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More About This Title Embarrassment of Product Choices 1: How to Consume Differently
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When there are too many choices, there is no choice. The choices are entangled in a maze of rather confused possibilities. They go through many nebulous paths. Doubt, hesitation, indecision, become the only resolutions possible. Choosing is the anxiety of being wrong! The brand, the quality / price ratio, the aesthetics ... give confidence, but often with naivety! There is a gap between the reality of the qualities of the products and the perception of the customer. These are prejudices, illusions, a lack of knowledge ... Generally speaking, is the consumer-client able to appreciate, by sight, by touch, or even by a brief trial of operation, all the strengths and weaknesses? a lot of products? Market value dominates the use value. Marketing will discover that we must no longer confuse the consumer (the customer) and the user. The economic system only works because consumers are in the opacity of their choices. The search for technical prowess and above all market value has dominated the search for value in use.
English
Michel Millot is the founder of Millot Design, France. He studied Industrial Design at the Ulm School of Design, Germany, and developed the product information system at the Georges Pompidou Center. At Camif, France, he tests, analyzes and compares products. At ENSAD, France, he is Professor of Industrial Design. He is the President of ISUC, France, and a Consultant in Design and Marketing at Eurodesign.
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Preface xi
Introduction xiii
Chapter 1. The Power of Words 1
1.1. The power of word-of-mouth 1
1.1.1. The Internet and electronic word-of-mouth 2
1.1.2. Advertising marketing and word-of-mouth marketing 2
1.1.3. Social influence 4
1.2. The power of consumers/customers 7
1.2.1. Consumers/customers buy with their eyes closed 7
1.2.2. “Consum-action” 9
1.2.3. Boycotts 10
1.2.4. The power of the purse 11
1.3. The power of consumers/users 12
1.4. The power of demonstrations 13
1.4.1. Case study: the process of a “Tupperware”-type sale 13
1.5. The power of distributors 14
1.5.1. The product in a commercial context 14
1.5.2. Distributor brands 15
1.5.3. Retailer-brand products 15
1.5.4. Distributors 15
1.6. The power of the big buyers 16
1.7. The power of the Internet 17
1.7.1. A powerful, indispensable system 17
1.7.2. The economic objective 21
1.7.3. Dependency 23
1.7.4. Security and confidentiality 23
1.7.5. Testing on the Internet 24
1.8. The power of stars, influencers and idols 25
1.8.1. Titles and clothes make an impression 25
1.8.2. The elites 26
1.9. The power of genuine users 27
1.10. The power of sellers 27
1.10.1. The effect of contrast 29
1.10.2. The principle of reciprocity 29
1.10.3. Reciprocal concessions 30
1.10.4. “Everyday” manipulation 31
1.10.5. Manipulation 31
Chapter 2. Temptation 33
2.1. The power of sales catalogs 33
2.2. The power of certificates, labels and eco-labels 33
2.2.1. The different labels 33
2.2.2. Recognizing recycled products 35
2.2.3. The CE seal 35
2.2.4. The NF seal 36
2.2.5. The power of eco-labels 36
2.3. The power of packaging 38
2.4. The power of labels 40
2.4.1. The energy label 40
2.4.2. Trackability 43
2.5. The power of manufacturers 44
2.5.1. The impossibility of being fully informed 44
2.5.2. Doing what sells 45
2.5.3. Forms of product obsolescence 46
2.6. The power of standards: inflation 52
2.7. The power of commercial leaflets 54
2.7.1. Denying advertising 55
2.8. The power of specialized journals 55
2.9. The power of trade shows and fairs 56
2.10. The power of technical tests 56
2.10.1. Material, technology and performance 56
2.10.2. Machines and figures 57
2.10.3. Technical tests 58
2.10.4. For a more useful technology 59
2.11. The power of tele-shopping 60
Chapter 3. Belief and Respect 61
3.1. The power of fair trade 61
3.2. The power of ecologists 62
3.2.1. “Ecologist”: an overused term 62
3.2.2. The ecology of use 63
3.2.3. Environmental risks 63
3.2.4. Paint me green all over! 64
3.2.5. Recovering waste 64
3.2.6. Examples of waste 65
3.2.7. Solar products 65
3.2.8. The ecological argument 66
3.3. The power of the quality/price relationship 66
3.3.1. Paternalistic advice 66
3.3.2. The power of the best choice: who is it the best product for? 67
3.4. The power of consumer reviews and associations 68
3.4.1. Associations 68
3.4.2. Consumer reviews 68
3.4.3. The consumer strike 69
3.4.4. The phony interpreters 69
3.4.5. Class action lawsuits 69
3.4.6. Product tests 70
Chapter 4. Marketing and Lies 73
4.1. The power of surveys and panels 73
4.2. The power of marketing 75
4.2.1. Marketing wins over customers before anyone else 75
4.2.2. Viral marketing 76
4.2.3. Buzz 77
4.3. The power of consumer services 77
Chapter 5. Pleasing, Enjoying and Being Successful 79
5.1. The power of aesthetics, the seduction of products 79
5.2. The power of festivals and traditions 82
5.3. The power of fashion and trends 83
5.3.1. The vagaries of fashion 84
Chapter 6. The Powers that Be 87
6.1. The power of lobbies 87
6.1.1. The activities of lobbying groups 87
6.1.2. Influencing practices 88
6.1.3. Strategies 89
6.1.4. For products to be used by the army 89
6.1.5. In global trade 90
6.1.6. Issues 90
6.2. The power of politics and the government 91
6.2.1. The different forms of intervention 91
6.2.2. The interest is to make people consume 92
6.3. The abandoned goals of the Centre de Creation Industrielle 93
Chapter 7. The Power of “Made in France” 95
7.1. Should I buy French? 95
7.2. Are the labels all reliable? 95
7.3. AOC products 96
7.4. A new label: “Origine France Garantie” (in English: “French Origin Guaranteed”) 96
7.5. A lack of information for making choices 96
7.6. “Made in France” 97
7.7. Good for businesses 99
7.8. French products are more expensive and therefore of better “quality”! 99
7.9. Good for the consumer/customer? 99
7.10. The French product craze 100
7.11. “Made in France” and the brand 101
7.12. Progress made through globalization 101
7.13. An economic point of view 102
7.14. Design and manufacturing 103
7.15. Protectionism 104
7.16. Nationalism 104
7.17. Conclusion 104
Chapter 8. Seeing, Touching and Getting a Feel 107
8.1. The power of stores 107
8.1.1. Choosing the store 107
8.1.2. Factors of influence and in-store circumstances 108
8.1.3. The cheapest 111
8.1.4. The purchasing process 112
8.1.5. Methods for sales/merchandising 113
8.1.6. Trying is buying 114
8.1.7. No waste of time 115
8.1.8. Seeing is buying 115
8.1.9. Up-selling 115
8.1.10. Cross-selling 115
8.1.11. The center of the shelves 116
8.1.12. Decoy 116
8.1.13. POS 116
8.1.14. Feeling good 117
8.1.15. The “expert” seller 118
8.1.16. The 3D printer in-store 118
8.1.17. Audio marketing 118
8.1.18. Taste-based marketing 119
8.1.19. Smell-based marketing 119
8.1.20. Sensory marketing 120
8.1.21. Touch-based marketing 120
8.1.22. Visual marketing 121
8.1.23. Virtual reality helmets 121
8.1.24. Buying through connected orders 121
8.1.25. Mass-scale operations 121
8.1.26. Discount coupons/loyalty programs 122
8.1.27. The profitability of the store? 122
8.1.28. A lack of ethics 123
8.1.29. “Robotization” 123
8.1.30. The so-called “smart carts” 124
8.2. The power of product 125
Chapter 9. The Innovative Product of a Known Brand 127
9.1. The power of technical innovations 127
9.1.1. Sell only what sells well 129
9.1.2. 3D printing 129
9.1.3. The inconvenience of choice: articles or types of products 132
9.1.4. Tools that are not up to the task 132
9.1.5. Nanotechnology 132
9.1.6. The sources of concern from these technological advances 134
9.2. The power of brands 135
Chapter 10. The Product Already Seen 139
10.1. The power of the media 139
10.2. The power of print media 140
10.3. The power of advertising 141
10.3.1. Making it public 141
10.3.2. Media ubiquity and the locomotive of the economic system 142
10.3.3. Dissatisfaction 143
10.3.4. Rationale for purchases and propaganda 143
10.3.5. The power of conviction 143
10.3.6. Distraction and temptation 144
10.3.7. Advertising tools and techniques 146
10.3.8. Neurological studies 146
10.3.9. Deceptive and misleading advertising 147
10.3.10. Deceptive language 148
10.3.11. Brainwashing and dumbing down 148
10.3.12. Aggression and harassment 150
10.3.13. Popularization 151
10.3.14. Boosting sales 151
10.3.15. Economic functions for the state 153
10.3.16. Waste by advertising 153
10.3.17. The advertising market? 154
10.3.18. “Free” publicity 154
10.3.19. Seduction and mental manipulation 155
10.3.20. Physical beauty 156
10.3.21. Sports 157
10.3.22. Celebrities157
10.3.23. The socio-cultural role 157
10.3.24. Advertising for children 159
10.3.25. The removal of ads 160
10.3.26. Digital de-culturation, privacy, policing, targeting… 160
10.3.27. Online advertising 161
10.3.28. Comparative advertising 162
10.3.29. The inefficiency of the Bureau de la verification de la publicité (French advertising oversight bureau) 162
10.4. The power of TV 163
Chapter 11. Buying Cheap 165
11.1. The power of pricing 165
11.2. The power of sales 167
11.3. The power of promotions 168
11.4. The power of responsible purchasing 170
Appendix 173
References 177
Index 183
