How To Buy – Focus on fit, not price
April 11, 2010I’ve been helping a friend shop for a new MAC recently. I’ve had MACs and PCs for years. I consider myself pretty knowledgeable about the technology. And I know what I want/need. So it always amazes me that I find the process so painful.
The pain is a function of the fact that I always find myself focusing on the price first and thinking that the more I spend the better off I will be. All this despite the fact that what I need could be handled by a less expensive configuration.
Perhaps consumers and companies are better served by a new shopping experience. One that starts with the evaluation of how well needs and capabilities match. There could be many benefits.
Consumers would be shielded from the illusion that higher prices mean better fit. It would allow consumers to focus on “value” relative to what they need as an individual. Only then would price come into play, to help refine the final buy decision. The consumer would end up with greater clarity as to what they paid for and why.
Companies would be encouraged to better describe the benefit of a capability in plain English. Their customers would be more likely to buy (and pay for) exactly what they need. They would in turn be more satisfied, willing to buy again and willing to recommend the experience to others.
I think it’s a win-win for everyone and for the right products.
