Running Head: PRODUCT RESEARCH 1

Product Research and Deliverables

Johnny Crespo

Full Sail University

PRODUCT RESEARCH 2

The product I decided to choose is a transparent design dad hat for Sara Gomez. To

further elaborate, there will be two designs that will be on the hat, but one is a hidden design that

can be seen at an angle. Sara’s musical moods shift from the different styles she amplifies

through her career so far. When creating merch and brainstorming ideas, I wanted to bring

something that will best represent Sara and what she does with her brand. This would be a great

concept for a product considering that the music on the artwork created is all separate sounding

pieces. One song she will have high notes hitting the falsetto registers, so slow and blues style

tempo. To support my decision, I took the time to look through the psychographic segment of her

fanbase, and I found that Sara has a pretty substantial following in Miami, FL. The advantage for

her compared to other artists is she managed to get a grasp into the fashion trends here in the

United States, which is different from back at home in Venezuela. ReverbNation guest Patrick

McGuire talks about knowing who your fans are, and also know where they are coming from in

the geographical aspect. He goes on to list that this is highly beneficial for resonating with your

audience to generating more sales. “Once you get an idea who your fans are and why your music

means something to them, you’ll have an easier time knowing what to say to them. Everything

from promoting your releases to talking with your fans after shows will feel more natural if you

can get a good idea of just who likes your music and why” (McGuire, 2018).
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Two manufacturers selected for my product are “The Studio” and “Thread bird”. Starting

with The Studio, their manufacturing costs are based off in bulk prices. You have to purchase a

minimum quantity of 50 units for $305.00. I requested a quote for an example from both

websites to get some figures. It would cost $6.30 per unit if we ordered the 50-unit package,

however, there are special deals where you supposedly save a percentage if you were to order a

larger quantity. For this instance, we will use the 150-unit package, which costs $560.50. The

manufacturer will charge us $3.75 per unit with this package. Once the order is placed, it will

take approximately 15-60 business days upon the receipt of payment, to have the units

manufactured and shipped to us. The Studio mentions in their email that the team is very

communicative during the design process and will even send free samples along with images of

how the designs are coming along. It’ll cost approximately $65.00 to ship our package, with

standard shipping. Express will cost substantially higher, but the manufacturer did not list that in

the email. The processes used to print the designs and manufacture the hats are Regular

Embroidery, 3D Embroidery, Applique Embroidery, and Woven/stitching patches. Lastly, the

material will be 100% Cotton.

For Thread Bird, their prices are more on the expensive side. It costs $272.80 for just 10

units, which is based at $27.28 per unit. This is the minimum number of units required to order.

They do offer bulk packages for a discount on every unit, but it will be more expensive due to

the overall quantity regardless. For this instance, we will have to order the 200-Piece package.

The cost is at a tremendous $1440.00, with each unit only charged at $7.20. This manufacturer

also uses 100% Cotton with the embroidery/stitching processes for creating headwear. They

don’t emphasize on the other processes they use to create 3D images. The manufacturing and

shipping process estimate before the hats are in our hands will take 10-30 business days. The
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manufacturer emphasizes that their shipping is covered in the overall cost, so no additional fees

are found in that department.

When it comes to choosing a manufacturer, I will have to go with The Studio. Comparing

these two, right off the bat the price difference is pretty substantial. We, unfortunately, don’t

have the budget to support such costs estimating upwards of $1500. I also thought about how

things could go wrong and maybe the embroidery on the hats might come out looking different

than expected. There are some risks associated with ordering from online manufacturers to begin

with, and that’s before it hits the shelves at retailers. There is always the lingering question like

“what if this doesn’t sell as much as we project?”. Another reason I chose The Studio is because

of the detail when it comes to their embroidery process. It gives me more trust in them that

they’ll do a great job with creating the design. They also list other products they have created as

a reference to their new clients. Thread Bird doesn’t detail much about the different processes

they use to create the hats. Lastly, most hats are made of cotton, so the material wasn’t a big

driver for making my decision. I want a safe and secure manufacturer who can help me save

money and is very communicative during the design process.

When selling our merchandise, we want to base it in the same area where Sara Gomez is

based at currently, which is Miami, FL. For our physical brick and mortar retailer, I decided to

distribute the products through Sky Boutique, a vintage clothing store in Downtown Miami. It is

a hip and buzz shop that carries vintage designer brands, and the latest trends. It’s a popular

location for Sara Gomez’s target market, which is young, Hispanic males and females within the

age range of 19-25. For our online retailer, I chose to distribute through

https://www.karmaloop.com/. I chose the Sky Boutique because they are very low profile, and

easy to access for the hub of Sara’s fanbase. Like mentioned, it is where most of her target
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market is already shopping, so it would make sense for accessibility. We don’t want to have her

fans going somewhere out of the area or an out-of-town retailer. The shop is conveniently

located near the beaches and shopping centers, where her target market usually hangs out in the

after-hours. The online retailer was chosen because Sara’s fans are into Forever 21, Urban

Outfitters, and Adidas. The retailer sells brands that are identical and/or similar to these flagship

brands that Sara Gomez’s fans are into. Driving them to the retailers can be in the form of local

performances featuring Sara Gomez since she lives in Miami. We can promote her product at

shows in small venues, so her fans can be made aware of where to purchase her merchandise.

I would charge $7.99 for a wholesale price, and $17.99 for suggested retail price.

Multiply these figures by 150, since we are selling 150 products, and we can pull in over or just

about $2000. With this in mind, we also want to give ourselves some room to work with. I would

project our sales to be around 120-140 units, for more realistic conditions. This would still give

us a great profit. While we do this, the retailers can have the option to do key stoning, so they

can double the price of the products. It won’t be too much of an expensive item for fans since

they pay around these prices for their clothing and other products from their favorite brands. At

the beginning of her international career, Sara Gomez will not be selling the product at her

shows. Within two to five years however, we like to start selling products at her concerts once

she grows her fanbase a little bit more. In this case, the price will be at $12.99 per hat. Giving a

little discount at the show is an incentive for the fans attending the live production, making it

affordable for everyone.

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References

Boutique, F. (n.d.). Fly Boutique. Retrieved August 18, 2019, from

http://www.flyboutiquevintage.com/

K. (n.d.). Streetwear Clothing, Footwear, and Accessories - Karmaloop.com. Retrieved August

18, 2019, from https://www.karmaloop.com/

McGuire, P. (2018, September 28). 3 Effective Techniques For Connecting With Your

Audience. Retrieved August 18, 2019, from https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2018/09/3-

effective-techniques-for-connecting-with-your-audience.html

Studio, T. (n.d.). Custom Hats, Caps & Beanies: The/Studio. Retrieved August 18, 2019, from

https://www.thestudio.com/hats/

T. (n.d.). FAQs. Retrieved August 18, 2019, from https://www.threadbird.com/faqs