At the rate new gadgets and gizmos are hitting store shelves, you’d think they practically invent themselves. But the truth is, these products are researched and developed over months (or even years) by professional teams of scientists, thinkers, designers, and engineers.
Research and development (R&D) is the process of researching, developing, testing, innovating, and introducing new products or services to the market. It’s a fascinating and essential process for any company trying to create and innovate new technologies that improve their customers’ lives.
These companies put themselves in their customer’s shoes, explore new and creative avenues, work toward a more sustainable future, and (perhaps most importantly), demonstrate credibility and transparency. And From USANA Health Sciences to Tupperware, many of these key research and development leaders work within the direct selling industry.
R&D Across the Direct Selling Industry
The total global R&D expenditure has more than tripled from $677 billion in 2000 to $2.2 trillion in 2019. Developing new products and researching innovative solutions is a staggering investment—one many companies in the direct selling industry eagerly support and build upon. Through R&D, not only can direct selling companies create cutting-edge products, but they help shape and revolutionize their industries.
Here are a few examples of how direct selling companies are spearheading innovative research and development projects:
Opening a World of Sustainability
While R&D can be used to create never-before-seen devices, tools, and products, it can also be used to support global sustainability by updating existing concepts and ideas. In recent years, Tupperware® has invested several millions of dollars into making their products safe, reusable, and environmentally friendly. They now own more than 10,000 functional and design patents, thanks to their R&D efforts.
New Ways to Achieve Excellence
For Vorwerk®, R&D is essential to achieving and maintaining top quality in their industry. They employ nearly 1,200 professionals in their R&D and quality management departments. These teams design, update, and test the incredible variety of components for their cutting-edge home appliances. And they work together to innovate new products—each year, they create nearly 100 new patents.
Pure Passion for Research
The Coway® R&D Center is an environmental technology institute housing about 370 researchers who focus on preserving clean air and water. They study customer behaviors, research product designs, and perform reliability and customer satisfaction tests. And they’ve even developed a database of the world’s water and air quality in their environmental analysis center. Coway’s dedication to studying clean air and water has led to more than 1,800 patents and over 3,530 intellectual property rights.
Making Nutrition More Accessible
USANA Health Sciences not only adapts to current trends but it also shapes them. Thier R&D team includes experts on human nutrition, cellular biology, biochemistry, genetics, the microbiome, and medical doctors. In addition to product research,
USANA’s scientists are investing considerable resources into versioning—developing new ways to supplement nutrition. They’re exploring the efficacy of gummies, powders, topical applications, chewables, and liquids. These teams are also expanding their focus on crucial clinical studies to ensure their products meet the highest industry standards.
Collaboration Is Key
R&D pushes direct selling companies above and beyond. It’s a multi-faceted process requiring talent and skills in many distinct fields—encouraging teamwork leadership, and creativity as companies generate new ideas and opportunities. Market analysts must work in tandem with engineers or researchers as new product concepts are generated, discussed, and tested. It can even attract and train the future of product innovators, researchers, and specialists.
Perhaps most importantly, R&D also promotes collaboration and trust between companies and other business enterprises or academic institutions. Many direct selling companies have already established valuable partnerships to develop ideas, prepare for the future, and better perform clinical studies and trials to garner trust and credibility.
By doing this, the direct selling industry can play an important role in the global R&D community and shape trends for years to come. Collaboration also helps direct selling companies provide transparency and better search for unique customer feedback and needs. Overall, this helps them to create a positive message, tone, and community.
Directly Creating a Brighter Future
Many direct selling companies strive to be key leaders in the research and development of new technologies. With R&D solutions, we can invent reliable, sustainable designs, push the limits of our creativity, and make our home and store shelves a more accessible and positive place.
For any successful and sustainable company, the future is not something to predict—it’s something to create.
