Last trimester, in my international marketing course, my team and I connected with a company by the name of TRI (Total Resource International), a kitting company for first aid products in the United States. TRI was hoping to expand into Mexico and they needed our help in researching the target market.
Developing primary research for the Mexican market was a tough challenge, but our team managed to connect with Wal Mart De Mexico to ask some significant questions on pricing, contractual agreements, economies of scale and products. TRI already has a strong relationship with Wal Mart in the United States, so establishing the relationship with Wal Mart De Mexico was a foot in the door to the Mexican market.
Different cultures have different consumer needs, so know your customer before doing anything. My team and I found that, in Mexico, it’s customary to self-treat injuries as needed due to the economic distress. Consumers go to the local convenient store, grab what they need at that particular moment, and quickly leave. We determined that full-sized first aid kit would not be appropriate for this market, so we developed little individual packets–for instance, if someone needed a only bandage or mosquito repellant, those products would be available to them at a cost lower than the comprehensive first aid kit.