TiVo is a type of DVR that allows user to capture television programs and record them to internal hard disk for later viewing. The TiVo basically functions just like video cassette recorders or VCR

Advantages:

• Convenience – gives total control of what you want to watch and when.
• Set TiVo to record a favorite program for later viewing and can be watched over and over again.
• Select favorite programs to record either by time, actors etc..
• TiVo interface is easy to use.
• thumbs up/thumbs down button which is basically a user rating system that allow viewers to score television shows.
• Ratings are then used to determine the user’s preferences to suggest some shows to the user.
• Season Passes allow TiVo to record a show each time it is aired regardless of when the show begins.
• pause and rewind live TV

Disadvantages:

• Privacy Concerns-TiVo’s capability to collect usage data may intrude into the privacy of its subscribers.
• Difficult to understand
• Can Tivo afford to provide Ad free viewing experience? Issues with channels and Advertising companies

Adoption process:

• Awareness – Aware of it but has no info
• Interest  - seeks info
• Evaluation  - decides whether to try or not
• Trial – tries and improves his estimate of its value
• Adoption – becomes a regular user

After adoption we should try to make him a loyal customer.

Sales force isn’t doing a good job of explaining the product well enough. The consumers perceive this as a type of high-end VCR. They look for high commissions and Tivo sales don’t give them that. They probably are not very well educated to explain the benefits to consumers.

The product benefits are difficult to understand.

Trial Helps in Adoption. All customers who tried it adopted it. But to try this, the users have to understand this product. But the early adopters and sales force do not do a good job of explaining the features. Hence trial rate is no picking up.

The TV ads do not convey the advantages well enough. Fix one or two specific advantages as differentiating points and send the message clearly across.  

They tend to be very brand loyal and talk up their TiVo and it's technology to everyone they know.