The paradox of choice; GAS explained

[phcorrigan]

Originally Posted by HHP

That might be a little misleading. I just retired from a multi-national where I was handling corporate sales. The expectation from these customers is that a vendor know their needs well enough so that when you brought them a proposal for new technology, you had already vetted the alternatives.

If you go in and offer them Choice A, B, and C, they'll think you a boob and kick you out.

That really depends on what you're selling or proposing. Retail is very different from direct corporate sales (I've done both). Yes, in direct corporate sales, you vet your customers' needs and typically go in with a single proposal. In retail you offer choices.

[Big*Al]

Originally Posted by KevWind

Humm I just bought some "Levi 501 Shrink to Fit" about a week ago (admittedly not as heavy of cotton cloth as 40 years ago) but still the old stand by

Yes, that sure looks a lot like what I was describing, but I haven't seen anything like that in any local store since the '80s. I'm surprised to see that it still exists.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by richard1

I think the pair of pants thing was just used as a tongue-in-cheek example. You can witness the effect of virtually unlimited choice, simply by reading the multitude of posts on this site.

I enjoyed the lecture. I suspect that the lecturer presumed that his audience would be listening critically, and would understand the bits of truth that would be found within the hyperbole.

I note that the major points were illustrated with New Yorker cartoons. That says something, right? Despite his demeanor, we shouldn't take him more seriously than he took himself.