48. Evaluating Baby Products to Earn Parents' Trust pt. 1 with Sharon Vinderine

Getting product feedback from your consumers can be tough, especially if you’re new to a market or launching a product. Parents can feel equally overwhelmed by the expanding field of options. According to mother, CEO, and company founder Sharon Vinderine, that’s exactly why Parent Tested Parent Approved (PTPA) exists. Sharon recently spoke with host Jack Hughes about how—and why—consumer testing has become vital for brands and consumers alike. In the first of two ‘Attached to Hygiene’ episodes, Sharon walks Jack through PTPA’s goals and methods for evaluating household products.

Parent Tested Parent Approved helps families choose wisely

New parents are chronically busy. They very much want to do what’s best for their babies, but new products and brands appear in the market all the time. Parents simply may not have the hours to research consumer reviews for every product. That’s where PTPA has found its niche. When there’s a PTPA seal of approval, parents can know it’s a product that’s been used, tested, and approved by consumers just like them.

How PTPA evaluates diapers and other products

The company has built a community of around 250,000 volunteer testers across North America. This diverse group comes from a number of sources. Some reach out after seeing Sharon’s TV appearances, whilst others discover the company online or on products and seek out additional information. Volunteer families provide details about what types of products they use, their demographics, and what they’d be willing to test.

When a manufacturer turns to PTPA for a review of their product, the company asks parents that use the product type if they’d be willing to participate. Those that say ‘yes’ are sent the item, such as a nursery set, a vacuum, or a month’s supply of diapers. Participant testers use the product regularly and fill out detailed, targeted questionnaires about the product’s performance and their experiences using it. Those responses are assessed to determine if the product is, indeed, parent-approved.

Earning and keeping the consumer’s confidence

Sharon and the rest of the Parent Tested Parent Approved team believe that trust is the most valuable currency brands have. That’s why they are meticulous about never awarding their seal of approval to products just because they’ve been asked—or paid—to do so. For example, one company sent them a series of products for testing, but not all received approval. The manufacturer agreed with the assessment, saying their R&D team identified the same issues, and the product was being withdrawn from the market whilst the problems were addressed. Yet, other consumer rating companies gave the product their endorsement. This is why it’s beneficial for families—and manufacturers—to know which consumer ratings are the most reliable and can be trusted day in and day out. It helps take the guesswork out of shopping and makes life easier.

Outline of the Episode

• [03:34] Product categories reviewed by PTPA
• [04:40] Helping consumers find great products, including challenger brands
• [06:40] Overview of the testing process and how it benefits manufacturers
• [10:24] Why not all awards and approvals are equally reliable
• [13:25] Building and utilising PTPA’s diverse community of testers
• [19:19] How the pool of testers is constantly refreshing itself
• [21:02] Earning and keeping credibility with parents and manufacturers
• [25:13] Why trust is the most valuable currency
• [28:38] Sharon’s recommendation on how to read product reviews online
• [30:09] Parents are looking for reliable endorsements now more than ever

Resources

You can find Sharon Vinderine on LinkedIn or leave her a message throu