory requirements.

3D Sample Safety Evaluation Points:

• Chain test
• Gap distance
• Locking mechanism
• Structural stability

Limitations of 3D Sample Safety Evaluation:

• Strength and thrust tests cannot be conducted.