blog 2: expectations, disappointment, paralysis

According to Barry Schwarz, we are faced with a future filled with expectations that are too high and constant disappointment. Pleasant surprises will soon cease to exist because the excessive choices of every product will only lead to disappointment when we realize the option we chose inevitably isn’t perfect – not to mention the possible paralysis that may occur when we are overwhelmed by the variety of products before us. To me, Mr. Schwarz’s view is a little cynical not to mention pretty extreme as well. But that’s not to say he doesn’t have any valid points. Mr. Schwarz argues that there are too many options in today’s marketplace. There is every variety you can imagine for every product you can think of. In the end, the unnecessary number of options just leads to stress. This very much affects the way in which consumers buy products.

Like we discussed in class, there are some products that are purchased frequently, almost without thought. If we buy the wrong brand or variety, it’s not that big of a deal because it’s (usually) inexpensive and soon we’ll be back at the store again to buy more. In this type of situation I don’t think the amount of choices is too overwhelming, though it may be unnecessary. I feel like consumers are affected only to the extent that it takes them a little while longer to sift through all the products to find the one they were looking for. Usually they already have an idea of what they want in that product, and there is one determining factor for the customer that separates one item from the rest. This kind of product isn’t one that I feel a consumer would either be excited or disappointed about regardless of the other products that the consumer decided not to pick because it’s not significant enough of a purchase.

Other items, however, that require more time and thought before purchasing leave the consumer with more to lose if she feels she picked the “wrong” one among the myriad of other choices. For example, if a girl is going to her high school prom, she undoubtedly wants the “perfect” dress and most likely has an idea of what she is looking for… that is until she actually enters a store. The more dresses she tries on the more she expects to find the “perfect” dress which no longer exists in her mind’s eye. Her thoughts are so filled with the multitude of colors, cuts and styles that she doesn’t even know what she wants anymore. There is more of a chance that she will buy a dress and leave the store wondering if it was “the one”, thinking that maybe there is another dress out there that will fit her just a little bit better. This is exactly what Schwarz is talking about. He believes the more options that are available, the more likely a consumer is going to be unsatisfied with her purchase in the end.

The endless varieties make people indecisive. Before, when there were only a few choices to pick from, a person could get exactly what she wanted, or the closest thing to it, knowing that that item was, in fact, the best one for her. Now consumers spend more time researching and asking questions before making important purchases. They want to make sure they’ve done everything possible to ensure they’re making the right buy, whether it’s a new car or sending their kids to the right daycare center. The problem is, even after doing all the research and buying the product they’ve decided is the best, the consumers can’t know for sure that it is indeed so. This uncertainty affects how consumers will buy future products as well. The overwhelmingness of researching and carefully trying to find the perfect product might deter consumers from making big purchases too often. They’d rather stick with what they have, no matter how old, instead of going through the trouble of replacing it with one of a thousand similar items and attempting to figure out its newer, more complicated technology. With all businesses do to serve their customers and individualize every need, it is ironic that maybe what they really need is less, not more.