Optimizing product positioning and comprehensive shopper research

The challenge

PackIt, a category leader in on-the-go food and beverage coolers, needed to refresh their baby bottle cooler packaging following a product line refresh.  Across its product portfolio, PackIt uses unique, built-in gel pack technology that removes the need for separate ice packs.  Despite offering superior technology within the category, the brand was concerned that its on-package content was not clearly communicating the benefits – especially when marketing to busy parents.  

Previously, without a direct connection to retail shoppers, PackIt didn’t have a way to validate messaging and creative concepts to in-market shoppers at its largest retail partners.  And it wasn’t just packaging on the table – the brand was also looking to re-evaluate product line pricing to ensure shoppers were seeing a clear value.

"In addition to content, pricing has been one of the biggest topics in PackIt strategy sessions. Because of our innovative cooling technology, the cost of our product is higher – so it's crucial that the value proposition comes through clearly to consumers," explained Michelle Bowes, VP of Brand + Marketing at PackIt.

The solution

PackIt partnered with Stackline to implement a comprehensive Shopper OS Research program, leveraging Stackline's verified purchaser audience and Strategic Insights group.

To start, Stackline's Strategic Insights team designed and deployed a custom survey to over 400 shoppers who had made verified purchases within core baby categories at Target and Walmart.  This ensured responses came from genuinely engaged parents and caregivers – rather than general consumers.

The research evaluated four distinct packaging concepts, testing both imagery preferences and messaging approaches. PackIt discovered that a majority of respondents preferred a certain product concept, validating their creative direction.  More importantly, the research revealed that duration of cooling emerged as the top priority, with a super-majority of respondents selecting extended cooling ability as their most important feature. The team discovered that traditional pain points like "separate ice packs" were actually minor concerns for most shoppers, indicating PackIt should focus messaging on positive benefits rather than negating perceived problems.

Building on these product preference insights, Stackline implemented advanced Van Westendorp pricing methodology, asking the same verified baby product purchasers to identify four key price thresholds where their perception of the product changed. This approach eliminated researcher bias and revealed authentic willingness-to-pay ranges from actual customers who understood the product's core value proposition.

The optimal pricing analysis identified a clear price point that maximized customer appeal, with a recommended range providing the best balance of customer appeal and revenue potential. Significantly, a slightly higher price point emerged as a strong secondary option, offering nearly equivalent revenue potential with higher margins and more room for promotions—critical insight for a brand where production costs are elevated due to built-in gel technology.