Are You A Marketers Dream?

Shopping at the Lloyd Center Mall last Saturday afternoon I was looking for some comfy 3 to 4 inch heel pumps to wear with my jeans.  I tried on some ballet flats just to prove to myself that they feel like pieces of cardboard on my feet and make my whole self feel flat and sloppy.  I think it is true the more one wears heels the more the body adapts and they become even more comfortable than flats of any kind even flat soled boots.  I have the best luck finding shoes on sale at Marshall's.   The clothing items there have no appeal for me and  even the shoe selections seem to be going downhill but hey isn't everything?

It used to be products that came along were better than the ones before it.  "New and Improved" labels meant something.  Today changes are simply merchandising gimmicks rather than improving the product.  They count on us being greedy with the classic cry "buy more save more".  It is actually comical walking the mall and seeing the signs outside Lucky store saying "50 percent off everything in the store" then further down the way Express has their sign "70 percent off all inventory".  When walking in the stores the clerks approach with a verbal assault starting with "have you heard about our buy one get two free with the third item half off  and if you have a coupon or our store card every item after that is 70 percent off blah blah blah" and I want to turn and say..." I only purchase items in stores that do not offer coupons and or sales."   But I stop myself with enough decorum so the clerk will not think me just  a "crazy old lady".

If we the people accept these changes yet not buy into them it would be interesting to see where the marketing geniuses head next.  If you want to hear the very latest marketing techniques in full force turn on HSN and QVC.  They are the masters at how to move merchandise.  The hot button words,,, "buy now, hurry, don't miss out, selling out fast, already thousands sold, free shipping and easy pay goes away at midnight"   They know people buy more when it is billed as a special holiday, anniversary, birthday, etc. so everyday they present some kind of celebration going on.  We know callers ONLY get to voice their opinion if it is positive so I liked to go online and look at customer reviews on certain items to see what the negative reviews were saying.  Guess what?  They have eliminated that feature now.  When I asked QVC why only a few customer reviews are available now because I counted on those to determine if I wanted to take a chance on an item they emailed back to say that feature has been discontinued for now.  

I know false advertising is nothing new it just seems more prevalent now with all of the access we have to the media.  I wish stores would STOP putting all of their dollars into how to market their products and more into making the product one that we would all want to purchase because of the quality.  Which brings me to shoes.

 The January Vogue article on shoes for Spring states that shoes are returning to thin soles.  Did you ever try the platforms?  I have one pair and they are very comfortable but I have tried on many others over the past few years and they looked clunky on me, impossible to walk in and did not see many others wearing them either except in photo shoots.  This article says....platforms are out for one big reason... they make you look fat or bottom heavy.  No wonder I did not like them.  I did like this pair of  Bandolino's that are a pretty pinky nude, slip on and off as easy as flats, thin soled, and hopefully do not create blisters when I wear them shopping this weekend to find some splashy colorful print jeans for Spring.   I've never tried any on but am curious.   Maybe I am a marketers dream after all.