The adjustable dial on one of the helmets broke and the interior lining began to deteriorate and roll. During the focus group, I started off a little nervous, even though I knew most of the participants. This research examines the role of brand loyalty in the helmet market of the horse industry.
The following sections will cover secondary research into the equestrian industry concept and helmet purchasing decisions. All future interactions they have with the brand will be stored, organized and will contribute to a holistic image of the brand in their minds.7. One large sector of the equine industry is the use of horses for competition and sport.
Various independent and in-house studies have been conducted to assess the helmet's effectiveness in protecting the head from injury in the event of a fall. Another important factor known to affect helmet safety is fit. Helmet covers are sometimes used to match the helmet with the rest of the outfit.
However, recent years have led to a rise in debate about the safety of helmets instead of hats.
Focus Group Results
The room had white boards, a small sitting area, and a large, long table in the middle of the room. As some participants were late, refreshments were provided before the start of the discussion. The camera was set up at the end of the table with the most room to be close enough to pick up the sound in such a large space.
During the focus group, the eight participants were asked a series of approximately 25 scripted questions, as seen in Appendix A. Of the eight riders, seven hunt seat style disciplines were split pretty evenly between the draw, jumpers, hunters and dressage, as seen in Figure 3. On the other hand, three of the eight participants had experience in western riding, particularly in barrel, pleasure and trail racing.
Appearance is one of the most important factors when purchasing a helmet, but it is subjective and it is inconclusive how different disciplines differ in their views on the overall appearance of helmets. When asked about their own helmets, only one of the eight participants mentioned safety as a factor when choosing a helmet. Rather than a particular brand being considered safe, three of the eight participants agreed that the wide brim of helmets makes them feel safer.
Despite this, and seeing Charles Owen as a leader in safety innovation, five of the participants own and use a Samshield helmet and plan to/are considering purchasing from them again. Two of the other participants who own One K helmets stated that part of their decision to choose the brand was that it was related to Samshield, as they are made by the same manufacturer. None of the participants rode a Charles Owen, but three of them owned one in the past.
It is unclear whether the brand is popular for that discipline because of the look or because of the safety of the helmet. The group collectively agreed that Samshield has terrible customer service, but this played no part in their helmet purchases and did not deter them from considering Samshield purchases in the future. I would never actually pay that much for them." Also, despite their helmets being more geared towards the American hunter style, their clothing, including gloves, pants, riding shirts, and more, reflect more of the European look and dressage styles.
The idea of the 'in' look or brand doesn't start with lower level riders themselves. As mentioned in the section on the importance of appearance, it is believed that “your appearance is everything, having helmets from top brands is the right thing to do.” As a result, at least two of the competitors were told to upgrade their helmets to look appropriate for competition.
Conclusions & Implications
From there they trickle down to lower levels of competition and are influenced by trainers/stables and judges who work shows in the competition region. As discovered in the focus group, satisfied consumers are more likely to buy a brand again. This was noted in the focus group regarding a brand preference for helmets, but not the same brand preference for other items such as breeches and gloves.
As one focus group participant said, “I feel like I already have brands of pants and gloves that I like, and I wouldn't buy pants from Samshield, and that goes for a bunch of different things.” Brand capabilities in one product line does not imply their capabilities in another product line. This finding should be kept in mind as companies attempt to compete in the equestrian helmet industry. Anticipating or even participating in industry trends (e.g. influencers) is critical to prepare to meet consumer needs as they change to maintain brand loyalty.
Whether it's personal preference or trainer preference, there is a certain standard of appearance in the show ring that helmets must adhere to. The focus group found that most riders believe "your appearance is everything; having top brand helmets is the right thing to do." When preparing for a helmet purchase, a rider will consider how the helmet will look on their head and how it will contribute to their overall appearance in the show ring. More research needs to be done on how helmet trends are created and eventually become an unspoken rule about what is "the look" and what is acceptable for shows.
As found in the focus group, consumers are not concerned about a brand's website, social media page, or quality of customer service because it does not affect the helmet they will invest in and likely have for years to come. Access to participants for the focus group was geographically limited, such that regions other than the northeastern United States were not represented. The focus group was held in a non-disruptive area, the session was recorded, and feedback was also collected by a recorder.
The original idea of this research was to investigate how consumers in the equine industry make helmet purchase decisions and to examine how brands influence these decisions. The focus group stated that they would prefer to re-purchase the helmet of the brand they currently own, but they also paid a lot of attention to the appearance of the helmet and meeting the expectations of the showroom. Overall, this study provides initial insight into riding consumers and their perceptions of not only helmet selection criteria, but also the role of brands in actual helmet selection.
Appendix
Focus Group Script
You have been selected to participate in a focus group to help understand helmet brand loyalty in the equine industry. Tuffrider Starter Riding Helmet Basic Protective Headgear for Riders - Sei Certified - Black.” Pants.com.
