Apr 30, 2015
Blog Tracking ID
UA-62488803-1
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Blog Tracking ID
UA-62488803-1
Blog Tracking ID
UA-62120930-2
Large Online Purchase
The last large purchase that I made on the internet was when I had my computer built through a computer building site called ibuypower. Over the course of a few weeks I compiled general information in regards to chip sets, RAM, and graphics capabilities. The computer I was looking for needed to be optimized to play highly graphical games; therefore, it was paramount that I had powerful specifications. I spent about a day on each component doing exhausting research to determine the best fit for my needs, as well as, my wallet. I would peruse several different review sites and come up with a comprehensive overview of each component. Once I made a decision the site allowed me to save changes to my build. Over the course of a couple weeks I was constantly going in and updating the requirements as I researched reviews and product information.
In this decision facts played a much larger role than emotion. The prerequisites were simply that the computer was made with quality and performed the necessary functions of playing graphical video games. The only real emotions I can think of were the fact that it was really upsetting to play games on my current computer because it would crash or not perform well causing me to get my ass kicked due to old hardware.
All factors of sales complexity played a role in my purchasing decision. First, the need was certainly there because my old computer would make me a handicapped player on the battlefield. Therefore, it was extremely necessary to upgrade my system so that I could actually play games in the fashion they were designed. Conversely, there was a huge amount of risk from initiation, delivery, and end user support. Buying a personalized computer strictly online garners huge risk and irritation if the product is not what is expected. Knowledge is certainly an important dimension of the sales complexity because the amount of knowledge that I had to gain (scientific information and product information) was extremely large. Furthermore, I wanted different knowledge from first-hand users of said components; therefore, I not only had to read one set of reviews, but I also would compare them to another set of reviews to determine certain correlations. If I found one site had all good reviews, yet on another site many bad reviews, I would look into a different brand or component. Finally, consensus was searching for relevant and useful feedback from first-hand users of different graphics cards and chipsets. I would certainly value user’s feedback who could confirm they bought the product and I would omit other reviews that could be company generated or didn’t show an actual purchase of the component I was reviewing. Consensus and knowledge raised my confidence to purchase a personalized computer strictly online.
Tracking ID
UA-62120930-1
Worst Customer Service Experience
While this may not be my worst customer service experience of all time, it is certainly the most recent and involves the spread of information across social media; therefore I found it quite relevant for this post.
It was valentines day 2015 and my girlfriend, her sister, and brother-in-law all went to the casino for dinner and gambling. I had managed to win a few hundred dollars as we watched the line to the restaurant dwindle down. We got our seats and I must say the waitress was actually very nice, this was not the issue. With my recent success at the slots I decided that dinner was on me and we ordered our $20 prime rib plates, everything was fantastic. Until my brother-in-law asked, "where's the garlic bread". Apparently this garlic bread was supposed to be the best thing since... well, sliced garlic bread. When the waitress made her rounds we asked her if we could have not only one, but two orders of their famous garlic bread. This waitress knew we were anticipating some out-of-this world bread because my brother was hyping it up for the whole latter half of our dinner. About five minutes later the waitress arrives and my brother-in-law exclaims, "holy hotdog bun". Not only was this not their famous garlic bread but it was a combination of hoagie rolls and hotdog buns covered in butter and garlic. Needless to say, I was disappointed after being hyped up, and so was my family, they wanted me to experience the garlic bread as they did.
Among all the hysteria around the garlic bread my family proceeded to take pictures of the bread and post it to their personal social media accounts, which ended up spreading to friends and family quite rapidly. This illustrates just how important it is for companies to deliver the expected goods and services. We all told the waitress that we would have been happier if they just said they were out of the bread. To this day my family associates this experience with a funny saying, "holy hotdog bun"! Negative experience and association comes more rapidly in this era where information sharing is readily available.
Black hole buying... Shopping on the Internet!
As budgeted college students, aren't we all looking for cheaper prices on the school supplies…? Especially on out the necessary items such as text books? I am. I buy discounted books off the Internet to cut down on the costs of college. I do pursue many sights before deciding on the best priced text book. In my searches, I am most definitely am concerned about the security of the website, its accessibility of its personal contents to the public, and most importantly the credit or debit card numbers I type into payment slot. How scared I get, even when the book selling website is a well-known and accredited company. Even if I was guaranteed that my information would be safe, I would not whole heartily accept it. 100% security cannot be promised to Internet users. Two words: Loop holes. If there is a will (And getting free money entices the will) , there is a way. The Internet is this virtual black hole that truly has problems letting things go. Just like a jealous teenage girl. Yet, I still plug in very personable identifiers to buy books online plus I use the Internet on a regular basis. A good deal on a textbook elevates beyond my paranoia about security and identity theft. Is that good, I do not know. Nothing wrong has happened yet, should I continue buying books online? What are your thoughts?
Each book site that I have visited has used personas and or personable tactics to entice continued transactions from me. I do not mind being exposed to these sales tactics, if it gets me the product I want. If the personas and personable tactics do not produce a satisfied customer, then company should redesign their game plane. Otherwise their efforts are in vane plus it gives the customer memorable tedious & obnoxious experience for your company and shopping online in general. Personally, I select convenience over spewing all my sacred information into the Internet black whole with teenage grudge holding tendencies. I research my purchases online, and make decisions on the parallel characteristics or projected personas between the company and myself. This is how I shop. How do you shop?
Perhaps there could be overlap of identification and personality. The marketing team of the company would define a balanced list of questions that are less invasive of identification (For example: Social, birthday, family locations, etc… Typical topics that people become extremely disconcerted about) and more questions of likes, dislikes, hobbies, dreams, and so on. Personally, my objective would to create an individualized persona for each customer that visits your website. Caring for the customer and providing individualized personality in every purchase. This would be my ideal outcome for a website. What would be yours?
Growth Spurts, Guerilla War Fare, & Clothing Outlets Stores
Throughout my childhood, I found myself to be constantly growing. I would grow 4 and 5 inches in a growth spurt. Shopping was very difficult and I learned very early on that every piece of clothing needed to be tried on in a dressing room. Mom would also request a fashion show to asses if the outfit was modest, fit correctly, was price appropriate, if it was well made, and would be durable for a very energetic active little girl. It was a process! If Mom and I were ever to find a single piece of clothing that fit the long laundry list of desired qualities, it would be bought, receipt would be kept, and Dad would make the final say when we got home from the outlet store. It was a battle that needed guerilla ware fare tactics to actually find pants long enough my legs, shirts that were not too revealing, and shoes that fit my duck-like feet. Thus the title of this blog will be “Growth Spurts, Guerilla War Fare, and Clothing Outlets Stores”.
While shopping was difficult, and rarely would I find a complete outfit in one shopping experience, still my mission was to find stores in Klamath Falls that I could find clothes I liked, fit my ever-growing self, were tasteful, and did not break the bank. Ross: Dress-For-Less became my Mecca! When trying on what felt like racks of clothing, I discovered that 90% of the shirts, sweaters, and pants did not work. Ross’s customer service was professional yet wonderful about the whole ordeal. I would come out of the dressing room handing them the reject clothes with a look of defeat. I would receive a smile of concern and would say that’s okay. We get new shipments of clothing on Fridays. You should try again then. My reciprocated smile could be described as a crooked out-to-lunch stare. It was a difficult process, sometimes even war-like. I am glad that customer service was not my enemy on the other side of the battle field, rather the army that came to my aid amidst battle.
On the occasion that our purchases did not meant Dad’s standards, Mom and I would pile back into the car and return to the store in which the rejected clothing came from. Typically this store was Ross: Dress-For-Less. I was welcomed to the cash register with a genuinely concerned face. I would plop the clothes on the counter and say “I would like to return these please…” In a matter of a few minutes I would have cash in my hands or have credit to reduce prices of future purchases. I would express my thanks, take the cash or card and hold it towards my mom and say “My ammunition for our next clothing war!”