Session by Lindsay Gaskins, Marbles: The Brain Store. Description: Launched in October 2008, Marbles: The Brain Store is a retail store that focuses on products designed to stimulate and strengthen the brain. Marbles currently has one store located in downtown Chicago, and is planning to open two more stores in Chicago during the summer. The Marbles collection of over 250 products includes software, games, books, and puzzles that fall into the five categories of critical thinking, memory, word skills, visual perception and coordination. Every day, the Marbles team is learning first-hand what customers are looking for and identifying the best assortment of products to meet their needs. Lindsay Gaskins, CEO of Marbles: The Brain Store, will share some of the consumer insights her team has identified while serving nearly 10,000 customers as well as tips on effective strategies for developers of software products and videogames to connect with customers.

1. www.marblesthebrainstore.com
The Brain Health Market:
The Future of buy and why?
What consumers Marbles
Games for Health Conference
June 2009

2. Overview
Introduction to Marbles
Market Research
Consumer Insights from the Store
Strategies for Reaching the Customer
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3. Marbles: The Brain Store
A retail store that focuses on products designed to
stimulate and strengthen the brain.
• Books
• Games
• Puzzles
• Brain Fitness
Software
Programs
• Activities/Classes
• Brain Aerobics
• Game Nights
• Tournaments
• Book Signings
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www.marblesthebrainstore.com

4. Background
Opened in October 2008, Marbles currently has one store located in
downtown Chicago as well as a website, and is planning to open two
more stores in Chicago during the summer . By the end of 2011, Marbles
expects to have 10 store locations.
Every day, the Marbles team is learning first-hand what brain customers
are looking for and identifying the best assortment of products to meet
their needs.
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5. Market Research
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6. Nearly ¾ of respondent believed they can improve their
brain health
% Respondents Who Agree with Each Statement
74%
59% 57% 55%
34%
4%
There are things I I am looking for I am active in I worry about I am worried about I don’t think there
can do to improve ways to improve maintaining my memory loss Alzheimer’s is anything I can
brain health my brain health brain health disease do to prevent
mental decline 6
Marbles Online Questionnaire: 07/2008, Q6) Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each statement below using a scale of 1 to 5. 1
is strongly disagree and 5 is strongly agree.

7. Association of activities/products with brain health
Top 5 Activities People Currently Do for Products Expected at a Store for Brain
Brain Health Health
Books 82%
Reading books 87%
Supplements 81%
Crosswords 80%
Doing word games like 81%
Memory cards 71%
crosswords and Scrabble
Word searches 70%
Participating in physical 74% Trivia games 69%
exercise 68%
Sudoku
Software 66%
Staying socially active 73%
Jigsaw puzzles 65%
Electronic games 51%
Playing memory games 73% Exercise/fitness equipment 46%
Art kits 41%
Travel games 37%
Brain fitness product awareness is low
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Marbles Online Questionnaire: 07/2008, Q7) What do you do for brain health? Q8) What would you expect to find at a store
selling products for brain health?

8. Marbles also did a live market test prior to the store
opening to understand shopping behavior
Brain fitness
software
demo area
Kiosk format doesn’t lend itself to product trial or understanding –
validated opening of store where customers could engage with product 8

9. Consumer Insights from the Store
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10. Marble offers a highly selective product mix, educational
materials, and hands on customer service
Here’s the good news:
you can outsmart your
aging brain by playing
games!
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11. Brain fitness software is the root of the Marbles collection
Brain Fitness Software Programs Currently Available
NeuroActive
Mix is important
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12. Top Performing Software
Program Quantity Share Price Comments
Art Dealer 203 45% $ 24.99
Mindfit 66 15% $ 149.99
DS Brain Games 56 12% $ 24.99 not market price
Nintendo DS 30 7% $ 129.99 not market price
Brainware Safari 22 5% $ 149.99 lowered price from $349
Posit's Brain Fitness Program 16 4% $395-$495
NeuroActive Complete 15 3% $ 99.99 Added in February
Posit's Insight 13 3% $395-$495
Bookworm 11 2% $ 14.99
Emwave 7 2% $199-$299
NeuroActive Memory and Multitasking 6 1% $ 69.99 Added in February
Bejeweled 5 1% $ 24.99 added in the last few months
GoldenDrivefit 1 0% $ 99.99 plan to discontinue in store
451
Art Dealer has broad appeal and drives volume 12

13. Revenue Share
Program $ Share
Mindfit 25%
Posit's Brain Fitness Program 16%
Posit's Insight 13%
Art Dealer 13%
Nintendo DS 10%
Brainware Safari 9%
Emwave 4%
NeuroActive Complete 4%
DS Brain Games 3%
NeuroActive Memory and Multitasking 1%
Bookworm 0%
Bejeweled 0%
GoldenDrivefit 0%
MindFit and Posit programs lead the way in sales
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14. Sales by Month
Software Sales 30%
Relative Sales Coordinatio
n
$6,100.00
Critical
26% 26%
Thinking
25%
Memory
$5,100.00
Visual
20% 20% Perception
$4,100.00 18% Word Skills
17%
16%
15% Brain
$3,100.00 Software
13% 13%
12% Brain
Education
10%
$2,100.00
8%
7%
6%
5%
$1,100.00
$100.00 0%
November ecember January February March
D April May
November December January February March
Share has improved as we did more training and trial
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15. Effective Strategies for Reaching the Customer
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16. Marbles Lessons
1. Determine the real demographic of your consumer
2. Merchandising and demo excellence
3. There is room for improvement
4. Killer questions
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17. Determine the Real Demographic of your Customer:
Most buyers are age 31-40 and are buying for themselves
Purchase Intent:
Age Who are you buying this for?
61-70
51-60 5%
63% Currently
12%
20-30 59% female, 41% male
31%
34% 35%
41-50 18%
15%
17% 12%
9% 8%
31-40 4%
0%
36%
Self Child Family Parent Friend
Q4 08 Jan. 09
The customer is younger than expected- interested in products for
themselves, their kids and their parents 17

18. Merchandising and Demo Excellence:
Great packaging, good paperwork, and easily accessible demos
Brain fitness product awareness is low so messaging and training is very important.
Packaging should be a priority.
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19. Opportunity for Improvement:
The brain fitness software category has room to grow
% Sales by Category
7%
23%
14% Memory
Word Skills
Software and Education
Visual Perception
17%
Critical Thinking
20%
Coordination
19%
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20. Killer Questions(developers should think about)
Pricing • How high is too high? How low is too low? (in price)
Retailer and
Customer • How do I get buy-in from the sales people (or how does it sell itself )?
Feedback
Customer • PC/MAC compatibility (why wait)?
Usability
Mitigate • What is the retail inventory investment for the retailer, how do I mitigate
Risk the risk?
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21. www.marblesthebrainstore.com
Thank you!
The Future of Marbles
Please contact me if you have any further questions:
Lindsay Gaskins
lindsay@marblesthebrainstore.com