Capturing Hearts, One Upgrade at a Time
By DAMON DARLIN
NYT
PRODUCT designers have always tried to cram new features into their wares. They may finally be figuring out how to build in some brand loyalty, too.
Every time we have to replace a product, our loyalty is tested. It’s not a painful test when the product is a box of cornflakes, but it is when it’s a consumer electronics gadget costing several hundred dollars — and when it has grown obsolete before it has worn out.
Manufacturers can extend a product’s life with software upgrades — a business practice that, on its face, may sound crazy because consumers may replace the product less often. But these upgrades may actually encourage people to stick with the brand when it’s time to buy again.
Consider the cellphone. You buy it with a two-year contract from a network provider, an arrangement that encourages a regular and timely churn of customers. But Apple essentially gives its iPhone owners a new phone several times during that contract period.
(More here.)
NYT
PRODUCT designers have always tried to cram new features into their wares. They may finally be figuring out how to build in some brand loyalty, too.
Every time we have to replace a product, our loyalty is tested. It’s not a painful test when the product is a box of cornflakes, but it is when it’s a consumer electronics gadget costing several hundred dollars — and when it has grown obsolete before it has worn out.
Manufacturers can extend a product’s life with software upgrades — a business practice that, on its face, may sound crazy because consumers may replace the product less often. But these upgrades may actually encourage people to stick with the brand when it’s time to buy again.
Consider the cellphone. You buy it with a two-year contract from a network provider, an arrangement that encourages a regular and timely churn of customers. But Apple essentially gives its iPhone owners a new phone several times during that contract period.
(More here.)
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