Brand Loyalty

[trademaster]

Originally Posted by BrutalSS

Trademaster, something one learns, especially as a former Finance Manager, there is a definate emotional side to the car buying process, for 90% of people, it is not just a monetary transaction. You are not accounting for the human element.

I am accounting for the human element. I am calling the brand loyalty aspect of the decision making process stupid; accounting for it, but recognizing it has no value. Brand loyalty does absolutely nothing for the consumer and hurts the manufacturers in the long run by bolstering sales of inferior products. Everyone should make their own choices with their money, that doesn't mean their decision making process isn't really, really stupid.

As I said before, prior experience impacting your decisions is logical. Completely avoiding potentially superior products based on some misguided sense of loyalty is illogical.

Originally Posted by 72MachOne99GT

I assume everyone who can't even grasp the idea of brand loyalty or preference fail to understand having a favorite sports team.

You bunch of babies

There's a huge difference there. Think about the utility of watching sports vs purchasing an automobile.

[Col. Brain]

for cars - im not brand loyal at all

i drive a Ram when i was fully prepared to buy a Sierra. Im looking at early 2000s Mustangs to build as a drag car. I own a 55 chevy. Wife has a VW

Variety is the spice of life

[titanfan]

Originally Posted by Sven59

Unless it sucks and is well documented. And by the way I can deride any brand I want, this is Murica!

Absolutely!

[rontammy0]

Originally Posted by Iron Lung Jimmy

Oh, I know. It's comical.

For some mysterious reason truck owners tend to think of themselves as a member of "Team <whatever brand truck they drive>"

So they align themselves with a particular brand of consumer good... and actually make that consumer good a part of their identity! They continue to purchase that brand believing it is the best even when evidence shows that is not necessarily the case. Then, to show team solidarity, they put a drawing of Calvin peeing on one of the other brands on their back window... and, if they want to be really awesome, hang a ballsack from their trailer hitch.

Genius.

I stopped by a buddies parnets house with him in my Camaro..he was giving his dad something..when we went in and stared talking the conversation got around to what I was driving. His dad looked me right in the eye and said that it was a good thing I was driving a Camaro..because if it was a ford I would had to park on the road. True story...and funny. That wasn't very long ago. ... just noticed the ball sack comment. haha

[SSCam99]

Originally Posted by trademaster

Brand loyalty does absolutely nothing for the consumer and hurts the manufacturers in the long run by bolstering sales of inferior products.

Not if the consumer is satisfied with the product they purchase. If people were constantly going into it blindly I'd agree with you, but it takes only one bad experience to ruin a lifetime of loyalty. A good brand 'fights' the bad experiences offering varying degrees of assurances.

Past experiences are key to brand loyalty.

[07-SRT]

See Sig..... I like Ford, Chevy and Dodge

[gen6waiter]

Brand loyalty...not smart IMO. The brand could care less about you unless you are personally on their payroll or are an investor of millions in the brand. Some people simply won't allow themselves to enjoy what other brands offer, some maybe even better than their preferred brand, all because of their senseless loyalty to a brand that is really only there to collect your hard earned $, nothing more.

[Sven59]

Originally Posted by gen6waiter

Brand loyalty...not smart IMO. The brand could care less about you unless you are personally on their payroll or are an investor of millions in the brand. Some people simply won't allow themselves to enjoy what other brands offer, some maybe even better than their preferred brand, all because of their senseless loyalty to a brand that is really only there to collect your hard earned $, nothing more.

I believe the "brand" does care about the consumer. Without us they don't exist.

Via lightning from a large Hammer.

[62nalide]

Unless GM builds a high revving 5.3L I really don't think they can build something to take down the new GT350 at its price really. The Z/28 couldn't touch it and for THOUSANDS less too.

Hope the new 6th gen does well through out but I don't see it building GT350 and GT500 killers. NO ONE is even trying to build a HellCat killer either.

[87GNX]

Originally Posted by 62nalide

Unless GM builds a high revving 5.3L I really don't think they can build something to take down the new GT350 at its price really. The Z/28 couldn't touch it and for THOUSANDS less too.

Hope the new 6th gen does well through out but I don't see it building GT350 and GT500 killers. NO ONE is even trying to build a HellCat killer either.

A stock 14 GT 500 and Hellcat are pretty close, it's a drivers race actually. When the next GT 500 arrives Im sure it will be twin turbo.

[trademaster]

Originally Posted by SSCam99

Not if the consumer is satisfied with the product they purchase. If people were constantly going into it blindly I'd agree with you, but it takes only one bad experience to ruin a lifetime of loyalty. A good brand 'fights' the bad experiences offering varying degrees of assurances.

Past experiences are key to brand loyalty.

You aren't understanding. The product purchased is the result of the decision making process. My qualm is not with the decision, but the logic behind the decision.

Counsumer A and Consumer B both buy Chevrolet Camaros. Consumer A buys a Camaro because he refuses to look at anything other than Chevrolet vehicles, due to brand loyalty alone. Consumer B buys a Camaro because he weighed the options and the Camaro maximized his utility. Consumer B is a rational actor, Consumer A is an idiot. Idiots can and often do make decisions that have the desired results, but they're still idiots.

[72MachOne99GT]

Or maybe customer A is a Camaro fan?

Chevrolet could have offered a 662 horsepower ZL1 for the same price as a Mustang GT and I wouldn't have bought one.

So I'm an idiot? And vice versa, Camaro fans are idiots?

[trademaster]

Originally Posted by 72MachOne99GT

Or maybe customer A is a Camaro fan?

Chevrolet could have offered a 662 horsepower ZL1 for the same price as a Mustang GT and I wouldn't have bought one.

So I'm an idiot? And vice versa, Camaro fans are idiots?

You're changing the hypothetical. That completely alters the circumstances and the decision-making process of the consumer. Being a fan and being completely brand loyal are two different things. I am a Corvette fan, but I am currently looking at other vehicles because I'm not yet sure the C7 is the best fit for me. Brand loyalty would have me never even entertaining the possibility of buying anything non-Chevrolet. There's a big difference there.

Again, it's not the decision to purchase a specific brand it's the logic behind that decision. Being a Mustang fan is one thing. If you get more enjoyment out of driving a Mustang than a product from a competing brand, go for it. If you don't even consider the possibility of purchasing another product, that may be superior, you are an uninformed consumer. Never looking at anything else for no other reason than pure brand loyalty is stupid.

[rontammy0]

I know for a fact that when my employer starts talking about new model cars.....current owners like and dislikes as well as future owners initial opinions are at the top agenda when it comes to new design and features. They consider current owners opinions a very important marketing tool for giving them the best new model the can build.