I have allergies - a lot of them. When I use a product, it is because: a) I'm not allergic to it, b) It does it's intended job, c) It is reasonably priced. (I have been known to pay more for something to get those first two features, but I'd rather not.)
It really pisses me off when a product that I use, and have used for years, changes it's packaging and/or formula. I understand that product marketing people want to attract new customers. I get it. But what they don't seem to get is that if you radically change the packaging (and especially the name), you are likely to lose your existing customers.
I go to the store to get more of something that I use all the time, example> Pert Plus Dandruff Control. I don't see it in the usual place. (Don't get me started about store Plan-O-Grams). I stand there for ten minutes looking for my item because I know some asshole has justified his job by changing the box/bottle, size, color, font, logo or name. There for awhile Pert Plus was changing the bottle color and shape about every four months. This gripes me for several reasons:
1) I can't tell whether they've changed the formula of the product, or just tried to make the packaging pretty to younger shoppers. If they change the formula, then it's not the same product. I don't know whether I'm not allergic to it. So I buy it, take it home, try it and maybe, just maybe I can continue to use it, or it makes me sneeze, wheeze, or break out in a rash.
2) Making the product difficult for your existing customers to find puts you at risk of losing those customers because they give up and pick something else. Not everyone is willing to stand there and read all the labels of the 200 brands of whatever to find the one that they like. If they don't have allergies, they are likely to grab whatever is cheaper and be on their way.
3) If I can't find the one that I like, then I have to try to find something new. I hate doing that because once I've opened it and used it once, I can't return it. It goes into the trash. Less personal things I can give away to neighbors and co-workers.
Case in point: deodorant. I can't use antiperspirant because I break out in a wicked rash within two hours. Deodorant-only has gone out of style. Nobody but me wants it, and I'm not enough to support a product line. I was really happy with Right Guard original scent. I can not use the spray type because of my asthma. Surprisingly, that stuff still exists. Go figure. Anyway, they changed the name to Right Guard Sport. I wrote to Gillette. They assured me that it was the same stuff, different packaging. Then the original scent was discontinued. After lots of sniffing in the store, and failed trials, I settled on "fresh" scent as being the least offensive. Then they changed the name to "24/7". Fresh still existed, so I used that. It worked. It lasted longer. It didn't make me wheeze. Good. Then they discontinued the deodorant-only formula. All their Right Guard versions are now anti-antiperspirant/deodorants.
Once again, I am on a quest to find a deodorant that meets the criteria from the first paragraph. But, wait - there's more. You may be thinking, "Just get the hypoallergenic, unscented, organic deodorant. There are several." I've tried them. They don't work. I sweat a LOT. I stink pretty highly by 3:00. Those products crap out on me by noon. And they're expensive. I tried one that is based on organic sea salt that's supposed to block/kill/prevent bacteria that causes odors. It was $8.00. Was supposed to last a year. Didn't work worth a shit, and I threw it away. I've tried Burt's Bees, Jason, Arm & Hammer, Crystal, and Tom's. All went into the trash. I'm not allergic to them, but they don't get the job done. I made the mistake of trying the "fresh scent" of Old Spice - sneeze and wheeze. I gave it to my husband. Back to the store. I've been settling for Speed Stick, which is only okay, it's not great. It gives up about 3:00, but now that I'm retired that's not so awful as it was when I worked. I'm still searching. What a pain in the ass.
Conclusion, changing the packaging of existing products is a pain in the ass to the long time customers who use it. I don't know the statistics, but it seems to me that if you lose 2 customers to gain 4, you're not accomplishing much. There is something to be said for keeping your loyal customers happy.
No comments:
Post a Comment