The ScionLAB

[WilOTheWisp]

I was just invited to the ScionLab for my 10-Series FR-S. Apparently, they are still doing marketing research.

Wil-O

[tennisfreak]

Yep they still are. I have done 2 surveys for them this year already.

Sure wish they would give me something in return.

[PatSciFRS]

Yeah, you are supposed to be automatically entered in a sweepstake with a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card.

[dnieves]

Originally Posted by Justin.b

Market focus groups will ALWAYS produce garbage.

There was no focus group in the development of the FR-S/BRZ.

The company should know what they want to build and then build it. If the marketing department knew anything about cars, they'd be the engineering department or the design department. They're the marketing department. I'll seek their input if I'm looking for advice on the catalog layout.

-Justin

Do you think the Pontiac Aztek was something GM had in mind or the fault of focus groups?

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by FRiSson

It's funny about VW. VW has openly stated its desire to become the world's number one automaker. However, VW's worst enemy has always been itself. Although it designs advanced and practical products, it has never managed to bring high quality to its manufacturing practices. It not only consistently lapses behind other automakers, but continues to bedevil owners with small annoying problems that diminish the "ownership experience." Whatever the cause of the problem is, VW is unable to come to terms with it. Its cars remain problematic, and in relative terms, unreliable.

The funny thing is that 30 years ago, VW had a reputation as being incredibly high quality for the money. They made light, fun FWD vehicles that lasted forever. I think their quality went downhill when they moved their factories to other countries.

[mid_life_crisis]

Originally Posted by Justin.b

My favorite Market research story involves the Miata. Mazda and Ford have had a close relationship for a long time and back in the 80's when Mazda was thinking of bringing the Miata over, they offered it to Ford as well as a sister vehicle setup (think FR-S/BRZ).

Ford told Mazda they were out of their minds. The Miata didn't have anything that their market research indicated a car should have. They informed Mazda that they were working on their own 2-seat convertible, one that met all the requirements of their research groups.

Has anyone seen one of these lately? I sure haven't.



-Justin

What the hell is it? My mind must be blocking any memories of it. Probably trying to protect me from the horror.

[MrDinkleman]

Found this thread after doing a search; I see the last response was a little over 2 years ago...

So, a few weeks after I bought my FRS (Oct. 2015), I received an email from this ScionLAB requesting I participate in their research "lab". Every few weeks they send me a questionnaire that I dutifully fill out and return.

I received another one today and it had the strangest question. They asked if I had any suggestions for future Scion products. Huh? Future Scion products? So I had to reply, "Scion has already announced they are going away. Is this a real question?"

Now I am beginning to wonder if this actually is some kind of scam...

[jpawl]

Same here. I am playing along with the surveys. It is odd that Scion is seeking input based on the Toyota brand name now.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jpawl

Same here. I am playing along with the surveys. It is odd that Scion is seeking input based on the Toyota brand name now.

Why is that odd? Scion is and always was Toyota anyway.

[MrDinkleman]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Why is that odd? Scion is and always was Toyota anyway.

Because they asked for suggestions for future Scion products, not Toyota products.


I did add after my question, that they needed to produce more RWD, M/T cars, though.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by MrDinkleman

Because they asked for suggestions for future Scion products, not Toyota products.


I did add after my question, that they needed to produce more RWD, M/T cars, though.

Ahhh gotcha then.

[Chimera]

Boiler plate stuff being sent by an automated system, potentially and probably outsourced. Some script somewhere gets fed sales data, emails you a survey, logs results in a database and spits out charts and suggestions.


That's my guess anyways.

Originally Posted by MrDinkleman

Because they asked for suggestions for future Scion products, not Toyota products.


I did add after my question, that they needed to produce more RWD, M/T cars, though.

[FRSBRZGT86FAN]

Originally Posted by Chimera

Boiler plate stuff being sent by an automated system, potentially and probably outsourced. Some script somewhere gets fed sales data, emails you a survey, logs results in a database and spits out charts and suggestions.


That's my guess anyways.

That's not a guess that's exactly how it works, I help write scripts like that all the time. It will probably keep sending out surveys well past when scion is dead and gone and some tech catches on

[Chimera]

Originally Posted by FRSBRZGT86FAN

That's not a guess that's exactly how it works, I help write scripts like that all the time. It will probably keep sending out surveys well past when scion is dead and gone and some tech catches on

it was an educated guess, I help write stuff like that too.