The high-efficiency laundry metering and marketing analysis (THELMA) project: Volume 8 -- Product benefits and target markets. Final report
- Dethman and Associates, Seattle, WA (United States)
- Hagler Bailly Consulting, Inc., Madison, WI (United States)
- SBW Consulting, Inc., Bellevue, WA (United States)
The High-Efficiency Laundry Metering and Marketing Analysis (THELMA) project is gathering information to help transform the US clothes washer market from vertical-axis machines to the more energy- and water-efficient horizontal-axis (H-axis) washers. THELMA was established by EPRI and 28 utilities and other organizations as a Tailored Collaboration program involving lab testing, qualitative and quantitative consumer research, and in-home metering of conventional and H-axis equipment. This report presents the results of a market research survey of the general US population and 12 subpopulations conducted using a combination of telephone and mail survey procedures. Nearly 5,400 households participated in the telephone survey; 1,725 of these households completed an additional mail survey and laundry diary. The respondents provided information on their demographics, existing washing machines, factors influencing washer purchases, attitudes toward clothes washing, and the likelihood of purchasing any of six hypothetical washer models with randomly generated features. The laundry diary recorded the household`s laundry behavior for a one-week period. The results indicate that high price is the biggest barrier to increased market share, and that manufacturer/dealer reputation is the next most important factor guiding purchases. In the current market, the customer segments most likely to adopt H-axis technology are: couple households with children under age 10, households with annual incomes of $40,000--$74,999, and customers with at least a college/technical school degree.
- Research Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); Dethman and Associates, Seattle, WA (United States); Hagler Bailly Consulting, Inc., Madison, WI (United States); SBW Consulting, Inc., Bellevue, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Electric Power Research Inst., Palo Alto, CA (United States); USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 10140595
- Report Number(s):
- EPRI-TR-109147-V8; ON: UN99003333; NC: NONE; TRN: AHC29927%%285
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Aug 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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