Tag Archives: consumer research

CES Show Underlines Smartphone Dominance

January 15, 2013 mindfieldonline

The big Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas has come and gone. What are some trends that emerged or continued?

Well, one thing they have been saying for a while is becoming truer by the day. Single-use devices are dying. A machine that just plays Blu-Ray discs? A GPS-only device? A phone that’s just a phone? Forget it. Whatever it is, it’s got to do ten things and have room for whatever fab invention comes up next.

Like a smartphone. I know plenty of people (not necessarily old, but grouchy) who take pride in that fact that they don’t own a smartphone. To which I reply: “With a 70% penetration rate, what are you waiting for – and engraved e-vite?”

What’s obvious to me after this year’s show is that your smartphone is going to become a universal remote control for your life: connecting to your house, car, HVAC, media center, SmartTV, fitness regimen and just about every aspect of your life. I’d suggest you think about getting a second battery for your smartphone if you plan on participating in this connected revolution. The Data Doctor

If you are a smartphone resister, I know where you are coming from (the PAST! j/k) I used to feel the same way. I only got an iPhone because I worked for a company that made accessories for them (and I could get them for free.) Also, right at that time a free phone became available. But once I got on board, I got used to the features and convenience. A smartphone doesn’t have to turn you into an zombie with your face glued to your screen. That’s Facebook’s job!

Anyway, there are a bunch of other, non-smartphone developments we will tell you about next time! Here are some links if you want to read further!

Fun with Shipping and Handling!

January 11, 2013 mindfieldonline 7 Comments

This past Christmas, I ordered a pogo stick from Amazon for my nephew. It arrived in a box suitable for a 60-inch flatscreen TV, as shown in this TERRIBLE photo:

No big deal. I thought it was kind of funny. I actually cut down the box and made three more boxes for gift wrapping because I’M CHEAP.

It turns out that oddball shipping like this is pretty common, as evidenced by pics like these:

A gift card shipped in a box you could fit a bowling ball into.

According to the confessions of a shipping guy as told by The Consumerist, “…there is actually a perfectly legitimate reason why that SD card got put into a box that could accommodate a pair of winter boots.”

Basically, it comes down to money, regulations, and productivity measurements. For instance, you’d think they could send the gift card in a mailer envelope. But bubble envelopes are expensive, and they go straight into the landfill if you don’t separate the bubbles from the paper, which we all have time to do, right? Didn’t think so. And landfill equals regulatory hassle!

As for the BIG boxes, they do their best to keep as few sizes of box in stock, to save on inventory costs. Or, they may have the right size of box but, during peak times, they just run out of them. At any rate, making all these boxing decisions when they are trying to ship 35,000 items a day really slows them down, and they get dinged by the head office for poor output.

In other words, RELAX ABOUT THE SHIPPING. There, I feel better. Check out the original piece for many more examples and the reasons behind the madness. And have a great weekend!

PS… Can you believe this is our 200th blog post? It doesn’t feel a day over 195!

Restaurant Job #1: a Clean Restroom?

January 8, 2013 mindfieldonline 3 Comments

An interesting question…

Of course, you have visited the restroom in Target. Have you ever noticed the paper on the back of the door, charting when the potty was last inspected? It says that “J.B.” cleaned and inspected the facility only 20 minutes ago. (I think they do this at Kohl’s, as well.) Does this inspire confidence, at least somewhat? Not that you don’t douse yourself in Purel anyway! But still…

Well, Some expert is claiming that Clean Bathrooms Are “Most Important Marketing Job” For Restaurants.

“Clean bathrooms might be the most important marketing job in your restaurant,” he writes. “Consumers consistently site dirty bathrooms as the primary reason for not returning to restaurants.” The Consumerist

I admit it: I am a (mid-level) germophobe. Whenever a store offers the wet wipes, I go for it. On my honeymoon cruise, you weren’t even allowed to enter the ship’s dining rooms until you had taken a blast of Purel—and I LIKED that!

Earlier, I worked in this small town with a country club. In the lobby they had a bowl of unwrapped mints on the hostess desk, across from the restrooms. The health department did their thing and, you guessed it, trace amounts of urine in the mints!!

What about you? Are you preoccupied with cleanliness, or do you think it’s silly? Let us know!

Financial Resolutions for the New Year

December 28, 2012 mindfieldonline

Referring to your finances, not your weight.

If there’s one thing you can say about New Year’s resolutions, it’s that they show that we never give up hope in self-improvement, despite repeated failures.

That’s true whether we vow to Lose Weight, Learn Something New, Stay in Touch with Loved Ones… or Get Our Finances in Order.

A record number of consumers (46%) are considering making financial resolutions, a number that has increased 31% since the tracking study started in 2009. The top three New Year financial resolutions are to 1) save more (52%); 2) spend less (19%); and 3) pay off debt (19%). CBS Moneywatch

This time of year, you can’t swing a cartoon money bag with a dollar symbol on it without hitting an article like this one, giving advice on Financial Resolutions and how to fulfill them. We will give you some links below. The takeaway from the CBS piece, though, is pretty strong: just saying that you wish to save more, spend less and pay off debt won’t git-r-done.

You have to set goals, write them down and revisit them throughout the year. Sound like a drag? It IS. But they’re your goals, smart guy! Like anything else, if you don’t set a benchmark to measure your progress against, you won’t know if the plan is working or not.

Here are some links:

Anyway, success or failure, we will keep trying. Here’s hoping it sticks this time! Now, let us resolve to have a great weekend!

Last Minute Gift Ideas!

December 21, 2012 mindfieldonline 1 Comment

Consumer Reports says that 17 million of us will be shopping for Christmas Eve. Ahhh, smell the desperation!! If you are one of those unfortunates, MindField Online thought you might like a few last-minute gift ideas. So, check out these links, and you’re welcome.

Last-minute gifts galore!

Last-minute gifts under $20!

Gifts for your favorite Techie!

More Techie ideas!

Gifts for the College kid in your life!

Give the gift of booze!

Artsy-fartsy gifts!

Gifts for your little Science nerd or nerdette!

Gifts for your favorite Foodie!

More Foodie gifts!

Cold-weather climate gifts!

Gifts for your favorite outdoorsman!

Gifts for the Apple iJunkie in your iLife!

And the best of all…not gift ideas, but “how to last-minute shop” and keep your sanity!

We wish you well in your pursuit, however frustrating it may be. Hopefully, when you are last-minute shopping and you feel the urge to blow up, freak out and be That Girl or That Guy, the person in front of you will blow up first, and you can see how…unattractive that is!

Merry Christmas, friends.

New Year’s Cashout News!

December 18, 2012 mindfieldonline

Hey gang! Exciting MindField Online cashout news for the New Year!

We are excited to announce two new cashout options! Starting in first week of January 2013, you will be able to request cashout with a Sam’s Club or WalMart Gift Card. Just click through to cashout and you’ll see the icons listed among the options available. Both options will require the same $5.00 threshold as PayPal.

Yay, more options! Happy New Year!

The Re-gift of the Magi

December 14, 2012 mindfieldonline 2 Comments

First of all, I don’t hate the practice of regifting as much as the idea that they had to make up a word for it. (English major rant!) But it looks like regifting is here to stay.

You get a gift, and it’s not to your liking because the giver is clueless or you’re a stupid selfish baby (see previous post.) What do you do? If you don’t want to stand in line at the WalMart service desk (because you have a life) you just might hold on to that bamboo steamer or necktie organizer and pass it along to the next victim a loved one next year.

And, the survey says you aren’t alone.

Regifting, once a social taboo, is gradually gaining in acceptance. According to a nationwide consumer-spending survey by American Express, 58% of people believe it is OK sometimes to regift an item. That figure rises for the holiday season, when 79% of respondents said they believe regifting is socially acceptable. The survey, which polled about 2,000 people last year, found that nearly one-quarter of consumers said they regifted at least one item the previous holiday season. Wall Street Journal

Sorry, Wall Street Journal – 79% favorable is not “gradually gaining acceptance.” Regifting, once relegated to the slums of “white elephant” gift exchanges, has gone legit. Which totally takes the fun out of my all-time, always-a-hit white elephant gift: Butt Paste!!

That’s comedy gold right there. Anyway, what do you think about regifting? Let us know, and have a great weekend!

Holiday Shopping by the Numbers, 2012

December 7, 2012 mindfieldonline 2 Comments

Caution: mind-numbing statistics ahead! Discover card has released their annual Holiday Shopping Survey. The survey looks at how much we are spending, on what and for whom. It also has a list of what men and women would most like to receive. Here’s a boildown…

$100: each family will probably increase their shopping by this much in 2012
$838: the average amount spent
$165: how much more women will spend than men.
51%: how many actually set a budget for holiday spending
42%: men who plan to sell their pocket watches to buy a fancy comb for their wives
53%: women who plan to sell their hair to buy chains for their husbands’ pocket watches

I was going to say I made up those last two, but it was actually O. Henry.

Who are we buying for?

42% for our children
26% for significant other
06% for friends
01% for boss or co-workers

Where are we shopping?

60% some combination of store and online
14% majority online
96% of online shoppers use their computer, only 4% use tablet or smartphone

What affects our buying decisions?

42% sales and promotions
27% household financial situation
13% getting or losing a job

And the most important question…

What do we want?

Men top 5:

1. Gift cards, 2. Money, 3. Consumer electronics, 4. Games/video games, 5. Apparel

Women top 5:

1. Gift cards, 2. Money, 3. Apparel, 4. Jewelry, 5. Tablet or e-reader

I always say “read the original article for more info” like I am the boss of you or something. But those Top 5’s are actually Top 10’s in the original, and I’m glad I found them! Also, notes on gender: as a great philosopher (Sinbad) once said, “women be shoppin, y’all!” But this article really shows how women are just better at it. Finding bargains, comparison shopping… it was really interesting. Anyway, read the original article for more info! And have a great weekend!

(photo: 123rf.com)

Cable Bundling Blues

December 4, 2012 mindfieldonline 5 Comments

I think you misspelled "overpriced." — I think you misspelled “overpriced.”

It’s a common complaint about cable TV: to get the channels you want, you have to buy a bunch of channels you will never watch. It’s called Bundling and, if you don’t like it, you are invited to come down to our dirty, depressing office next to the check cashing place and drop off your cable box.

So, it’s a little ironic that the cable (and dish) companies are now the ones complaining about bundling.

Time Warner Cable CEO Glenn Britt has made no secret of his distaste for the bundles of channels his and other cable companies are forced to accept in order to carry the few channels that customers actually watch. Now, says Britt, it’s time to actually do something about it. The Consumerist

Now is the time, you see. Not all these years we have been screaming to cut the bundle, but now, because the cable guys are losing money. They have reached the point where they can’t pass any more of the cost on to us. Time Warner lost 140,000 subscribers in the past quarter alone.

If I had been a Time Warner customer, I would be among the 140K. Nothing personal, it’s just dollars and cents. I did the math, cancelled my subscription and went with a Roku box, digital rabbit ears, Netflix and Hulu. I am saving $100 a month, but your mileage may vary. And there are drawbacks like waiting, sometimes a while, for shows to land on Netflix or Hulu.

How about you? Do you feel, as Springsteen once said, “there’s 57 channels and nothing’s on?” Would you ever cut the cable?

Naming Names, Naughty and Nice

November 27, 2012 mindfieldonline

The watchdogs over at Consumer Reports have cracked open the suggestion box and put together their annual Naughty and Nice list for the holidays. The list includes input from CR staff and Facebook fans. There were 100 nominees, and CR narrowed it down to the 10 best and worst.

Companies were dinged for hidden or tricky fees, fine print, and unfriendly practices; others were lauded for generous and outstanding customer service.

And to keep it fair, the list looks specific policies and practices such as hidden fees, return policies, etc. “They’re jerks!” doesn’t make the cut!

Anyway, here are some of the more famous names on the list, with an eye toward holiday shopping:

Nice: Home Depot, Honda, Kohl’s, Nordstrom, Red Wing Shoe Co.

Naughty: CompUSA, Forever 21, Abe’s of Maine, Vonage, Tiger Direct

There are many other examples of policies – good, bad and mindless – at the original article, so check it out! Do you have any examples?

Speaking of nutty hidden fees, remember this post about RyanAir?

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