Our modification of SOLD was very successful — it resulted in enormous growth in volume sold. According to plan, SOBO was a huge success in the Buffs market. Not only did it capture a huge market share in the Buffs segment, it also “bumped” SASS away from the Buffs. These positive results are great but we know we will have to continue to modify SOBO or it will end up like SASS this period.
As the industry progresses and all the teams are proving more profitable, their budgets are growing thus allowing them to spend more on R&D. Of note are teams A and I who are spending a substantial amount on R&D; it seems that they are launching highly specialized products next period. To ensure our competitiveness, we are also actively participating in R&D for both Sonites and Vodites. We are developing a new product with a new R&D project, PSONY. This new product (SONY) is expected to be launched next period to first capture the Buffs market (as the Buffs are interested in new technology), then to the Singles market in the long run (because the Singles market will be growing by over 135% in the next 5 periods according to the market forecast research study).
We are also investing in two new R&D feasibility studies on two Vodites:
1.) PVOLT – with the worst possible product specifications so as to minimize production cost; and
2.) PVOVO – a mid-level product.
Because no other teams have launched a Vodite this period we could not do any research on the market, we are totally “shooting in the dark,” trying to predict the preferences of the Innovators in the Vodites market.
