to introduce a new product or service in a small area of a country to find out whether people are likely to buy it when it becomes more widely available:
• The brewery will test-market a new light beer in six states beginning next week.
• The low-fat eggs, which were test-marketed in Cincinnati probably won't be back on the shelves for some time.
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test market UK US noun [C] MARKETING
► a particular area or group of people chosen for a limited introduction of a new product or service, new advertising campaign, etc. to test how people will react when it becomes available in more places: »
70% of consumers in the two test markets gave high satisfaction marks to the products.
► the process of introducing a new product or service, new advertising campaign, etc. to a limited group of people or area to test how people will react when it becomes available in more places: »
The company has continued its growth record with a successful test market in the USA.
test-market verb [T]
► »
They have sent off information packs to test-market interest.
test-marketing noun [U]
► »
We have conducted successful test-marketing for the new product.
Financial and business terms. 2012.