To choose which variant to launch, put each candidate flavour, shade or size in front of every consumer segment and read which segment wants which one, and why. Variants rarely win with everyone. Testing shows which variant leads with the segment you most want to reach, and which one needs a different message. A Market Brain includes variant and concept tests.
Why test variants by segment?
Because variants answer different needs. In whey protein, Taste fixers judge a product by flavour, while Gut-led switchers want a version that sits well. In makeup, a shade range is only as good as the consumer’s ability to trust the shade: Try-first shade matchers test in store about 5.3 times as often as other consumers.
What can a variant test cover?
- Flavours and shades, and which to launch first.
- Sizes and trial formats, such as minis and sachets.
- Bundles of variants.
- The message that goes with each variant.
How do you decide from the result?
Pick the variant that leads with the segment you most want, check what the other segments say about it, and treat the result as ideas worth testing live. It reflects self-reported public discussion, not sales data and not a representative survey, so it will not tell you volumes per variant.
Test your variants at app.nextbigwhat.com, or read consumer research for D2C brands.
Frequently asked questions
How do I choose which flavour or shade to launch?
Test each candidate on every consumer segment and pick the one that leads with the segment you most want to reach.
Can I test sizes and minis?
Yes. Size, trial formats and bundles can be tested the same way.
Will it tell me how much of each variant to make?
No. It shows which segments want which variant and why, not volumes.
NextBigWhat builds a living model of your customer behavior, organized into meaningful consumer segments and grounded in market intelligence and customer evidence. Test your assumptions. Explore product decisions. Validate messaging. Know which ad drives better conversion – before wasting money.