| If you are on the look out for a buyers guide before | | | | are looking for more than brochures in the buyers |
| going on your next shopping spree, here's something | | | | guides. |
| that can help you make a smarter choice! We all | | | | So what is the choice before the consumer in the |
| know there are buyers guides written and compiled | | | | absence of a true buyers guide? Consumers gradually |
| by product experts that are served along with the | | | | are learning to differentiate between biased |
| newspapers and magazines. You can get a buyers | | | | information and true feedback. They cannot be just |
| guide for buying a new lip color to a new car. | | | | fooled anymore and already many consumers are |
| Usually these buyers guides tell you everything about | | | | turning their back to these sponsored guides. |
| your new buy and aren't you excited at these when | | | | Consumers are increasing relying on fellow consumers |
| they talk about the best features of a new Nokia | | | | for information about products and services. Gone |
| phone or a new motorbike that is just launched? | | | | are the times when a company can form a consumer |
| There isn't any doubt that these guides are packed | | | | opinion by clever advertising and influence buyers to |
| with information and still are very powerful tools in | | | | select their products. The consumers in the 21st |
| today's markets. | | | | century have a very powerful tool within their reach |
| Often these guides are compiled by a publishing | | | | and that is internet. |
| house and sponsored by manufacturer of products | | | | There are already hundreds of blogs which anyone |
| for which the guides are meant for. But let's keep in | | | | can access and these online journals tell us the real |
| mind that most of the time these guides are nothing | | | | consumer experience about products and services. |
| short of adverts in disguise. | | | | They also narrate the harrowing experience that |
| There are several compelling reasons for these | | | | some consumers had to face due to unscrupulous |
| buyers guides to mimic an advertisement. One is | | | | companies and or inferior products. |
| most of the time the guides are sponsored directly | | | | The information is voluntary and not paid for and so |
| or indirectly (through advertisements) by product | | | | people perceive them as authentic as compared to |
| manufactures and so the authors cannot really write | | | | the adverts. There are positive feedbacks too which |
| against the products and therefore have to toe the | | | | are actually recommendations and consumers are |
| line of the manufacturers. | | | | taking cues and choosing smartly. |
| And since there is no way that the primary players | | | | But the battle against biased information that seek to |
| of the buying and selling game, i.e. the buyer, | | | | influence and misguide consumers can only be won if |
| manufacturer or an existing consumer of the product | | | | there is a larger participation. It is time for consumer |
| can interact it becomes basically a one-way | | | | action that makes sure consumers reclaim their rights |
| conversation where the buyer gets to hear all good | | | | and their voices are heard. Also they deserve timely |
| things about the product. This is more of a biased | | | | action as they are tired of the slow and often |
| representation of the products which it features and | | | | ineffective consumer forums that have a very poor |
| in most cases the authors of the guides are the | | | | record in India. |
| company representatives or other hired people | | | | In the backdrop of a weak consumer rights |
| having an interest in promotion of the product. | | | | protection system and many vested interests only |
| Appropriately a buyers guide, as the name suggests | | | | consumers can help fellow consumers and they can |
| should be buyer or consumer-centric and primarily | | | | do so without spending any money or much effort. |
| cater to the betterment of the consumers. If we | | | | There are already few websites available where a |
| think hard, we would know that customer | | | | consumer can find out feedbacks about a product |
| satisfaction goes a long way to strengthen the | | | | and also write a review for others to read. But again |
| business. So a true buyers guide will not only help the | | | | discretion should be applied as some of the websites |
| consumers but also the manufacturer of the | | | | contain many bogus reviews and also paid inserts. |
| products in the long run. | | | | Consumer blogs are also very good source of |
| Once a buyer criticizes a product it actually presents | | | | unbiased and authentic information. The best part is |
| an opportunity for the manufacturer or the sellers to | | | | that a consumer can also interact with the author |
| rectify that defect or lacuna or respond to the | | | | and can ask specific questions before making a buy |
| changing taste of the consumers. But unfortunately | | | | decision. |
| such buyers guides are not abundant in circulation and | | | | So if you are a smart consumer better listen to your |
| still the vast majorities are the one-way | | | | folks than an expert when you want to buy a |
| communication types where reporters and paid | | | | product next time. Don't worry too much about the |
| experts write a product review more as a part of a | | | | experts, you can be an expert overnight and all you |
| business deal than a critical review. Probably the | | | | just need is to write product reviews which are |
| authors and publishers of the buyers guide failed to | | | | eagerly waited by other consumers who want to |
| realize the need of the consumers; the consumers | | | | read them. |