love the onset of spring. Birds are chirping, trees are budding, and Girl Scouts are selling cookies. Ok, I’ll be the first to admit it. I have an addiction to Thin Mints. My family has even tried an intervention, but I can’t seem to kick the habit. I think that even the Girl Scout Organization is trying to help Thin Mint addicts such as myself, as they have downsized the number of cookies in each box. Well, they can’t fool me, I’ll just buy more boxes!
All kidding aside, the marketing strategy of shrinking product sizes has been going on for years. A package of coffee now makes fewer lattes. A container of ice cream makes fewer root beer floats. A bar of soap washes fewer hands. I understand this trend is due to marketing research that has determined that consumers are less sensitive to shrinking package sizes than to increasing prices. But what is the end game? Downsizing can only be used so many times until it becomes ridiculous.
My age may show when I make this observation, but it seems that years ago manufacturers had more respect for the consumer and tried to differentiate their product through quality rather than gimmicks. Real estate is not that much different. I’ve seen developers shrink lot sizes to sell more lots per acre. I’ve seen builders use top of the line granite and bottom of the line lumber, to maximize visual appeal while minimizing cost per square foot. And I’ve seen realtors put more emphasis on production volume than quality of service delivered.
But as consumers, we can all make a difference. We have to be more discriminating in our purchases of goods and services and call out companies when they use gimmicks to capture our business. Perhaps we need to get outraged like Peter Finch in the 1976 movie “Network” when he repeatedly shouted “I’m as mad as &%$#, and I’m not going to take this anymore!”
In shopping for a realtor, I encourage everyone to be a discriminating consumer. When looking for a listing agent, review the quality of their work on other listings that appear online. Foremost, check to see if the pictures are vivid, well framed and clearly described. Additionally, see if the narrative is compelling and presents the property in a favorable light. Most people start their search for a home online and view each home just a few seconds unless the pictures or narrative interest them. So the importance of those aspects cannot be taken too lightly.
And whether you’re looking for someone to help you sell or buy a home, check out agents’ references. Every agent can provide them and most even present them on their website. You can also check out agents’ Client Experience Ratings on HAR.com. Finally, I encourage everyone to select someone who is experienced, full-time, and local.
Discriminating consumers not only make a difference in the quality of their own purchases, but they can make a difference for others. As more and more consumers become informed and use that information in their purchases, sellers of goods and services will respond accordingly.
Well, I’m still going to buy the Thin Mints. After all, it’s for a good cause so the number of cookies really isn’t a factor in my buying decision. In fact, I have only two factors that enter into my Thin Mint buying strategy … how good they taste and the size of my pantry.
Monday, March 28, 2011
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