Concept Test

Why this matters for your decision

Concept tests help to turn many ideas into a few. They show which concepts are understood, which benefit arguments carry and where objections lie. Many companies have norm values for this that allow comparison over years.

It becomes more difficult with the question of whether a concept is chosen in the market. For new products, stated likelihood to buy is less closely linked to later sales than for familiar ones. In addition, respondents read a concept with an attention that no customer brings to it while scrolling, and they know they are being asked.

This is not a flaw of the method but its purpose: a concept test is meant to understand and compare, not to recreate a moment of purchase. It only becomes problematic when a scale value finds its way into the business case as a sales expectation.

How concept test and behavioural test fit together

A sensible sequence uses both: the concept test narrows the field and provides reasons, the behavioural test checks the final concepts that are actually meant to receive investment. Horizon shows these concepts as realistic offers via Google and Meta ads to people who do not know they are taking part in a test. Purchase intent is measured as a click, not as a scale value.

In this way the behavioural test complements the concept test rather than replacing it. The insights team keeps its method and gains an additional data point for the decision.

Example

A manufacturer tests four concepts for a compact air purifier. In the concept test, two concepts achieve a similar top-2 box for likelihood to buy (41% and 39%). In the subsequent Painted Door Test at an identical price, measured purchase intent is 2.7% and 1.6%.

The concept test cut the selection from four to two, and the behavioural test supported the decision between the two.

When a concept test alone is enough

For early phases with many ideas, for incremental developments of familiar products and for questions of comprehensibility, credibility or tone, the concept test is often the right tool. An additional behavioural test is needed above all when a lot of budget depends on the decision, the offer is new to the target group or the price is part of the question. That is exactly where the distance between stated and demonstrated purchase intent is hardest to estimate.

How it differs

A concept test measures stated preference, a Painted Door Test measures observed behaviour (revealed preference). Concept screening refers to the early, rough selection from many ideas. Conjoint analysis breaks an offer down into features and weights them, instead of rating whole concepts.

Limitations

The concept test is subject to the known biases of surveys: acquiescence bias, social desirability, answers without consequence. It is strong at understanding and narrowing down, weaker at reflecting market behaviour. The behavioural test, in turn, does not explain why a concept wins, and checks only a few variants at a time, up to six at Horizon.