Marble Inc. is a new firm that entered the smartwatch industry during the growth stage of the industry life cycle. It managed to become one of the top-three smartwatch manufacturers during the shakeout stage due to its low-cost structure. What features should Marble emphasize in its product marketing to ensure it successfully crosses the chasm into the maturity stage?

Question

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The customer segment associated with the maturity stage of the industry life cycle is known as the late majority. Although members of the early majority are confident in their ability to master the new technology, the late majority is not. They prefer to wait until standards have emerged and are firmly entrenched, so that uncertainty is much reduced. The late majority also prefers to buy from well-established firms with a strong brand image rather than from unknown new ventures. By emphasizing the ease of use associated with Marble smartwatches, the company may attract late majority customers who are uncertain of their ability to use the new technology.