Janet CollinsToo Much Choice!
October 15th 2008 11:42
Today it was reported that Coles supermarkets are about to rethink the product choices they have on offer and trial storing fewer varieties on their shelves. By the end of the day, Coles executives were defending this new strategy against criticisms of minimising competition which will supposedly inevitably push grocery prices upward.
You can’t really blame them though. Do we really need the variety and choice on offer? In my local supermarket there are at least 25 brands of olive oil – and that is not taking into account the different types of olive oil. The same goes for sauces and salad dressings come pretty close.
Most of our department stores dedicate at least half of one of their floors to cosmetic products with every brand you can think of – and most of them selling much of the same.
Recently, I noticed some of the kitchen gadgets I have purchased over some years, many of which I haven’t even used. My guess is that I am not the only one who falls for these “useful” items because stalls and shops offering such an array of kitchen gadgets seem to be everywhere these days. So people must be buying them.
I don’t know about others, but I often find so much choice more daunting than convenient. I have no sooner put my hands on one item and then thought “maybe that one’s better” or “that one” or “that one” or “that’s a flavour I haven’t tasted before”! Do I buy the mascara that will make my eyelashes appear thicker, or the one that makes them look longer or the one that makes them curl?
In a time of so much choice in simple foods and household items,, however, some of the most basic items have become harder to find. In a recent search for basic black buttons, I found this to be the case. Determined to find them before my urge to mend a few garments passed, I went everywhere. Even a specialty shop in the city had very little choice. Just like me, most people must do very little mending.
What is most irritating though is when your favourite item of something is no longer stocked in most places or worse, discontinued. I recently couldn’t find a favourite cheese of mine but the variety of cheeses on offer was ridiculous. You can get cheese with nuts, with fruit, with rum and raison but no sign of the simple peppered cheese that I often buy.
Have our choices become just a bit too much or do we now expect ithis level of choice?
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Comment by Wynona Lavota
Generation Y Life
Anyway, I heard a while back that there was a study that showed people ended up with some sort of anxiety because they had too much choice on the shelves- ick.
But if stuff is taken off the shelves, doesn't that mean those companies may go broke because there are less places to sell their products?
Comment by colocountry
Lets wait and see if we have a market economy that will offer us choices. Given the ructions in financial markets in recent times, i wonder if the same largesse by governments globally will be afforded to our own farmers who find themselves hammered by the market forces and viscitudes of futures, derivatives and leverages. I think not. Perhaps we in Australia haven't quite learnt the lesson that the US are about to learn big time... If you haven't got it, dont flaunt it!!!!
Col
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Department stores certainly give products lots of exposure as well as opportunities for sales. I just don't now why we need SO many of the same products from all around the world. And don't forget, a lot of Australian products suffer in the process.
Thanks for dropping by.
Janet
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
I'm afraid you are right. It will be interesting to see what happens in all of this. I am guessing that exports to the US will slow but many agricultural products were limited anyway.
Thanks you for commenting.
Janet