One of the things I really enjoy about the calls I get from journalists is that they prompt me to consider new aspects of consumer issues. This morning I was called by BBC Radio Bristol to talk about the rise of charity shops on UK high streets. At the heart of the issue is the advantageous cost base that charity shops enjoy. Not only do they receive heavily discounted business rates (80% discounts are mandatory), they also capitalise on difficult economic conditions by taking on retail premises at very low rents: the landlords must continue to pay business rates even if their premises are unoccupied, so they are under considerable pressure to find a retail tenant. With their donated stock and volunteer staff, charity shops benefit from significantly lower running costs. The issue is far from simple. The very nature of ‘charity’ is highly emotive: few people would say charities […]
Are Consumer Interest Groups Bad for Consumers?
We live in a consumer age. My own view is that consumerism is part of evolution. I know that there are a few people out there who really hate how far it’s gone: I’m certainly not arguing that the consequences of being a consumer society are all good. However, I don’t think we can turn back this particular tide. Increasingly, what was once a case of consumer need (indeed, many marketers still talk in such terms – mistakenly, in my view) is now much more often a case of consumer desire: we meet our basic psychological desires by buying products. These psychological desires that have served us so well in evolutionary terms, can now be satisfied from a trip to the shops: if you want status, buy a Rolex or an iPad; if you want power, buy a high performance car; if you want romance get a make-over and buy […]
Amazon Test New Website Design
It’s always interesting to see what ideas a web giant like Amazon is evaluating, particularly when the change is more than just a subtle adjustment. At present they’re trying out a very different home page. One thing Amazon does that is super-smart is split test. They don’t rely on the vague irrelevancies of what customers tell them in market research to decide whether a change is worth making: they send customers to the new look at random and check to see what the impact is on behaviour (and particularly on conversion). This means the evaluation isn’t done as an artificial conscious exercise, people don’t know they’re taking part in research: as a result the unconscious drivers of consumer actions are still ‘in-play’ and the artificial influence that comes from asking questions isn’t an issue. From this perspective it doesn’t really matter what I or anyone else thinks when they evaluate […]
Shuropody (August 2011)
“Yes!” That was my first thought as I watched my golf ball fly towards the 200 yard marker at the driving range; the first successful launch from new Taylormade R9 5 wood. My previous attempts had travelled the kind of distance better measured in inches. My second thought was “Ouch!” My foot was hurting with the constant pain that I imagine would be the consequence of getting whacked on the heel with a sledgehammer. The pain eased a little in the next few moments, and so with the mindlessness that would delight a regimental sergeant major but cause a physician untold despair, I carried on trying to get the long stick to propel the ball to the end of the driving range. Two days later I was forced to accept I’d done something hurty to my foot; the pain was still present and I needed to do something about it. […]
Recent Comments