Concept testing examples: 7 real use cases you can copy
See real concept testing examples across logos, packaging, names, and ads, plus how to turn each into a survey today.
The questions you ask in a concept test determine whether you get a clear answer or a confusing pile of opinions.
Below are more than 30 concept testing questions, grouped by what each one measures, so you can build a survey that answers a specific business decision instead of collecting feedback for its own sake.
Skip the DIY setup. Get expert-built concept testing in hours.
The SurveyMonkey LaunchPad Product Concept Testing solution comes with these questions, monadic methodology, automated scorecards, and Key Driver Analysis included. Add your concepts and get results from real people fast.
Purchase intent questions: will people actually buy this
Appeal doesn't pay the bills — purchases do. These questions push past "I like it" to get a real read on whether people would hand over money for your concept, at what price, and how soon.
- How likely are you to purchase this product if it were available today?
- If this product cost [price], how likely would you be to buy it?
- How soon would you buy this product after it launched?
- Compared to what you currently use, how likely are you to switch to this?
Feature preference questions: which parts of the concept matter most
Not every feature earns its place in a launch. These questions force respondents to make trade-offs, so you know what to build first and what to lead with in your marketing.
- Which of the following features matter most to you?
- Rank these three features from most to least important.
- Which feature would make you more likely to choose this product over a competitor?
- If you could only keep one feature, which would it be?
Appeal and uniqueness questions: does the idea stand out
Before you invest further, you need to know if the concept clears a basic bar: does it interest people, and does it feel different from what's already out there? These questions capture that first, gut-level reaction.
- On a scale of one to 10, how appealing is this concept?
- How different is this concept from other products you have used?
- How would you describe this concept to a friend?
- What is your first impression of this concept?
Comparative questions: how does this stack up against alternatives
People don't evaluate a concept in a vacuum. They measure it against whatever they use now. These questions tell you how to position your product against the alternatives already in the market.
- How does this compare to similar products you have used?
- What would make you choose this over what you currently use?
- Is this concept better, worse, or about the same as what is already available?
Open-ended feedback questions: capture the why behind the score
A rating tells you what respondents think. An open-ended answer tells you why. These questions surface the specific likes, concerns, and gaps you'll need to fix before the next round of testing.
- What do you like most about this concept?
- What would you change about this concept?
- What concerns, if any, do you have about this concept?
- What is missing from this concept?
Clarity and comprehension questions: make sure people understand the idea
A concept that scores poorly isn't always a bad idea. Sometimes it's a poorly explained one. These questions isolate whether people actually understood what you're proposing before they judged it.
- In your own words, what does this product do?
- How clear is the description of this concept?
- What questions do you still have after reading this description?
Relevance and fit questions: confirm this solves a real problem
An appealing concept that nobody actually needs won't survive contact with the market. These questions check whether your idea addresses a real, frequent problem in someone's actual life.
- How relevant is this product to your needs?
- How well does this concept fit into your daily routine?
- How often would you realistically use this?
Screening and demographic questions: confirm you are talking to the right audience
Great answers from the wrong audience are worse than no answers at all. These questions qualify respondents up front, so the feedback you collect actually reflects your target buyer.
- Which of the following best describes your role?
- How often do you purchase products in this category?
- Which age range do you fall into?
- Which of the following brands have you purchased in the past 12 months?
Strategic purpose: what each question type is built to answer
Each category above maps to a specific business decision. Use this table to work backward from the decision you need to make, then pick the questions that get you there.
| Question type | Business decision it supports |
| Purchase intent | Go or no-go on launch |
| Feature preference | What to build first, or lead with in marketing |
| Appeal and uniqueness | Whether the concept clears the bar for further investment |
| Comparative | How to position against alternatives |
| Open-ended feedback | What to fix before the next round of testing |
| Clarity and comprehension | Whether the idea or the description is the problem |
| Relevance and fit | Whether this solves a real, frequent need |
| Screening and demographic | Whether feedback came from the right audience |
How to sequence these questions in a survey
Order matters as much as wording. Ask for a purchase decision too early, and you'll get a gut reaction instead of a considered one.
- Put screening questions first to confirm the respondent qualifies.
- Then show the concept, then move from broad reactions (appeal, clarity) into specific ones (purchase intent, feature preference), and close with one or two open-ended questions.
This order lets the respondent form a general impression before you ask them to make finer judgments, which produces more consistent ratings than jumping straight to a purchase intent question.
Frequently asked questions about concept testing questions
- How many questions should a concept test include?
- Should I use rating scales or open-ended questions?
- Can I reuse the same questions across different concept types?
Use these in a template
Start with the Market Research – Product Survey Template, which already includes appeal, purchase intent, and open-ended questions in the right order, or explore the full Concept Testing Survey Templates library to find one closer to your specific use case.
For guided scoring and Key Driver Analysis on top of these questions, try the SurveyMonkey Product Concept Testing solution. Every concept test also needs a handful of screening questions, the same way you would qualify respondents for any market research project.
For more on writing survey questions in general, see the concept testing guide.
Discover more resources
Solutions for your role
SurveyMonkey can help you do your job better. Discover how to make a bigger impact with winning strategies, products, experiences, and more.
Ad copy testing: how to test headlines, CTAs, and tone separately
Ad copy testing helps you pinpoint which headline, CTA, or tone wins over your audience. Get the step-by-step method, then explore the product.
Advertising effectiveness: formulas, benchmarks, and how to measure it
Learn to measure advertising effectiveness with formulas, worked examples, and a methodology comparison, then explore SurveyMonkey ad testing.
Audience segmentation for ad targeting and personalization
Audience segmentation groups people by behavior and intent so campaigns target and personalize better. See how to build segments.