FAQS & Support
For brands
Get clarity before the next big decision.
Find answers about study formats, expert matching, timelines, confidentiality, pricing, deliverables, and risk.
The basics
What is The Product Lab?
We get CPG brands honest feedback from verified industry experts—retail buyers, investors, exited founders, and operators—so you know if your product will actually sell before you build, raise, or scale.
How is this different from consumer testing?
Consumers tell you if they like your product. The industry tells you if it will succeed in the market. Buyers, investors, and operators know what gets shelf space, distribution, and funding. We call them informed experts: people who would never qualify for a normal consumer panel because they know too much.
Do I have to choose between this and consumer research?
No. Industry Validation is the decisive first layer. Run it first to decide what is even worth building or testing, then use consumer research to scale.
Which method should I use?
Surveys for concepts (validate direction), focus groups for prototypes (refine before production), and sampling for in-market or launching products (prove real-world performance). We will recommend the right one on your call.
What is the Market Opportunity Audit?
An add-on that pairs your expert feedback with competitive and category analysis to map where and how your brand should grow. It runs in parallel to any method.
The experts
Who is in your panel?
500+ active, application-only experts across 40 states: retail buyers, CPG investors, brokers, exited founders, and operators who have built, bought, sold, and funded brands. Every expert is manually vetted and identity-verified.
Can I request specific types of experts?
Yes. You tell us your category, target market, and preferences, and we match accordingly. We recommend a mix of perspectives for the most complete read, rather than only one type.
Are these real, unbiased opinions?
Yes. Experts give candid, often blunt feedback. Scores vary from study to study, which is the point. You get the truth, not a rubber stamp.
Process and logistics
How long does it take?
About 3–5 weeks end to end, depending on the method.
How many responses do I need?
We recommend 30–100 for surveys and sampling, and 5–7 experts for a focus group. More responses mean more statistical confidence.
Do you write the survey or questions?
Yes. Our team builds a custom study around your goals, you review and approve it, then we run it.
Do I have to ship product?
For focus groups and sampling, yes. We send you a curated shipping list, and you ship directly. Surveys do not require product.
What do I actually get?
An analyzed insights deck, a Commercial Viability Score, named quotes you can use, and a strategy call to act on it. Not just raw data—a verdict.
What is the Commercial Viability Score?
Our 1–10 benchmark of how the industry rates your product’s odds. Above the line is a green light. Below it, you know what to fix before you spend.
Proof and confidentiality
Can I use the feedback in my pitch deck, investor materials, or marketing?
Yes. On average, around half of experts (up to 60%) opt in to attach their name, title, and company. Those named endorsements are yours to use in decks, buyer pitches, and on your website.
How is my product or concept protected?
Every expert signs an NDA before they see anything. You can exclude specific companies or competitors, and your individual results stay confidential.
Pricing and risk
How much does it cost?
Studies start at $1,950, and most run between $1,950 and $6,500 depending on method and response count. The Market Opportunity Audit is a separate add-on. See our pricing page for details.
Why is it so much cheaper than traditional research?
Because we use a curated expert panel instead of large-scale consumer recruiting. You get a decisive trade read at 3–30 times less than consumer testing.
What is the no-risk guarantee?
You only pay for feedback you actually get. On surveys, you only pay for completed responses. On focus groups, no-show experts are not charged to you. On sampling, every expert keeps a card on file, so if they do not provide feedback, you are reimbursed for product and shipping, just like a returned order.
Do you offer discounts for multiple studies?
Yes. Brands that run more than one study save when they bundle. Ask us about it on your call.
Fit
When is the best time to use this?
Before any big or hard-to-reverse decision: building, producing, fundraising, pitching a retailer, or troubleshooting an underperforming SKU.
I am a larger brand and already run consumer testing. Is this for me?
Yes. Industry Validation is the trade layer your consumer testing is missing. Teams use it to screen innovation pipelines, pressure-test variants before a retailer reset, and get a fast, low-cost read before committing budget.
We already run internal research and have an insights team. Why would we need this?
Because your internal feedback comes from people who already love you—your community, your superfans, your own team. That’s an echo chamber, and it can’t break a tie. We’re not here to replace your insights team’s rigor. We’re the fast outside verdict for the calls that don’t warrant a full study: which SKUs make the set, whether a concept clears the next gate, or whether your brand actually stretches into a new category.
Built for more than first launches
Validate your brand with the industry.
Launching, investing, refining, or pitching: bring us the decision you're making, and we'll bring the evidence.
