No Pain, No Gain: SharkNinja

How SharkNinja emerged as the ultimate consumer problem-solving company.

By Tamara Clarke | Jan 04, 2025
SharkNinja

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SharkNinja has a proud history as a pioneer in small household appliances but the company’s commitment to putting consumer needs first is securing its future. Leaning into customer-driven product design – an approach that emphasizes the importance of customer needs, preferences and behaviors in order to create products that provide real value – allows the company to continuously launch new products, expand into new categories, enter new markets and add new channels of distribution. While this strategy of reverse engineering isn’t new or novel, this approach coupled with SharkNinja’s aim to solve consumer problems that others do not see or are unable to solve, puts it over the top and affirms its place as a premier global product design and technology company.

“SharkNinja uses consumer pain points as a core element of its product development process, focusing on understanding the specific challenges and frustrations that consumers face in their daily lives. We do this by investing heavily in consumer research to identify pain points. We also deeply value the feedback of our customers,” said Damian Woodward, Managing Director, EMEA Distributor.

“We deploy multiple strategies to observe and collect data from our customers. An example of this is the consumer testing programs we run. These allow us to observe how real users interact with prototypes, which helps refine product design, usability, and functionality,” he continued.

SharkNinja’s global engineering team consists of over 900 engineers and design associates who leverage consumer feedback to create products that are specific to pain points – persistent or recurring problems that frequently frustrate or inconvenience customers. SharkNinja’s cross- functional teams then collaborate quickly to bring new cutting-edge products to the market.

“Our pace of innovation enables us to be first-to-market in many product categories and launch new products often faster than our competitors. We are a boundlessly curious organization, deeply passionate about consumer innovation, and driven by our relentless pursuit of perfection. As soon as we launch a product, we begin working on how to improve it,” said Woodward.

And these products do not disappoint. Customer experience significantly impacts product development at SharkNinja. For every product, there is a pain alleviated by innovation and impeccable design. Tapping into regional consumer demand for compact cooling, the company brought its new Shark FlexBreeze Fan to the market. At a showcase in Dubai, the brand also introduced the Double Stack air fryer and FrostVault Cooler among other products that have undergone extensive consumer trials before being launched in the Middle Eastern region.

Source: SharkNinja

Speaking at the event, Woodward, said: “The new products and categories that we are introducing today, will drive our growth as we invest in and build our business in the region and beyond. With a simple mission of positively impacting people’s lives, every day, in every home, we feel that in announcing to the UAE our new range of products, across Shark Clean, Ninja Kitchen, Shark Beauty, and Ninja Outdoor ranges, we are living up to that mission.”

Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer
The Pain: Space and time

Wish you could fit a double air fryer in your kitchen, but running low on counter space? The Ninja Double Stack XL 2-Drawer Air Fryer is 30% slimmer without sacrificing cooking capacity. This air fryer, featuring two vertically stacked drawers, is perfect for large families and entertaining, fitting a whole 1.4kg roast chicken in each 4.75L drawer. It has the capacity to feed up to 8 people in one go. At 38.5 centimeters tall, it’s designed to fit under cabinets so you can enjoy clear countertops with less clutter. Life is super busy and time is of the essence. You can mix and match different cooking functions, times and temperatures in each drawer.

Source: SharkNinja

And, its innovative SYNC functions ensure that both drawers finish cooking at the same time, so you can enjoy freshly cooked mains and sides together. Cooking up to 55% faster than ovens, the Ninja Double Stack Air Fryer helps you get family favorites on the table in minutes.

SharkNinja has a proud history as a pioneer in small household appliances but the company’s commitment to putting consumer needs first is securing its future. Leaning into customer-driven product design – an approach that emphasizes the importance of customer needs, preferences and behaviors in order to create products that provide real value – allows the company to continuously launch new products, expand into new categories, enter new markets and add new channels of distribution. While this strategy of reverse engineering isn’t new or novel, this approach coupled with SharkNinja’s aim to solve consumer problems that others do not see or are unable to solve, puts it over the top and affirms its place as a premier global product design and technology company.

“SharkNinja uses consumer pain points as a core element of its product development process, focusing on understanding the specific challenges and frustrations that consumers face in their daily lives. We do this by investing heavily in consumer research to identify pain points. We also deeply value the feedback of our customers,” said Damian Woodward, Managing Director, EMEA Distributor.

“We deploy multiple strategies to observe and collect data from our customers. An example of this is the consumer testing programs we run. These allow us to observe how real users interact with prototypes, which helps refine product design, usability, and functionality,” he continued.

Tamara Clarke, a former software development professional, is the tech and lifestyle enthusiast behind The Global Gazette, one of the most active blogs in the Middle East. The Global Gazette has been welcomed and lauded by some of the most influential tech brands in the region. Clarke's goal is to inform about technology and how...

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