Will consumers ever be happy with the products they buy?

Looks like your subject and content are two questions. Since no one else has answered, I'll toss in a few thoughts for each question.

(1) Subject question: "Will consumers ever be happy with the products they buy?"

IMHO, the quest is in the getting, not necessarily the using. I think the media keeps pushing us to get the newest latest (look at cell phone usage). It makes us feel less if we don't have what everyone else has. People are gratified if they have what their friends have; they may be more gratified if they have before their friends do. Unfortunately, I think we have lost the different between wants and needs. Many have all they need, but never all they want.

(2) Is 'consumer convenience' affecting the way designers design their products?

'Consumer convenience' is half the equation. The other half is keeping production/distribution costs to a minimum. I recently read a couple of books that gave me a whole new look at Wal-Mart.
It and what it sells personifies convenience to me. Looking at the overwhelming "Made in China" on soooo much, the stuff is cheap enough (cost and quality) that if something goes wrong, it's cheaper to buy a new one rather than fix the old one - that's pretty convenient.

There's also a quick-start set-up with most products. That too is convenient (if that's what you are asking). I went from zero knowledge of digital photography to taking great pictures that same day.

I look at my computer and know what I know - it too is a pretty convenient device. Unfortunately, while I'm pretty good at what I do, I rate myself at a 2 or 3 out of 10 on potential usage. As soon as something out of my ken happens, I panic and call a friend. He's convenient as well.

Well, I don't know if this what you were looking for, but it's what I offer.

Let the rest of the comments begin....

Thanks bermbits for your reply! I really appreciate your response and for spliting up my subject and content.

I totally agree with your comment on consumers getting their wants and needs mixed up! Would it be fair to say that we are happy with what weve got and it is the designer/manufacturer who is pressurizing us to buy another product that is better than the one before?

Yup!


I fully agree with this. The media pressures us not to be happy with what we have. The technology revolution is happening so fast that we almost have to buy the newest latest to keep up. I see in kids the need to keep up with what thje next kid has - adults aren't much different.

So in a sense the anwser to my question 'is consumer convenience affecting the way designers design their products?' is NO.

Instead it is the designer/media who is dictating what we need and don't need.

But just to clarify what I meant by consumer convenience is wanting everything at the push of a button, not having to go through a process to get to the result. Does this change your view at all?

Reply
In the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, two types of people are described: those who want to get on the bike and ride it, not caring how it all works and those who need to know what each part does and how it all works.

From my perspective, people, in general, do want easier! As a person of the first sort, I want something to work easily, and I base most purchases on that premise. I don't think I am "wired" the right way to understand technology. I just bought Paint Shop Pro 8, and don't have a clue how to begin. In spite of the manual, I sent for another book to demystify the process. Of course, I would love to load it and use it, but I can't... yet.

Ease of use is a giant consideration! The rest of what I said I also believe to be true.

Thanks for your response you've definitely helped me to clarify a few things!

Thanks, but please keep in mind that what I say is one perspective only - mine.

Since I don't have any info on Question No. 2. I'll stick to my experience with Question No. 1

I am sometimes happy with my purchase, so I would have to answer yes to the question.

I have some sort of system to know if I made a good purchase. A good purchase is one that pays off it's value and I measure that by the amount of use and satisfaction I get from using it.

I usually go with a dollar an hour. I do it mostly with videogames. If I buy a game that costs $40 and I play it for at least 40 hours, then it's a good purchase. I recently bought a TV Series on DVD, it was $50 and I watched it for about 20 hours and it still was a good purchase because I loved every minute of it (and I intend to watch it again someday).

So... it's all relative, a car might be a good purchase if it gives you 'x' amount of miles before any major fixing is needed, a table might be a good purchase if you feel better when you're eating on it...