Last year, I purchased a new television. While that might be a delightful task for some people, I dreaded every minute of it. So, so many choices. Brands that were exclusive to a particular retailer, making it hard to do any comparison or even to find reviews. Options that I did not understand. I ended up buying one because some teenager in the electronics department had a preference for one model and that sealed the deal.
I went through a similar experience this weekend trying to buy a vacuum cleaner. It was turbo this, and pro that — making a plethora of options that were more confusing than helpful. Even the salesperson at Lowe’s thought they had too many choices — over 25 models ranging in price from $78 to $599. Does a cute golden retriever on the box really mean that it is better on pet hair, or is that just a marketing tool? Again, no reliable comparisons or a clear explanation of differences. Ultimately, I purchased one of the most basic models — because the salesperson had a husky and it worked for him.
These two shopping experiences highlighted for me the value of reducing the overwhelming amount of information that is available to us. The more you can simplify options — may by reducing them or by providing a human to translate — the greater sense of service you will provide. Not everyone is looking for additional options, in fact, many people value less.
AME