When OXO International developed a range of high quality, easy to use kitchen tools, the award winning designs piqued the interest of other manufacturers, keen to profit from the obvious and universal appeal of ergonomically designed kitchenware. In order to maintain market share, OXO launched a new range, copying its own up-market originals.
Successful innovations, such as OXO’s Good Grips range of kitchen tools, rarely maintain their initial market dominance once other companies have cottoned on to the idea. With increasingly competitive product development times, ‘me too’ products can appear on the shelves in a matter of weeks. Flattering though this mimicry may be, small start-ups can find it difficult to compete against larger, more established manufacturers if they launch their own, cheaper versions.
Having launched a successful range of kitchen tools, OXO International decided to beat potential competitors at their own game, by copying its original range but this time with budget-conscious consumers in mind. With extensive research and development already undertaken to create the first range, development costs for the new tools were greatly reduced. OXO International and its design partner Smart Design were quickly able to choose materials and styles that could be manufactured at a lower cost, without compromising the Good Grips ‘design for all’ ethos.
The Good Grips lower cost kitchen tools have now become part of an extensive portfolio of over 500 products. OXO continually researches and develops new products and has branched out into other areas including tableware and tools for cleaning and gardening. Through its ongoing commitment to research and innovation, and with user-centred design still its main focus, OXO has successfully maintained its advantage in the face of fierce competition.
