Assignment 4A- Forming an Opportunity Belief

Beginning Point: E-commerce is on the rise, more and more people are doing their shopping online and getting their items delivered right to their front doors. With this increase in packages being delivered has come an increase in packages being stolen. Especially around the holidays, people are driving around neighborhoods and stealing these exposed packages from people’s homes. I believe there is an opportunity to create something to protect and stop these packages from being stolen.

Description of the Belief: 

·      Unmet Need: stop packages from being stolen

·      Who has the Need: Anyone who orders items from online and has them delivered to their home

·      Where did the Need Come from: This need has come with the rise of online ordering from sites like Amazon and fast fashion websites. More packages being delivered has led to more package left

·      What are People Doing to Meet the Need: Many people now have purchased doorbell devices that have cameras. These cameras don’t necessarily stop people from stealing, but it deters them slightly. Most individuals order packages and just hope they are not stolen. Delivery drivers try to hide packages near people’s front doors.

·      I am 80% that this is an opportunity that exists

Prototypical Costumer: Anyone who orders anything online. A large portion of the population from teens to adults.

Iteration #1:

Female age 21

Tam is a college student at the University of Florida. She said she is very aware of the need. She said packages have been stolen from houses back home in her neighborhood of Coral Gables, Florida. She said she has heard of people getting their packages sent to lockboxes in a certain location but says this isn’t as convenient as packages being delivered right to your door. She said although she knows there is a possibility that her packages could get stolen, this will not stop her from ordering things online.

Iteration #2:

Female age 53

Elizabeth is a mother of 2. She said she is not so much aware of the need, although she said she has seen a number of videos on Facebook of doorbell cameras showing packages being stolen by people. She said no one has ever stolen a package from her doorstep. She believes it is because she lives in a gated community, so not everyone can drive into her neighborhood unless they live there or are approved to come in. She said when she orders items online she never thinks that they will get stolen, but she said she has heard that the steps that need to be taken to report a stolen package are quite tedious and annoying.

Iteration #3:

Male age 31

Robert is a newly-wed who lives in the Gainesville area. He said he is completely aware of this need as he has had multiple packages stolen from his house before. He said that the delivery drivers always try to tuck his packages behind pots near his door or under his doormat but this doesn’t stop these thieves from taking his packages. He agrees that something needs to be created so packages cannot be stolen so easily as he said he is constantly ordering things on Amazon on a monthly basis. He said he is hesitant about ordering expensive items online due to the risk of them being stolen.

Reflection:

All three individuals I interviewed had either heard of this problem before or experienced it firsthand. I found it surprising that although everyone was aware of the risk that their packages could be stolen from them, they all agreed that this would not deter them from online ordering. The convenience of ordering online and getting something delivered directly to you without having to leave your home is a luxury we are all pretty much accustomed to. Unlike Elizabeth, most people don’t live in gated communities so it is easier for people to drive around ungated neighborhoods and take packages.

Summary:

While I don’t think this opportunity is a dire necessity, I do feel like an opportunity definitely exists. I think if some sort of lockbox could be supplied at everyone’s individual homes this would eliminate package left. A lot of people are aware of this issue and creating something to stop this problem would help people who order things online, delivery drivers, and would help business. It is a hassle for customers and businesses who have to go through a tedious process to report these thefts, eliminating the issue would make things much smoother and easier for a lot of people. I’m not sure if my opportunity is more accurate but I think this problem is well known. I definitely think entrepreneurs should adapt their opportunities based on customer feedback. If a product is not something the consumers would want, then there is no point in making it.