It is a Trust Issue

It is a Trust Issue

     In this economy, I have two things I cannot afford to waste, my time and my money.  In chapter 5, of Socialnomics: How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business, the author mentions several examples of how we turn to social media to help us make decisions, anything from buying a car seat to choosing our next vacation destination.  What they did not mention is why we do this.  I believe I can answer that question.  My family of four is on a tight budget.  I need to make sure that I am getting the most value for my hard earned dollars and do not have the time to return items with failed expectations back to the store for refunds or worse yet, store credit.  I also cannot rely on the companies themselves for truth in advertising  or believe in their assessment of the product they sell.  I have been burnt too many times.  What I can do is trust my friend’s opinions of products.  They are going to tell me the honest truth, the good the bad and the ugly.  Recently, I was looking to purchase a carpet scrubber.  What was the first thing I did?  That is right. I turned to social media and ask friends on Facebook their opinion of previous purchases. I then went to the store and purchased the brand that I had placed the most confidence.  After using the carpet scrubber, I was very pleased with the results, so of course I jumped back on social media to brag about my clean house and praise this brand in the event that any of my friends were considering a similar purchase. 

     So, how do you handle purchases?  Do you go to the store blindly without research?  Do you trust the companies advertizing and marketing, or do you rely on social media like I do?  One thing I wonder about is the price point at which you begin your search?  I know for myself I do not research small priced items, but as the price increases so does my research into brand quality.