1) The lack of places to dispose of dog waste while on walks.
2) People walking their dogs in neighborhoods are unable to easily dispose of dog waste bags during their walks because there is no place to put them.
3) The Who: The main people who need this are those who walk their dogs in neighborhoods and anywhere else where it is not easy to find a trash can. This usually ends up in the poop being left on the ground.
The What: The need is only there when the person is on a longer walk, which is more in style as people are more self-conscious and wish to "get their steps in".
The Why: People do not want to carry around a dog bag of warm poop. Some people do not believe it is necessary to pick up the poop, because after all, it is "free fertilizer". Also, when on a walk, some people enjoy using it as an exercise opportunity while having fun on their phones. Carrying a doggy bag usually takes up a hand, so by freeing up both hands, the walk is more enjoyable.
4) From the information I received from the interviews, it seems the problem is not prevalent in Gainesville for students. When a student does have a dog, the walk is easy where ever students go because there are constantly stores and trashcans. It seems the problem arises for people in neighborhoods - not the city parts. Additionally, people who live right next to dog parks - or people who have lots of land - would not have this problem. When people do have the problem, they usually go along with their problem. They do not see why things should change and they deal with what they are going through. Overall, this does not seem to be something that consumers would buy for themselves. Everyone is on the same page that poop should be disposed of rather than left on the ground because people might step in the waste. Also, poop often holds bacteria which may have the potential of spreading illness to other dogs.
5) I realized there is an opportunity, though it might not be as easy as someone may perceive it to be upon first glance. My main target would not be college students, but rather a more densely populated dog owner community. Tampa would be a great area.
Hello again, I can see why your interviewers would respond the way they did, gainsville is a very dog friendly place especially when it comes to accommodations for our furry friends. I can't relate to the issue not being existent at all like some of your interviewers say. I live in an apartment complex that only allows ESA animals and service animals so they do not have accommodations to being dog friendly. I would use your product since, my problem with picking up dog poop is the lack of trash access in my area. I think this product has a market for people in areas that aren't so pet friendly or on long trips into the woods or long walks.
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