I read an article by Harry Metcalfe of EVO called “The Insider” on how we thinks consumers get it wrong by buying the wrong car all the time, well 80% of the time. He elaborated that journalistic remarks or reviews on a particular model do not have an impact or influence on consumer’s preferences and he thinks that consumers does not necessarily disagree with journalists perspective but they are forced by the salesman when it comes to signing on the dotted line. And I quote “And secondly, punters should buy the car they really want and not what the salesman wants them to buy. Follow that bit of advice from this particular motoring journo, and it might even save you some money.”
So in Harry’s world he believes that journalist like him are always right in telling their readers which cars are best but that readers always buy the wrong car since they almost never buy what he recommends. This raised the question to my mind, Is buying logical or emotional? My take is it depends on the product. If it is a product that is purely of emotional value like jewelry, cosmetics and accessories then buying is emotional. Consumers buy based on what how the product make them feel. How about cars? Is it not that consumers buy based on their feelings when driving the car? Or looking at the car? Well actually not. This is where Harry got it wrong, consumer’s buy cars not because of their emotions but they do so out of logic, well except the super rich who don’t care what they spend.
In a lot of cases it is no different from professional purchasers in a any company. They purchase a product based on its perceived and proven value. They purchase a service based on its added value. The question is should you blame the sales guy for this?
3 comments:
Men are logical buyers while women are emotional buyers
Speaking from personal experience as a car and real estate sales professional, I must disagree with your premise. After offering countless customers the logical choice, I have found that customers often choose the option that satisfies their ego more than their pocketbook.
Buyers have come to me on a daily basis telling me of their needs. After listening to this list of needs, I have often found myself thinking, "minivan" for example. To my dismay what the customer wants is an SUV. No matter how sensible the choice of minivan may be, a customer who perceives that choice (minivan) as less desirable in the eyes of their peers (Lexus SUV) will refuse.
A customer will walk away from the rational choice and give their custom to a business that will satisfy their desires. This happens regardless of the quality of product or price. For example, customers will convince themselves that a bedroom with a bay or bow window has more space than a bedroom without. Customers make this choice regardless of whether a space is actually usable or whether the measurement from a square foot calculation proves otherwise.
Another example is when customers ask for a home with 3 bedrooms and a bonus room, but when shown a 4 bedroom home will not accept this extra space as the bonus space they desire. These customers clearly see the bonus room as a status symbol. When family visits there is no better reward to the buyer than being asked with familial dismay, "You have a bonus room"? The sales professional who finds the means to convey this preceding scenario will be truly successful.
In summary consider the Vulcan paradox (as in Vulcans from Star Trek). A Vulcan is a purely logical creature and would therefore be unable to make a decision in the cereal aisle of a supermarket. Due to the extravagant amount of choice and product, surely several cereals would be equal in price, size, and nutritional content. The Vulcan can not decide because the quality of these goods is too similar. Humans are another matter.
We are rational, planning, and thinking creatures. When the choices are overwhelming however, we are still instinctive beings. A human will always choose that which gives them more status in the eyes of the tribe.
Speaking from personal experience as a car and real estate sales professional, I must disagree with your premise. After offering countless customers the logical choice, I have found that customers often choose the option that satisfies their ego more than their pocketbook.
Buyers have come to me on a daily basis telling me of their needs. After listening to this list of needs, I have often found myself thinking, "minivan" for example. To my dismay what the customer wants is an SUV. No matter how sensible the choice of minivan may be, a customer who perceives that choice (minivan) as less desirable in the eyes of their peers (Lexus SUV) will refuse.
A customer will walk away from the rational choice and give their custom to a business that will satisfy their desires. This happens regardless of the quality of product or price. For example, customers will convince themselves that a bedroom with a bay or bow window has more space than a bedroom without. Customers make this choice regardless of whether a space is actually usable or whether the measurement from a square foot calculation proves otherwise.
Another example is when customers ask for a home with 3 bedrooms and a bonus room, but when shown a 4 bedroom home will not accept this extra space as the bonus space they desire. These customers clearly see the bonus room as a status symbol. When family visits there is no better reward to the buyer than being asked with familial dismay, "You have a bonus room"? The sales professional who finds the means to convey this preceding scenario will be truly successful.
In summary consider the Vulcan paradox (as in Vulcans from Star Trek). A Vulcan is a purely logical creature and would therefore be unable to make a decision in the cereal aisle of a supermarket. Due to the extravagant amount of choice and product, surely several cereals would be equal in price, size, and nutritional content. The Vulcan can not decide because the quality of these goods is too similar. Humans are another matter.
We are rational, planning, and thinking creatures. When the choices are overwhelming however, we are still instinctive beings. A human will always choose that which gives them more status in the eyes of the tribe.
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