Consumer education: hardware store strategies

Self-tutoring about consumer education: the tutor mentions a new strategy.

Every trade has its secrets. Of course, the best-kept secrets hide in plain sight. So it is with the trades: they don’t purposely hide anything, but rather just don’t share.

In a hardware store yesterday, I quickly found what I’d gone there for, but then began to wander the aisles. After all, I reasoned, you don’t come here very often. Maybe you’re missing something. Perhaps there’s a new product that can help you.

Besides: I had a few other stores to visit. However, it was early enough that I didn’t know whether they were open yet. (The hardware store opens early.) Therefore, it made extra sense to spend more time at the hardware store and maybe discover some key knowledge.

I recalled a few tools I’d wondered about, so visited that section. I’d go here and there, discovering some new ones or new versions of others. However, I soon made a key discovery.

A contractor showed up in a hurry. He immediately asked for help; the sales associate soon brought him to a corner of the tools section I’d passed by. Yet, his need was urgent for something there. After an intense conversation of around three minutes, he was gone.

It occurred to me that, since the contractor was so interested in what was in that corner, perhaps I should be, too. I looked there and noticed some tools I was familiar with, but some I wasn’t.

The same process happened a few more times: a contractor would come rushing in and demand help finding a product. I’d wait close by, then, after they’d gone, examine what they’d been looking at. In that way, I learned a few things about tools I’d passed by many times without noticing.

The other stores I went to yielded their own discoveries; seldom was there a dull moment. I hope to tell about them:)