Shared research study link
Bucked Up Pre-Workout & Sports Supplement Consumer Study
Understand what drives American fitness consumers to choose pre-workout and sports supplement brands, exploring purchase drivers, brand loyalty, ingredient transparency, flavour preferences, pricing sensitivity, and the role of third-party testing in purchase decisions.
Study Overview
Updated Feb 04, 2026
Research question: What drives American fitness consumers to choose pre-workout and sports supplement brands (purchase drivers, loyalty, transparency, flavor, price sensitivity, third‑party testing)?
Who: n=10 US fitness supplement consumers (21–39; parents/caregivers, shift workers, urban/rural, technical buyers), 70 total responses.
What they said: Choice is governed by fast rules-price per true serving (~$1–$1.25), transparent dosing (no proprietary blends; caffeine in mg; 1 scoop = 1 serving), and a sleep‑safe stimulant profile (~100–150 mg; avoid yohimbine; low/none beta‑alanine). Secondary but decisive factors are simple flavors (lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored), clean mixability, third‑party testing as a trust amplifier (most pay +10–20%; a minority requires it), discovery via friends/Reddit/in‑store, and trial‑first formats (single sticks, mini tubs) while rejecting pre‑checked subscriptions. Main insights: Loyalty is to function and value, not logos; churn is triggered by silent formula changes, proprietary blends, shrinkflation, missing COAs, neon/candy flavor shifts, and hard‑to‑use CX.
Takeaways: 1) Lead with per‑true‑serving pricing and mg‑by‑mg label images; publish batch COAs (QR) and pursue NSF/Informed Choice. 2) Offer low‑ and mid‑stim variants with half‑scoop guidance and low/no beta‑alanine; flavors: dye‑free lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored. 3) Scale single‑serve sticks and 10–15‑serve minis, retail endcap/checkout placement, easy returns, bilingual reviews, and remove subscription dark patterns. 4) Price to ≤$1–$1.25 per true serving (some accept to $1.50), use targeted discounts (e.g., military) and convenience to justify modest premiums, and track sample→tub conversion and COA‑QR scans as leading KPIs.
Who: n=10 US fitness supplement consumers (21–39; parents/caregivers, shift workers, urban/rural, technical buyers), 70 total responses.
What they said: Choice is governed by fast rules-price per true serving (~$1–$1.25), transparent dosing (no proprietary blends; caffeine in mg; 1 scoop = 1 serving), and a sleep‑safe stimulant profile (~100–150 mg; avoid yohimbine; low/none beta‑alanine). Secondary but decisive factors are simple flavors (lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored), clean mixability, third‑party testing as a trust amplifier (most pay +10–20%; a minority requires it), discovery via friends/Reddit/in‑store, and trial‑first formats (single sticks, mini tubs) while rejecting pre‑checked subscriptions. Main insights: Loyalty is to function and value, not logos; churn is triggered by silent formula changes, proprietary blends, shrinkflation, missing COAs, neon/candy flavor shifts, and hard‑to‑use CX.
Takeaways: 1) Lead with per‑true‑serving pricing and mg‑by‑mg label images; publish batch COAs (QR) and pursue NSF/Informed Choice. 2) Offer low‑ and mid‑stim variants with half‑scoop guidance and low/no beta‑alanine; flavors: dye‑free lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored. 3) Scale single‑serve sticks and 10–15‑serve minis, retail endcap/checkout placement, easy returns, bilingual reviews, and remove subscription dark patterns. 4) Price to ≤$1–$1.25 per true serving (some accept to $1.50), use targeted discounts (e.g., military) and convenience to justify modest premiums, and track sample→tub conversion and COA‑QR scans as leading KPIs.
Participant Snapshots
10 profiles
Jacob Ferris
Jacob Ferris, 30, is a married, stay-at-home parent in suburban Las Vegas with one toddler. A former middle-school English teacher, volunteers in literacy, explores return to ed-tech/curriculum roles, owns a home, and prioritizes safety, reliability, and va…
Audrey Montez
Audrey Montez is a contract Community Outreach Coordinator near Fresno, CA. Bilingual in Spanish, she lives alone with a rescue dog, owns a modest rural home, budgets tightly, values transparency and durability, and seeks stable, benefit-backed employment.
Andrew Kennedy
Andrew Kennedy, 34, is a rural Missouri data analyst, married with no kids. He rents, saves for land, values durability, privacy, and offline-capable tools, and balances analytical work with DIY projects, cooking, and local community ties.
Jacob Barrett
1) Basic Demographics
Jacob Barrett is a 25-year-old Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander man living in Killeen city, TX, USA. He was born in Guam and speaks English at home. He is single with no children, rents his apartment, and is a U.S. Army…
Marina Cleary
Marina, 21, is a rural Virginia mom managing disability, a high-earning physician spouse, and a faith-centered household. She optimizes for safety, simplicity, and stewardship, choosing durable, low-friction solutions that fit small-town life and energy lim…
Hannah Mendez
Hannah Mendez, a bilingual Vallejo mom in beverage manufacturing admin, married with one child. Pragmatic, faith-centered, and time-conscious. Optimizes for reliability, predictable costs, and easy returns. Chooses value and clear communication over novelty.
Adila Clark
Adila Clark is a 21-year-old Quincy nanny who bikes to work, budgets tightly, and sings in a Black Protestant church choir. Pragmatic, time-conscious, and safety-focused, she plans to earn childcare credentials and grow a stable care career.
Arianna Sykes
1) Basic Demographics
Arianna Sykes is a 24-year-old White woman living in New York City, NY, USA. She was born in the United States and speaks English at home. She is single, has no children, and identifies as religiously unaffiliated. She rents…
Crystal Fernandez
A warm, detail-oriented esthetician in Highlands Ranch balancing faith, frugality, and creative ambition. Commutes by e-bike, rents, no kids, builds clientele via Instagram, volunteers at church, and invests in quality tools over hype.
Micah Brooks
39-year-old Oakland renter and faith-driven nonprofit professional between roles. Budget-minded, community-focused, guitar-playing jogger who seeks transparent, durable, and ethical choices, values local impact, and prefers plain language and low-friction e…
Jacob Ferris
Jacob Ferris, 30, is a married, stay-at-home parent in suburban Las Vegas with one toddler. A former middle-school English teacher, volunteers in literacy, explores return to ed-tech/curriculum roles, owns a home, and prioritizes safety, reliability, and va…
Audrey Montez
Audrey Montez is a contract Community Outreach Coordinator near Fresno, CA. Bilingual in Spanish, she lives alone with a rescue dog, owns a modest rural home, budgets tightly, values transparency and durability, and seeks stable, benefit-backed employment.
Andrew Kennedy
Andrew Kennedy, 34, is a rural Missouri data analyst, married with no kids. He rents, saves for land, values durability, privacy, and offline-capable tools, and balances analytical work with DIY projects, cooking, and local community ties.
Jacob Barrett
1) Basic Demographics
Jacob Barrett is a 25-year-old Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander man living in Killeen city, TX, USA. He was born in Guam and speaks English at home. He is single with no children, rents his apartment, and is a U.S. Army…
Marina Cleary
Marina, 21, is a rural Virginia mom managing disability, a high-earning physician spouse, and a faith-centered household. She optimizes for safety, simplicity, and stewardship, choosing durable, low-friction solutions that fit small-town life and energy lim…
Hannah Mendez
Hannah Mendez, a bilingual Vallejo mom in beverage manufacturing admin, married with one child. Pragmatic, faith-centered, and time-conscious. Optimizes for reliability, predictable costs, and easy returns. Chooses value and clear communication over novelty.
Adila Clark
Adila Clark is a 21-year-old Quincy nanny who bikes to work, budgets tightly, and sings in a Black Protestant church choir. Pragmatic, time-conscious, and safety-focused, she plans to earn childcare credentials and grow a stable care career.
Arianna Sykes
1) Basic Demographics
Arianna Sykes is a 24-year-old White woman living in New York City, NY, USA. She was born in the United States and speaks English at home. She is single, has no children, and identifies as religiously unaffiliated. She rents…
Crystal Fernandez
A warm, detail-oriented esthetician in Highlands Ranch balancing faith, frugality, and creative ambition. Commutes by e-bike, rents, no kids, builds clientele via Instagram, volunteers at church, and invests in quality tools over hype.
Micah Brooks
39-year-old Oakland renter and faith-driven nonprofit professional between roles. Budget-minded, community-focused, guitar-playing jogger who seeks transparent, durable, and ethical choices, values local impact, and prefers plain language and low-friction e…
Overview
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Demographic Overview
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Participant Incomes
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Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 ACS 1-year (Table B19001; >$200k evenly distributed for comparison)
Media Ingestion
Connections appear when personas follow many of the same sources, highlighting overlapping media diets.
Questions and Responses
7 questions
Response Summaries
7 questions
Word Cloud
Question Summary
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Summary
Themes
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Persona Correlations
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Overview
Across 70 respondents, American fitness shoppers converge on a pragmatic, risk‑averse purchase logic: transparent labeling (no proprietary blends, clear caffeine mg and serving math), predictable stimulant profiles (many preferring ~100–150 mg or optional stim), simple flavours (clean citrus or unflavoured), and low‑risk trial formats (single‑serve sticks / small tubs). Price‑per‑serving rules purchase thresholds (~$1–$1.50 for most), with clearance and in‑store visibility driving discovery for price‑sensitive shoppers. Third‑party testing consistently amplifies trust and serves as a tiebreaker; a minority treat it as a hard gate. These preferences cluster with life stage, work schedule, locale and technical literacy: parents/caregivers, shift workers and rural shoppers prioritize predictable, low‑impact formulas and convenient retail availability; technical/performance buyers demand COAs and precise ingredient forms and will pay modest premiums; Spanish‑language and community‑networked shoppers rely on plain‑language signals and social proof. Flavor and mixability act as final purchase differentiators, while sampling options and transparent return/fulfillment policies materially reduce purchase friction.
Total responses: 70
Key Segments
| Segment | Attributes | Insight | Supporting Agents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parents & caregivers | Age mid‑20s–40s; occupations include stay‑at‑home parent and full‑time family caregiver; priority on sleep sensitivity, convenience and predictable effects. | Prioritize low‑stim, predictable formulas and easy trial/return options. They favor single‑serve or small tubs, avoid subscription friction, and prefer clean citrus or unflavoured flavours. Third‑party testing reassures but price and convenience often govern the final choice. | Jacob Ferris, Marina Cleary, Hannah Mendez, Audrey Montez, Arianna Sykes |
| Price‑sensitive urban shoppers | Urban locales (e.g., Oakland); lower income brackets; behavior includes clearance hunting and in‑store value shopping. | Explicit price‑per‑serving math is the dominant decision rule (often seeking < $1/serving). They still demand label transparency (no opaque blends) but will trade certification for price; discovery via endcaps and discounts is critical. | Micah Brooks, Audrey Montez |
| Technical / performance‑oriented buyers | Analytical or technical occupations; experienced lifters; interested in dosing, ingredient forms and clinical rationale. | Require batch traceability, COAs and explicit ingredient forms/doses. Proprietary blends are a near‑dealbreaker. Willing to pay a modest premium (10–20%) for verifiable testing and clinically relevant formulations. | Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Barrett, Jacob Ferris |
| Active commuters & early‑mornings / shift workers | Jobs with early or irregular hours (logistics, aviation, ramp crews); value retail availability and predictable small‑dose efficacy. | Prefer steady, sleep‑friendly stimulant profiles and products available in local retailers (Costco, Target, grocery). They scrutinize true per‑serving math (1 vs 2 scoops) and favor local pickup or fast fulfillment over online‑only savings. | Jacob Barrett, Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Ferris |
| Spanish‑language / culturally networked shoppers | Prefer Spanish language or bilingual channels; rely on family groups, WhatsApp and Facebook mom groups for recommendations. | Trust flows through personal networks and plain‑language proof (label photos, testimonials like ‘no me dio taquicardia’). Clear bilingual labeling and single‑serve trials increase conversion more than influencer content. | Hannah Mendez, Audrey Montez |
| Rural shoppers | Rural locales; concerns about shipping, local availability and travel hygiene (clumpiness, foaming). | Prefer locally available SKUs and small formats to avoid shipping delays. Strong aversion to clumpy/foamy powders and neon dyes; taste and mixability have outsized influence because of travel and storage constraints. | Marina Cleary, Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Barrett |
Shared Mindsets
| Trait | Signal | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Ingredient transparency / no proprietary blends | Near‑universal scanning of facts panels; proprietary blends trigger distrust and returns. Clear dose disclosure is prioritized across segments. | Micah Brooks, Hannah Mendez, Jacob Ferris, Adila Clark, Andrew Kennedy, Crystal Fernandez |
| Caffeine mg & honest serving math | Consumers quickly check caffeine per scoop and whether one scoop equals one serving; price‑per‑serving calculations are routine. | Micah Brooks, Audrey Montez, Adila Clark, Arianna Sykes, Jacob Barrett |
| Aversion to beta‑alanine & extreme stimulants | Tingling (beta‑alanine) and aggressive stimulants (yohimbine, synephrine) reduce appeal; many opt for low‑stim or half‑scoop strategies. | Crystal Fernandez, Marina Cleary, Arianna Sykes, Adila Clark |
| Preference for simple citrus / unflavoured tastes | Clean citrus or unflavoured options are commonly preferred; neon/candy flavours and dyes are broadly rejected and can be dealbreakers. | Marina Cleary, Micah Brooks, Jacob Barrett, Audrey Montez, Crystal Fernandez |
| Third‑party testing as trust amplifier | Batch testing and COAs commonly tip decisions when price and dosing are comparable; a minority require testing outright. | Jacob Ferris, Adila Clark, Andrew Kennedy, Arianna Sykes, Micah Brooks |
| Preference for low‑risk sampling | Single‑serve sticks and small tubs dramatically lower friction to trial and reduce returns; consumers expect easy returns or money‑back options for new formulas. | Hannah Mendez, Marina Cleary, Audrey Montez, Micah Brooks |
| Pragmatic discovery channels | Word‑of‑mouth, in‑store endcaps, Reddit/label‑focused reviews and micro‑creators who show facts panels are most trusted for discovery and validation. | Hannah Mendez, Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Barrett, Arianna Sykes |
Divergences
| Segment | Contrast | Agents |
|---|---|---|
| Hyper‑technical buyers vs mainstream pragmatic buyers | Technical buyers (COAs, ingredient forms, clinical dosing) demand engineering‑level transparency and will pay a premium; mainstream shoppers accept basic third‑party signals and prioritize price/availability over deep technical disclosures. | Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Barrett, Micah Brooks |
| Testing-as-hard‑gate (minority) vs testing-as‑tiebreaker (majority) | Some respondents treat batch‑specific third‑party testing as mandatory and will not purchase without it; most see testing as an important trust amplifier that settles ties between similar offerings. | Adila Clark, Jacob Ferris, Arianna Sykes |
| Price‑sensitive shoppers vs willingness‑to‑pay performance buyers | Price‑sensitive urban shoppers aim for sub‑$1/serving and tolerate less certification if price is right; performance‑oriented buyers accept higher per‑serving costs for verifiable ingredients and testing. | Micah Brooks, Andrew Kennedy, Jacob Ferris |
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Recommendations & Next Steps
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Overview
Focus-group signals are consistent: buyers choose pre-workout on pragmatic, low-risk rules. Lead with price-per-true-serving near or under $1–$1.25, visible mg-by-mg dosing (no proprietary blends), a sleep-safe stimulant profile (~100–150 mg caffeine per scoop with half‑scoop guidance, no yohimbine, low/no beta‑alanine), dye-free simple flavors (lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored), sample-first formats (single sticks, small tubs), and trust proofs (NSF/Informed Choice or public COAs with lot/expiry and QR). Eliminate checkout friction (no pre‑checked subscribe) and surface honest reviews (including Spanish) to match how shoppers really decide. The plan below prioritizes fast, ROI-positive changes while laying groundwork for certification and retail sampling.
Quick Wins (next 2–4 weeks)
| # | Action | Why | Owner | Effort | Impact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Show price-per-true-serving + serving honesty on PDP and pack | Shoppers do phone math vs a ~$1 threshold; clear per‑true‑serving pricing and 1‑scoop=1‑serving reduces abandonment. | Ecom PM + Product Marketing | Low | High |
| 2 | Publish batch COAs and add on-pack/on-PDP QR | Third‑party proof is a trust amplifier and a hard gate for a minority; COAs with lot/expiry convert fence‑sitters. | Quality/Regulatory | Med | High |
| 3 | Caffeine mg callout + half-scoop guidance; de-emphasize/omit beta-alanine | Demand for predictable, adjustable stims; many avoid tingles and high caffeine. | Product/Formulation | Low | High |
| 4 | Launch single-serve sticks and 10–15 serving mini tubs | Sample-first behavior is widespread; low-risk trials boost conversion and reduce regret returns. | Ops + Ecom + Retail | Med | High |
| 5 | Flavor/visual cleanup: lemon-lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored; remove neon dyes | Candy flavors/dyes are deal-breakers; simple, clean flavors win ties. | Product + Brand | Low | Med |
| 6 | Fix checkout: remove pre-checked subscriptions; clarify returns | Pre-checked subscribe and vague returns trigger distrust and abandonment. | Ecom + CX | Low | High |
Initiatives (30–90 days)
| # | Initiative | Description | Owner | Timeline | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-Workout Line Architecture (Low-/Mid-Stim, No-Tingle) v1 |
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Product/Science + Ops | 6–8 weeks to pilot launch | Sweetener/flavor trials, Supply of stick packs and mini tubs, Regulatory label review |
| 2 | Transparency and Testing Program |
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Quality/Regulatory | COAs/QR in 4–6 weeks; certification 3–6 months | Third-party lab capacity, Packaging artwork update, Legal/compliance review |
| 3 | Pricing and Merchandising for the <$1.25 True-Serving Window |
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Revenue Ops + Sales + Ecom | 4–6 weeks | COGS/pack size modeling, Retailer approvals, PDP updates |
| 4 | Checkout, Policy and Compliance UX |
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Ecom + CX + Legal | 2–3 weeks | Dev sprints, Policy copy and training, Payments/analytics QA |
| 5 | Reviews, UGC and Community Trust |
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Growth/CRM + Content | 4–8 weeks | Sampling inventory, PDP/UGC modules, Community guidelines |
| 6 | Retail/Gym Sampling Pilot |
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Field Sales + Trade Marketing | 8–10 weeks | Stick pack supply, POP materials, Retailer agreements |
KPIs to Track
| # | KPI | Definition | Target | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | PDP conversion rate (pre-workout) | Sessions to purchase on pre-workout PDPs after pricing/transparency updates | +20% vs baseline within 60 days | Weekly |
| 2 | Sample-to-full conversion | Percent of stick/mini buyers purchasing a full tub within 30 days | 25–35% | Monthly |
| 3 | COA/QR engagement | Share of PDP visitors who click COA or scan QR (unique clicks/scans per session) | ≥20% | Monthly |
| 4 | True-serving price compliance | Percent of active SKUs at ≤$1.25 per true serving (1 scoop = 1 serving) | ≥90% | Monthly |
| 5 | Experience-related returns | Return rate citing taste, jitters, GI, or sleep issues | <3% | Monthly |
| 6 | Low-/no-tingle mix share | Percent of pre-workout sales from low-stim and low/no beta-alanine SKUs | 40–60% | Monthly |
Risks & Mitigations
| # | Risk | Mitigation | Owner |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Certification cost/timeline may delay seal-on-pack while demand expects immediate proof. | Publish batch COAs now with QR; set customer comms on certification ETA; start with 1 flagship SKU. | Quality/Regulatory |
| 2 | Margin pressure from <$1.25 true-serving price ceiling. | Right-size packs (mini tubs), optimize flavors/excipients, improve COGS, use bundles and DTC mix to protect margin. | Finance + Product |
| 3 | Flavor reformulation misses (chemical aftertaste or poor mixability) drive returns. | Run A/B flavor pilots via sticks; gate rollouts on flavor NPS; commit to dye-free and thin mouthfeel. | Product/Science |
| 4 | Operational complexity from new formats (sticks, minis) strains supply. | Pilot with limited SKUs/retailers; lock vendors; phase volume; measure sample-to-tub conversion before scaling. | Ops/Supply Chain |
| 5 | Publishing COAs introduces legal/comms risk if specs vary by lot. | Set tight specs, audit labs, add plain-language disclaimers, and maintain transparent change logs. | Regulatory + Legal |
| 6 | Retail POP sampling theft/low compliance reduces ROI. | Use controlled checkout sticks, tamper-evident trays, and retailer incentives tied to sell-through. | Trade Marketing |
Timeline
Weeks 0–2: PDP price-per-serving module; caffeine mg/half-scoop copy; checkout fixes; flavor/visual cleanup on site; Spanish review surfacing.
Weeks 3–6: Launch sticks and mini tubs (pilot flavors); publish COAs with QR; reprice/resize to hit ≤$1.25 true serving; starter bundles + military discount; begin UGC/review program.
Weeks 7–10: Retail/gym sampling pilot with POP; monitor sample-to-tub conversion; iterate flavors/sweetener; finalize certification vendor and submit dossiers.
Weeks 11–16: Scale winning flavors/variants; expand retail placements; certification progress updates; tighten margins via COGS actions; lock recurring CX policies.
Weeks 3–6: Launch sticks and mini tubs (pilot flavors); publish COAs with QR; reprice/resize to hit ≤$1.25 true serving; starter bundles + military discount; begin UGC/review program.
Weeks 7–10: Retail/gym sampling pilot with POP; monitor sample-to-tub conversion; iterate flavors/sweetener; finalize certification vendor and submit dossiers.
Weeks 11–16: Scale winning flavors/variants; expand retail placements; certification progress updates; tighten margins via COGS actions; lock recurring CX policies.
Research Study Narrative
Bucked Up Pre-Workout & Sports Supplement Consumer Study: Executive Synthesis
Objective. Understand what drives American fitness consumers to choose pre-workout and sports supplement brands-purchase drivers, brand loyalty, ingredient transparency, flavor preferences, pricing sensitivity, and the role of third-party testing. Findings draw from 70 qualitative responses across diverse life stages and locales.
What Drives Choice (Cross-Question Evidence)
- Transparency is non-negotiable. Shoppers habitually flip the tub or zoom labels and decide within a minute. They demand exact mg dosing, honest serving math (1 scoop = 1 serving), and no proprietary blends. As Jacob Ferris put it: “‘Clinically dosed’ means nothing unless the back panel shows real numbers.” Red flags: yohimbine, synephrine, high niacin, neon dyes, heavy sweeteners.
- Third-party testing is a trust amplifier. Recognizable seals (NSF/Informed Choice), batch COAs, and lot/expiry tip a purchase when price and dosing are acceptable. Most will pay ~10–20% extra; a minority treats certification as a hard gate (Adila Clark: “No legit mark tied to that exact product? I don’t buy it.”).
- Price-per-true-serving rules the cart. Shoppers do quick phone math aiming for ~$1.00–$1.25/serving; anything above must show verifiable value (COAs, clinical dosing, tolerability). If two scoops are required for the posted numbers, people recalculate (Ferris: “I treat it as 15 servings and put it back.”).
- Stimulant profile matters as much as potency. Many prefer 100–150 mg caffeine with half-scoop guidance; strong aversion to extreme stims and beta-alanine tingles. Predictable, sleep-safe effects drive repeat purchase.
- Flavor is a tiebreaker, not the lead. Clean citrus (lemon-lime, grapefruit/yuzu) or truly unflavored win; candy profiles and neon dyes are broadly rejected for “chemical” aftertaste and shaker staining.
- Discovery is community-led; trial is low-risk. Friends, gym buddies, Reddit/Facebook groups, and in-store endcaps beat polished influencer content unless the label is shown. Single-serve sticks and small tubs at $1–$2/serving convert browsers.
- Loyalty is to function, not logos. Silent formula changes, shrinkflation, disappearing testing badges, or inauthentic marketing drive fast defection; transparency and public fixes can restore trust.
Persona Correlations and Nuances
- Parents & caregivers: Low-stim, sleep-safe, easy trials/returns; price ceiling ~ $1/serving; prefer clean citrus or unflavored.
- Price-sensitive urban shoppers: Sub-$1 focus; will trade certification for value; discover via endcaps/clearance.
- Technical/performance buyers: Demand COAs, ingredient forms (e.g., creatine monohydrate), and batch traceability; tolerate 10–20% premium; one outlier accepts ~$2.25/serving with heavy-metal reports.
- Spanish-language/culturally networked: Bilingual labels/reviews and QR to COAs (e.g., “no me dio taquicardia”) increase conversion.
- Shift workers/rural: Predictable stims, local availability, and no clumping/foaming; strong dye aversion.
Recommendations
- Own transparency: Publish batch COAs (potency/micro/heavy metals) with on-pack QR and lot/expiry. Avoid proprietary blends; show caffeine mg and 1-scoop=1-serving.
- Architect a sleep-safe line: Low-stim (100–150 mg) and mid-stim (~200 mg) SKUs; no yohimbine, low/no beta-alanine; include half-scoop and timing guidance.
- Hit the true-serving price window: Reprice/resize to $0.99–$1.25 per true serving; expose per-serving math on PDP and shelf.
- Flavor and form factor: Launch dye-free lemon-lime, grapefruit/yuzu, and unflavored; prioritize thin mouthfeel/no grit. Offer single sticks and 10–15 serving minis.
- Reduce friction: Remove pre-checked subscribe; add money-back taste/jitters guarantee; surface balanced reviews (including Spanish); seed communities with label close-ups/COA links.
Risks and Guardrails
- Cert timeline/cost: Use public COAs now; phase NSF/Informed Choice on flagship SKUs.
- Margin pressure: Right-size packs, optimize COGS/sweeteners, bundle minis+sticks, and add targeted discounts (e.g., military) to drive volume.
- Flavor misses/returns: A/B test via sticks; gate rollouts on flavor NPS and mixability.
- Operational complexity (sticks/minis): Pilot limited SKUs and scale on sample-to-tub conversion.
Next Steps and Measurement
- Weeks 0–2: Add per-serving price/module and caffeine mg + half-scoop guidance to PDP; remove pre-checked subscribe; surface bilingual reviews.
- Weeks 3–6: Publish COAs with QR; launch sticks and mini tubs (lemon-lime, yuzu/grapefruit, unflavored); reprice/resize to ≤$1.25 true serving.
- Weeks 7–10: Pilot retail/gym sampling; seed Reddit/micro-creators with label/COA assets; finalize certification vendor.
- Weeks 11–16: Scale winning flavors/variants; expand retail placements; progress certification.
- KPIs: PDP conversion +20% in 60 days; sample-to-full conversion 25–35%; COA/QR engagement ≥20% of PDP sessions; ≥90% SKUs at ≤$1.25 per true serving; experience-related returns <3%.
Recommended Follow-up Questions
Updated Feb 04, 2026
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For each of the following, indicate whether it is a must-have, nice-to-have, neutral, or avoid when choosing a pre-workout: L-citrulline, beta-alanine, creatine monohydrate, betaine, L-tyrosine, taurine, theanine, electrolytes/minerals, alpha-GPC/citicoline, nitrates, yohimbine, synephrine, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners (sucralose/acesulfame), natural sweeteners (stevia/monk fruit), stimulant-free version option.matrix Prioritizes formulation inclusions/exclusions and clarifies which additives or stimulants to avoid, informing recipe design and SKU architecture.
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How likely are you to purchase a pre-workout at the following caffeine levels per serving? 0 mg (stim-free), 50–100 mg, 100–150 mg, 200 mg, 300+ mg.matrix Identifies demand by caffeine tier to set target dosing and determine need for multiple strength variants.
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Rank your preferred pre-workout product formats for ongoing use (1 = most preferred): powder tubs, single-serve sticks, ready-to-drink cans, capsules/tablets.rank Guides packaging and format investment, merchandising, and production planning beyond trial-only formats.
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For each mark below, indicate its impact on your likelihood to buy: NSF Certified for Sport, Informed Choice/Informed Sport, USP Verified, BSCG Certified Drug Free, cGMP facility claim, QR code to batch COA. Options: Don’t recognize, Recognize-no impact, Small increase, Large increase.matrix Selects which third-party programs to pursue and how prominently to feature verification on-pack/PDP.
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Which subscription or auto-delivery features would most increase your likelihood to opt in? Consider: price lock, 10–15% discount, free shipping, skip/pause anytime, flexible frequency, reminder before charge, easy cancel self-serve, free samples/bonus, bundle discounts.maxdiff Designs an acceptable subscription model that reduces churn and improves lifetime value without alienating buyers.
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If a brand changes its formula or serving size, which actions would most maintain your trust? Rank your top three: advance notice, before/after change log, batch COA link, transparent rationale, price freeze for current customers, option to buy old formula while supplies last, no-questions refund.rank Sets the change-management playbook to prevent churn and protect brand equity during reformulations.
Randomize item orders within matrices/MaxDiff to reduce order bias. Provide brief definitions where needed (e.g., COA, specific certifications).
Study Overview
Updated Feb 04, 2026
Research question: What drives American fitness consumers to choose pre-workout and sports supplement brands (purchase drivers, loyalty, transparency, flavor, price sensitivity, third‑party testing)?
Who: n=10 US fitness supplement consumers (21–39; parents/caregivers, shift workers, urban/rural, technical buyers), 70 total responses.
What they said: Choice is governed by fast rules-price per true serving (~$1–$1.25), transparent dosing (no proprietary blends; caffeine in mg; 1 scoop = 1 serving), and a sleep‑safe stimulant profile (~100–150 mg; avoid yohimbine; low/none beta‑alanine). Secondary but decisive factors are simple flavors (lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored), clean mixability, third‑party testing as a trust amplifier (most pay +10–20%; a minority requires it), discovery via friends/Reddit/in‑store, and trial‑first formats (single sticks, mini tubs) while rejecting pre‑checked subscriptions. Main insights: Loyalty is to function and value, not logos; churn is triggered by silent formula changes, proprietary blends, shrinkflation, missing COAs, neon/candy flavor shifts, and hard‑to‑use CX.
Takeaways: 1) Lead with per‑true‑serving pricing and mg‑by‑mg label images; publish batch COAs (QR) and pursue NSF/Informed Choice. 2) Offer low‑ and mid‑stim variants with half‑scoop guidance and low/no beta‑alanine; flavors: dye‑free lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored. 3) Scale single‑serve sticks and 10–15‑serve minis, retail endcap/checkout placement, easy returns, bilingual reviews, and remove subscription dark patterns. 4) Price to ≤$1–$1.25 per true serving (some accept to $1.50), use targeted discounts (e.g., military) and convenience to justify modest premiums, and track sample→tub conversion and COA‑QR scans as leading KPIs.
Who: n=10 US fitness supplement consumers (21–39; parents/caregivers, shift workers, urban/rural, technical buyers), 70 total responses.
What they said: Choice is governed by fast rules-price per true serving (~$1–$1.25), transparent dosing (no proprietary blends; caffeine in mg; 1 scoop = 1 serving), and a sleep‑safe stimulant profile (~100–150 mg; avoid yohimbine; low/none beta‑alanine). Secondary but decisive factors are simple flavors (lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored), clean mixability, third‑party testing as a trust amplifier (most pay +10–20%; a minority requires it), discovery via friends/Reddit/in‑store, and trial‑first formats (single sticks, mini tubs) while rejecting pre‑checked subscriptions. Main insights: Loyalty is to function and value, not logos; churn is triggered by silent formula changes, proprietary blends, shrinkflation, missing COAs, neon/candy flavor shifts, and hard‑to‑use CX.
Takeaways: 1) Lead with per‑true‑serving pricing and mg‑by‑mg label images; publish batch COAs (QR) and pursue NSF/Informed Choice. 2) Offer low‑ and mid‑stim variants with half‑scoop guidance and low/no beta‑alanine; flavors: dye‑free lemon‑lime, grapefruit/yuzu, unflavored. 3) Scale single‑serve sticks and 10–15‑serve minis, retail endcap/checkout placement, easy returns, bilingual reviews, and remove subscription dark patterns. 4) Price to ≤$1–$1.25 per true serving (some accept to $1.50), use targeted discounts (e.g., military) and convenience to justify modest premiums, and track sample→tub conversion and COA‑QR scans as leading KPIs.
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