Testing the Hypothesis: Part 1

Testing the Hypothesis: Part 1

People are typically in need of medical supplies, household items, or even food when on a boat because of the spontaneity of some events and the inconvenient location make it difficult to retrieve any wanted items.

Who: People on boats

What: People need medical supplies, household items, or food/drinks when on the water, but no way of getting it

Why: The spontaneity of some events makes it hard to plan on what items are necessary to bring.  

Interview 1:

• Have you ever been in the open water, on a boat, and wanted/needed something you could have gotten at your local CVS?
• Yes, actually probably every time I have been on the boat.
• Have you ever had an accident occur, something not as extreme for the doctor, but a little more than a band aid could fix?
• One time, I got stung by a jellyfish. It would have been nice to have had some spray to stop the burning.
• How far do you normally go offshore?
• A typical day on the boat is through the intercoastal at a sandbar, about a mile or two from land.
• Do you still have phone service/charged battery when you are on the boat?
• Unless we are offshore fishing, which even then we still might, but I have phone service and a charged battery 90% of the time.
• Would you use a service like UBEREATS or Doordash, but instead of purchasing from food restaurants and having it delivered, these specific boats would have almost everything that you could get at your local jiffy store, (including medical supplies specified for water/ocean related injuries)?
• Yes, that sounds like a great idea.

Interview 2:

-Have you ever been in the open water, on a boat, and wanted/needed something you could have gotten at your local CVS?

• Yeah, I guess.
• Have you ever had an accident occur, something not as extreme for the doctor, but a little more than a band aid could fix?
• Yes, I get seasick a lot so when I forget to take nausea medicine, once im stuck out there, I’m stuck.
• How far do you normally go offshore?
• I have never been considered “offshore”, my family and I just go to the local sandbar.  
• Do you still have phone service/charged battery when you are on the boat?
• Yes
• Would you use a service like UBEREATS or Doordash, but instead of purchasing from food restaurants and having it delivered, these specific boats would have almost everything that you could get at your local jiffy store, (including medical supplies specified for water/ocean related injuries)?
• Yeah, why not.

Interview 3:

• Have you ever been in the open water, on a boat, and wanted/needed something you could have gotten at your local CVS?
• Yes
• Have you ever had an accident occur, something not as extreme for the doctor, but a little more than a band aid could fix?
• Not to me personally, no.
• How far do you normally go offshore?
• I can see land pretty well, I would say probably a mile.
• Do you still have phone service/charged battery when you are on the boat?
• Yes, duh.
• Would you use a service like UBEREATS or Doordash, but instead of purchasing from food restaurants and having it delivered, these specific boats would have almost everything that you could get at your local jiffy store, (including medical supplies specified for water/ocean related injuries)?
• Yeah sure.

Interview 4:

• Have you ever been in the open water, on a boat, and wanted/needed something you could have gotten at your local CVS?
• Not that I can think of a specific time, but I am sure it has happened before.
• Have you ever had an accident occur, something not as extreme for the doctor, but a little more than a band aid could fix?
• Yes, many times.
• How far do you normally go offshore?
• For a normal boat day, 3 miles at most.
• Do you still have phone service/charged battery when you are on the boat?
• Sometimes, depending how busy we are on the boat.
• Would you use a service like UBEREATS or Doordash, but instead of purchasing from food restaurants and having it delivered, these specific boats would have almost everything that you could get at your local jiffy store, (including medical supplies specified for water/ocean related injuries)?
• Yeah, I could see the use for that.

Interview 5:

• Have you ever been in the open water, on a boat, and wanted/needed something you could have gotten at your local CVS?
• I don’t go on the boat often enough to remember.
• Have you ever had an accident occur, something not as extreme for the doctor, but a little more than a band aid could fix?
• No, I am from Philly so I haven’t had many opportunities to go on the boat, let alone get injured on one.
• How far do you normally go offshore?
• Don’t go.
• Do you still have phone service/charged battery when you are on the boat?
• I guess I would.
• Would you use a service like UBEREATS or Doordash, but instead of purchasing from food restaurants and having it delivered, these specific boats would have almost everything that you could get at your local jiffy store, (including medical supplies specified for water/ocean related injuries)?
• Obviously if this was targeted in areas where boating is popular, I don’t see why this wouldn’t do well.

After conducting all of my interviews, I have realized that this need is clearly unmet. Like my last interview said, it would have to be targeted in places near the water, where boating is popular. Each person said they would typically have service and have their phone charged while on the boat, making this delivery service convenient as an app. Each interviewee also stated that this opportunity and solution is something that would be useful.