Product Testing · Singapore

Test your product with
the people who will
actually buy it.

Before you manufacture 50,000 units for Singapore or Southeast Asia, put the product in the hands of consumers who will judge it at shelf. We run focus groups, central location tests, and sensory evaluations with respondents from our 100,000-member panel. Same senior researcher from brief to report.

Assembled researchers conducting in-store product evaluation with Singapore consumers at a supermarket shelf
The Problem

Your internal team loved the product. That tells you nothing about Singapore.

Most product launches in Singapore fail for the same reason. The product was tested internally or in its home market, and nobody checked whether local consumers would react the same way. They almost never do.

Singapore consumers are comparison-driven, ingredient-literate, and influenced by cultural expectations that vary across Chinese, Malay, Indian, and expat segments. A texture that feels "premium" in Tokyo might feel "heavy" in Singapore's tropical humidity. A flavour profile that works in Sydney can fall flat with Singaporean palates shaped by decades of hawker culture.

Our research on the Say-Do Gap revealed that what Singapore consumers claim in a survey and what they choose at shelf can diverge by 30% or more. Product testing closes that gap. Not with opinions from a conference room, but with structured evaluations from the actual target buyer.

What We Test

Six testing methods, matched to your decision

We don't run a generic product test. We design the methodology around what you need to decide. Choosing between two formulations is a different study from evaluating pricing tolerance or testing packaging shelf appeal.

Central location testing (CLT)

100+ consumers evaluate your product in a controlled environment. We score taste, texture, appearance, aroma, and overall acceptability using 9-point hedonic scales and JAR (Just About Right) scoring. Ideal for FMCG and F&B products where sensory response drives purchase. Sessions run from our dedicated research facilities.

Packaging and shelf testing

Does your packaging communicate the right message within three seconds? We test stopping power, comprehension, and perceived value against competitor products placed alongside yours. For beauty brands entering Singapore, our skincare FGD methodology is specifically designed for this category.

Sensory evaluation

Triangle tests, paired comparison, and descriptive analysis using trained and untrained panels. We run ANOVA and statistical significance testing to separate real sensory differences from noise. This is how you decide which formulation to scale.

Pricing research

Van Westendorp price sensitivity, Gabor-Granger demand curves, and choice-based conjoint analysis. We identify the price band where willingness-to-pay meets perceived value. Our research into when Singaporeans splurge versus save shows how price elasticity shifts by category.

Concept and product-market fit

Before you develop the prototype, test the concept. We evaluate purchase intent, perceived differentiation, and need state alignment using our Jobs-to-Be-Done framework. This tells you whether the product idea deserves the R&D investment.

In-home usage testing (IHUT)

Products shipped to 50 to 200 panellists for extended use in their own homes. Diary entries, photo documentation, and structured follow-up interviews. For categories where first impression differs from sustained use, this is the only method that captures both. We complement with mobile ethnography for richer behavioural context.

Consumer product evaluation of toy packaging during in-store research at a Singapore retail outlet
Focus group discussion with multiethnic Singapore participants reviewing product concepts and packaging materials
Field researcher recording consumer reactions during skincare product evaluation in Singapore supermarket
Industries

Where we test products in Singapore

235+ projects across four categories that demand different testing approaches. A supplement requires trust signals and efficacy perception testing. A beverage needs sensory scoring under tropical conditions. We design for the category, not around a standard template.

Beauty, Skincare & Personal Care

Texture, scent, absorption rate, packaging feel, ingredient comprehension. Singapore consumers scrutinise claims and compare relentlessly. We've tested products for brands navigating K-beauty expectations, halal certification demands, and the premium-versus-value split that defines this market.

Food & Beverage

Taste tests, concept evaluation, packaging shelf appeal, and pricing studies for QSR, specialty coffee, packaged foods, and health beverages. Singapore's hawker heritage means consumers carry strong baseline flavour expectations. Products that ignore this context fail quickly.

Healthcare, Supplements & Pharma

Trust, efficacy perception, dosage comprehension, and regulatory claim testing. With 4,800 healthcare professionals in our panel, we test both the consumer experience and the practitioner recommendation pathway that shapes purchase decisions in this category.

Consumer Electronics & Apps

UX testing, feature prioritisation, onboarding flow evaluation, and hardware concept testing. We recruit tech-savvy Singapore users segmented by usage behaviour, not just demographics. For fintech, insurance apps, and smart home devices, we test comprehension and willingness-to-adopt.

How We Work

Product in hand to report on desk in 3 to 6 weeks

01
Design the test

What decision does this test need to answer? We build the methodology from there. Monadic, sequential monadic, paired comparison, or protomonadic. Our briefing guide helps first-timers frame the right question.

Week 1
02
Recruit consumers

Respondents screened from our 100K panel for genuine category usage. We screen for articulation, not just demographics. Recruit in 1 to 2 weeks. You approve the participant profile before fieldwork begins.

Week 1–2
03
Run the test

CLT, focus groups, in-depth interviews, or in-home usage. All sessions recorded, transcribed, and scored using standardised evaluation frameworks.

Week 2–4
04
Analyse and report

Statistical analysis, verbatim highlights, and clear go/no-go recommendations. Our approach to analysing Singapore data preserves the cultural nuance that standard reporting strips away.

Week 4–6
Why Assembled

What you get that a global agency cannot offer

The person who designs your test also runs it

At a global agency, five different people touch a product test. At Assembled, Felicia Hu designs the methodology, writes the discussion guide, moderates the sessions, and presents the findings. After 600+ sessions, she reads the room signals that junior moderators miss.

Bilingual moderation catches what English-only misses

Singapore consumers explain sensory experiences differently in Mandarin versus English. "Smooth" in English maps to at least three distinct Mandarin descriptors. Felicia moderates in both languages, plus Hokkien. Our multicultural research approach is built for this complexity.

Published by MRS and ESOMAR

Felicia writes for MRS Research Live and ESOMAR Research World. The global perspective behind your local product test comes from someone whose methodology is peer-reviewed.

700+ five-star reviews from actual participants

Better sessions produce better data. When participants feel comfortable and respected, they share honestly. That candour is rare in a high-context culture, and it's the reason our product tests surface insights that less skilled moderation misses.

Indicative Pricing

What product testing costs in Singapore

Every quote includes active consultation, scoping, methodology design, fieldwork, report, presentation, and strategic recommendations. All quotes are fixed-fee. No hidden charges.

Research Programme Starting From
Desk research SGD 2,500
Quantitative survey SGD 4,000
Focus groups (per group) SGD 3,000
Product / concept testing (CLT) SGD 6,000
Multi-phase or multi-market study SGD 15,000+

Final pricing depends on methodology, sample size, respondent type, and project duration. Tailored quote provided within 48 hours. Request a quote →

Questions

Common questions about product testing in Singapore

How many consumers do I need for a reliable product test?

It depends on the method. For a central location test with statistical significance, we recommend 100 to 150 consumers. For focus group evaluations, 4 to 6 groups of 6 to 8 participants each gives you saturation across key segments. In-home usage tests work well with 50 to 200 panellists depending on how many product variants you're comparing.

Can you test my product if I'm based outside Singapore?

Most of our product testing clients are headquartered outside Singapore. We handle everything on the ground. Ship your product samples to us, and we manage recruitment from our 100,000-member panel, venue setup, moderation, and reporting. You can observe sessions live via video stream or attend in person.

What's the difference between a CLT and a focus group for product testing?

A CLT gives you quantitative data from a large sample. Statistical scoring, significance testing, clear numeric comparisons between products. A focus group or IDI gives you the "why" behind those numbers. We often recommend combining both. The CLT tells you which product wins. The focus group tells you why and how to improve the one that lost.

How fast can you turn around a product test?

A standard product test runs 3 to 6 weeks from brief to report. Recruitment takes 1 to 2 weeks from our proprietary panel. Fieldwork runs 1 to 2 weeks. Analysis and reporting take another 1 to 2 weeks. Topline results are available within days of fieldwork completion so your team can act on early signals.

Do you test food and beverage products?

Extensively. We run taste tests with hedonic scoring, JAR analysis, and paired comparisons. Our coffee market research and work with QSR chains demonstrates how sensory evaluation in Singapore requires calibration for local palate expectations shaped by hawker culture and regional flavour traditions.

Can you handle multi-market product testing across Southeast Asia?

We coordinate product testing across 8 Southeast Asian markets with Singapore as the operational hub. Standardised methodology ensures results are directly comparable across countries, with a single point of contact managing the programme. See our full expertise for regional capabilities.

What languages do you conduct product testing sessions in?

Felicia Hu moderates in English, Mandarin, and Hokkien. For Malay and Tamil-speaking respondents, bilingual specialist moderators work under her supervision. This matters because consumers describe sensory experiences more precisely in their most comfortable language, and candour increases measurably when the language barrier drops.

How do you recruit the right consumers for product testing?

From our proprietary 100,000-member Singapore panel built over 9 years of project participation. We screen for genuine category usage, purchase frequency, and articulation ability. The panel includes 12,400 premium consumers, 3,200 HNWIs, and specific segments like healthcare professionals and insurance policyholders. We also deploy mobile ethnography for categories where in-context observation adds value.
Ready to test your product
with Singapore consumers?

Tell us about your product, your timeline, and the decision this test needs to answer. Most clients hear back within 24 hours with a scope and quote.

Request a quote →
felicia@assembled.sg · WhatsApp +65 8118 1048