Housewives were the main target market for the Trap-Ease product, however more and more they are leaving the home life and going back to work. Therefore Trap-Ease was targeting a shrinking market. Furthermore, "there is not much demand in the middle income and upper social class for a mouse trap." This current target market is not currently in demand of mousetraps. The research done in this domain was only between males and females; no additional studies were done to identify other target markets.
There is no clear mission statement to differentiate Trap-Ease from its competitors. Without a mission statement they are also not able to place themselves in the minds of their customers. Consumers are not exactly sure what the purpose of the product is. This was the case as people were buying the trap as a novelty item and conversation piece instead of its desired purpose. If a mission statement had been made clear than the consumers would have only had mousetrap in their minds, not just a toy.
The customers are not repeat buying the product, which can cause problems to the sales. This could be due to the fact that the product is inefficient in some way. The material used to create the product could be deficient. The method of the trap may also not be effective or providing to the needs of its consumers. The consumers could also be reusing the product and therefore do not need to buy anymore. .
There is also the problem of pricing. Trap-Ease is almost five times more expensive than its competitors. The other products have been around much longer and have developed loyal consumers. Consumers might be hesitant to try a new product when the one they have been using has always worked, especially when it is more expensive. The target market was housewives who generally do not pay premium-price for things they can get for cheaper.
Advertising is also a huge problem for Trap-Ease. There is definitely not enough of it being done.
