Free Effect. A new ice cream company in India has set up free ice cream vending machines on the streets to promote its brand. Result? People lined up at a very long distance in front of the vending machine. It was raining then, and the people in line went to a convenience store to buy umbrellas, then lined up again. Umbrellas cost much more than ice cream. However, people kept lining up. Cheap and free are two completely different concepts. When the price is low, sales increase slightly, but when it is free, an extraordinary dimension of the problem arises. It’s a privilege, so consumers are willing to pay a higher price to get something for free. Free is not a matter of reason; it is a matter of emotion. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
Believing that customers and consumers are identical can be misleading. These two terms are fundamentally different. For instance, parents don’t purchase a diaper after trying it on themselves, and pet owners don’t eat pet food before buying it. When the buyer is distinct from the actual user of the product, it’s crucial for sellers to approach product strategy and purchasing considerations with this distinction in mind. Often, we engage in business without fully understanding the nature of the products involved, which can lead to failure. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”