Simply Selling

Computer retailers and vendors have to simplify their product lines and marketing. It's too complex for the average buyer.

Our radio show a few weeks back had quite a few callers distressed at the difficulty to buy a computer. Then an article crossed my path that mentioned business owners and managers are struggling with the same thing.

I found how hard this was first hand over the weekend when I looked at tablet computer options for a client. It's simply amazing how difficult vendors make it to research this stuff.

A special mention in these stakes has to go to Toshiba. Don't get me wrong, I like Toshiba laptops and their warranty is the best on the market. However their website and product code numbering is simply brain damaged and leaves one rushing to Dell or Lenovo.

Retailers, service providers and vendors make it too hard for buyers. Not only are there too many options, but they are dressed up in arcane terms. All they do is confuse shoppers.

It's tempting to go back to the Henry Ford line of any colour as long as it's black. Apple almost do this, for instance the Macbook Air comes in two basic models but even they lose the plot as we see with the five hundred flavours of iPod.

The industry needs to go back to basics and focus on what the consumer wants; simplicity. Believe it or not, they would actually sell more product.