Methods and apparatus to model with ghost groups

An apparatus to model new products, comprising:

• a utility estimator to estimate discrete choice utility values for a plurality of market-available products;
• a product matcher to identify a match between the new product and a test starter product from the plurality of market-available products, the product matcher identifying a degree of similarity between the new product and the test starter product;
• a ghost group rule manager to generate tailored utility values for the new product based on the test starter product;
• and
• a choice share manager to combine the tailored utility values with the discrete choice utility values to create a ghost group model.

An article of manufacture storing machine accessible instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to:

• estimate discrete choice utility values for a plurality of respondents based on a plurality of market-available products;
• divide the plurality of respondents into groups based on an ownership status of the plurality of market-available products;
• identify a test starter product from the plurality of market-available products based on test criteria indicative of a degree of similarity with the new product;
• generate a ghost group associated with the new product;
• assign utility values of the test starter product to the new product in the ghost group;
• tailor the utility values assigned to the new product with a ghost group utility adjustment rule;
• and
• generate a ghost group model to represent consumers of the new product.