Among the five determinants of product adoption rate, relative advantage and compatibility are two factors that would increase the speed of adoption. Airless tires have a relative advantage over regular tires since they cannot be punctured, and customers value this benefit. Moreover, they are innovative and satisfy the compatibility criteria, effectively increasing the speed of adoption (Solomon et al., 2018). On the other hand, complexity, trialability, and observability delay the adoption rate since airless tires are relatively complex and expensive. Ultimately, they lack accessibility, and it is challenging for customers to test them due to low trialability.
Airless tires are puncture-proof, which is their primary relative advantage over regular tires. Moreover, airless tires are environment-friendly and technologically advanced, meeting contemporary trends and consumers’ expectations. One of the disadvantages is relatively little accessibility due to high costs and manufacturing limitations. The possible marketing solution to the problem is to advertise the product as a highly innovative technology that would attract tech-savvy people, creating a niche in the market.
I would target innovators and early adopters who are generally technology-oriented. If airless tires become more relevant in the market due to the initial attention, car manufacturers might change their construction designs, mitigating some of the additional disadvantages. Moreover, Michelin intends to utilize airless tires primarily on electric cars, and the owners of such vehicles generally prefer technology-oriented products despite potential drawbacks in cost-effectiveness. Therefore, I believe focusing on innovators and early adopters is the most appropriate choice.
I think airless tires belong to the category of dynamically continuous innovation. Solomon et al. (2018, p. 243) identify this concept as a “change in an existing product that requires a moderate amount of learning.” As mentioned in the article, people would have to adapt to the new ways of driving since airless tires are not bouncy and provide different feedback to the driver. Ultimately, driving with airless tires has a slight learning curve, and customers will have to adjust to it.
Reference
Solomon, G. W., Marshall, G. W., & Stuart, E. W. (2018). Marketing: Real people, real choices. Pearson Education.