Standing Out From The Crowd

I usually say that I am a very practical person. I am proud of my capacity to research the best possible deal before purchasing anything. Moreover, when asked, I always say that price DOES matter to me. It matters a lot!

Well, if this is true, why do I frequently end up paying more for the products and services I buy?

To answer that, I started recalling my last purchases.

• First, my wife’s birthday present - OK, that doesn’t count… I couldn’t be concerned with price on a special date. It HAD to be the right gift!
• Second, our last vacation - Yeah, I didn’t get the cheapest package available, but it was our vacation! Why not seize the moment and get something better.
• Finally, our last grocery purchase - That should be an easy one… Hmm… I could have bought less expensive stuff, maybe used some coupons. But what can I do if the products I like most are not on promotion. After all, I can’t spend all my valuable free time saving a cent or two.

After analyzing that, I came to the conclusion that nothing really went wrong and that, despite my bravado about low prices, what really matters to me is the tingling feeling that I made the right choice and bought what I really wanted or what I really needed, for me and for my loved ones. There is no better deal than that!

Yeah, well. I think I am no different from any other consumer after all…

*This post was originally published at the Customerspective Blog