Consumer extremism or the desire to save when buying goods on the example of phones
In Russia, any store faces consumer extremism. A person buys this or that thing, and then within a week or another, brings it back and asks for it to be taken. The explanation of the reasons is quite banal - it does not work. With the development of the network, finding the cause of a failure has become much easier - go to the forums, read about the product and list its shortcomings in front of you. Now you have to decide which of the shortcomings for you is the most critical and with new knowledge go to the store that sold you this product. Then it all depends on your perseverance, the rules adopted in a particular store, as well as the brand of the manufacturer of your product. For the majority of those who bring the goods back to the store, the declared flaws are imaginary. Probably, therefore, bona fide buyers who are faced with real problems begin to howl from the quality of service in the Russian retail. They have to go through a hundred and one slingshot to get their money back, although, in their opinion, the lack of goods is obvious and does not require any separate evidence.
It’s difficult to blame retail for building slingshots for customers returning goods. As a rule, for the retail chain, the returned goods are a direct loss, they must be sold at a big discount, the manufacturer does not compensate for the difference in price, as there is usually no real marriage. In most of these situations we are talking about design flaws, lack of convenience of the product in ergonomics, but not real problems. And therefore, manufacturers wash their hands leaving the right to decide the issue of the retail network, they withdraw themselves.
In Russia there is a list of technically complex products, which include mobile phones. For their return requires a preliminary examination. The buyer has the right to return the goods within 15 days, if he found any flaws in it. After this period, the return of goods is possible only if the detected deficiency seriously affects the operation of the device.
A complete list of products can be found here .
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Regardless of when you hand over the phone, you need the service center to carry out its examination. For a retail network, this is a necessary part of the procedure to prove that the phone has not received mechanical damage, is not flooded with water, and so on. It is also an extra slingshot to fight consumer extremism and make the return of equipment not so simple and easy.
Russia also came up with an amazing system of expertise. All service centers authorized to carry out an examination of mobile phones have the appropriate authorization from manufacturers. There are no independent service centers that can issue a marriage certificate on the phone . Those independent service centers that write out such conclusions are not recognized by manufacturers, customers are denied the exchange of equipment.
Service business is practically absent in Russia, as the state does not follow this field of activity of manufacturers of household appliances. For service manufacturers allocate money for the residual principle and very little of it. It is impossible to say that there is a developed service market outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Moreover, the main phone repair factories are located precisely in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is almost impossible to carry out complex repairs or diagnostics of broken devices in the field. In some, yes some there, in most Russian cities the consumer cannot hand over the phone for repairs, the maximum is his phone reception point, and then he goes to a larger city by courier service.
But the main feature of the Russian service is that it depends entirely on the manufacturer of the equipment, is not independent and independent. The manufacturer has all the levers to influence the service .
As a result, the buyer cannot get into his hands the conclusion of a technical examination on the marriage of the goods. The work scheme of most service centers is as follows - if the manufacturer recognizes a marriage, then an exchange of goods follows. If the manufacturer does not have time to recognize marriage (the recognition of marriage is an internal document for service centers, it never becomes publicly available, it seems that the marriage does not exist as such), then the phone is repaired or denied repair. Before the recognition of the marriage and if the problem is massive, some consumers have time to visit the service several times. After the third repair, you can demand a refund.
As you can see, in the way of consumer extremism there is a significant obstacle in the form of technical expertise, which is carried out by service centers controlled by manufacturers. But this does not stop part of the audience and it seeks to gain a pretty penny at all costs. This became possible due to the fact that a number of large retail networks are trying to create a comfortable service environment, including the reception of equipment for two weeks without explaining any reasons. They do not advertise this opportunity, because its advertising exacerbates the old problem, people are beginning to massively return phones, which turns into losses.
Consumer extremism in numbers and when it arises
In 2011, I was very interested in the topic of consumer extremism in Russia. The study gave some figures for thought. Of the approximately 40 million phones sold, for reasons of non-marriage (it is very difficult to isolate this state, since each network, store treats a marriage or its absence is very wide) about 3.5 million devices were returned to stores in the first two weeks. Almost 10 percent of all phones sold. The deafening figure, which is above the average marriage for each manufacturer, which does not exceed 5 percent. It would be easy to say that 5 percent of sales accounted for those who preach consumer extremism and forget about this issue. But that would be an erroneous number.
Understanding the question, I was able to find out that the number of calls and the number of phones that salons receive communication differ significantly. So, for 2011, mobile phone stores received only about a million devices (I have data for 9 months, so the total number is an assumption for ease of understanding). The rest of the appeals were invalidated or people were immediately sent to authorized service centers. Very often there are appeals due to the fact that people do not read the instructions and can not figure out how this or that function works.
But a million defective phones is too much even for manufacturers who drive marriage constantly. Therefore, I had to study this figure carefully and this is what I discovered. There are practically no people who trade in consumer extremism regarding cell phones. It is a myth. Communication with service centers, shops showed that my interlocutors immediately recall individual, bright personalities and begin to say eagerly that they suffer from them, as they constantly return phones . But five people can remember from the force, they are not enough for more. A study of the statistics of returns, however, showed a completely different, interesting picture.
Conventionally, a million phones that return back can be divided into two large groups. The first includes models with real flaws (marriage), about 60 percent. But the rest, these are phones that may have a marriage, but, as a rule, also have changed greatly in price during the first three months of sales .
A simple conclusion follows from this: ordinary buyers resort to consumer extremism, who buy a phone in the first months of sales, and then see how rapidly it is getting cheaper. For a poor Russian buyer, the temptation to turn in the phone and get 3-4 thousand rubles of difference is too great . And the necessary attendant confusion is not a limitation for him, since his gain from such a transaction is obvious (people have little money in the regions, but a lot of time, which creates prerequisites for this phenomenon and characterizes the socio-economic situation in Russian society well).
Analyzing the models and terms of how they are handed over, I came across quite obvious patterns:
I will not give a complete list of models that Russians return to stores. I can only say that two brands are leading in it. But without an example, this article would be incomplete. In order not to go far, I’ll call the model that we started to carry already in January, and in February we will have a surge - this is the Nokia 800. Here is a graph of the average price change from Yandex.Market. For two months, the price fell from 20,990 rubles to 16,990 rubles. The difference is 4,000 rubles .
Interestingly, this phenomenon has a side effect. Buyers' actions reinforce the negative impact on a particular model. For a mass model and a well-known brand, this happens as follows. For example, many Nokia 800 customers who donate this device get paid in March. They can return to the same phone and buy a used one. the device (short run time, and the price is at the level of 14-15 tr, almost perfect condition - gain from the first price is even higher than 6-7 thousand rubles). You can buy a new device - win 4 thousand rubles. But it’s not so important what they will do later, because by creating a secondary market (used phones do not disappear, networks sell them at a discount), they encourage further price reduction and put pressure on a specific model. Vicious circle. It is in this user behavior that the answer to the question why it is cheaper not to lower the price, even in the absence of sales, than to demolish it by more than 22 percent in the first three months of sales lies.
A simple conclusion can be drawn from this article - consumer extremism, as a mass and widespread phenomenon in Russia, regarding mobile phones, is absent. Another thing is that a sharp drop in price is an economic reason, which makes the return of the phone and the receipt of benefits by the final consumer profitable. And many consumers go to this step.
PS I will be glad to comment with examples and descriptions, perhaps you have an interesting experience regarding the return of goods, including non-phones. thank
It’s difficult to blame retail for building slingshots for customers returning goods. As a rule, for the retail chain, the returned goods are a direct loss, they must be sold at a big discount, the manufacturer does not compensate for the difference in price, as there is usually no real marriage. In most of these situations we are talking about design flaws, lack of convenience of the product in ergonomics, but not real problems. And therefore, manufacturers wash their hands leaving the right to decide the issue of the retail network, they withdraw themselves.
In Russia there is a list of technically complex products, which include mobile phones. For their return requires a preliminary examination. The buyer has the right to return the goods within 15 days, if he found any flaws in it. After this period, the return of goods is possible only if the detected deficiency seriously affects the operation of the device.
A complete list of products can be found here .
')
Regardless of when you hand over the phone, you need the service center to carry out its examination. For a retail network, this is a necessary part of the procedure to prove that the phone has not received mechanical damage, is not flooded with water, and so on. It is also an extra slingshot to fight consumer extremism and make the return of equipment not so simple and easy.
Russia also came up with an amazing system of expertise. All service centers authorized to carry out an examination of mobile phones have the appropriate authorization from manufacturers. There are no independent service centers that can issue a marriage certificate on the phone . Those independent service centers that write out such conclusions are not recognized by manufacturers, customers are denied the exchange of equipment.
Service business is practically absent in Russia, as the state does not follow this field of activity of manufacturers of household appliances. For service manufacturers allocate money for the residual principle and very little of it. It is impossible to say that there is a developed service market outside of Moscow and St. Petersburg. Moreover, the main phone repair factories are located precisely in Moscow and St. Petersburg, it is almost impossible to carry out complex repairs or diagnostics of broken devices in the field. In some, yes some there, in most Russian cities the consumer cannot hand over the phone for repairs, the maximum is his phone reception point, and then he goes to a larger city by courier service.
But the main feature of the Russian service is that it depends entirely on the manufacturer of the equipment, is not independent and independent. The manufacturer has all the levers to influence the service .
As a result, the buyer cannot get into his hands the conclusion of a technical examination on the marriage of the goods. The work scheme of most service centers is as follows - if the manufacturer recognizes a marriage, then an exchange of goods follows. If the manufacturer does not have time to recognize marriage (the recognition of marriage is an internal document for service centers, it never becomes publicly available, it seems that the marriage does not exist as such), then the phone is repaired or denied repair. Before the recognition of the marriage and if the problem is massive, some consumers have time to visit the service several times. After the third repair, you can demand a refund.
As you can see, in the way of consumer extremism there is a significant obstacle in the form of technical expertise, which is carried out by service centers controlled by manufacturers. But this does not stop part of the audience and it seeks to gain a pretty penny at all costs. This became possible due to the fact that a number of large retail networks are trying to create a comfortable service environment, including the reception of equipment for two weeks without explaining any reasons. They do not advertise this opportunity, because its advertising exacerbates the old problem, people are beginning to massively return phones, which turns into losses.
Consumer extremism in numbers and when it arises
In 2011, I was very interested in the topic of consumer extremism in Russia. The study gave some figures for thought. Of the approximately 40 million phones sold, for reasons of non-marriage (it is very difficult to isolate this state, since each network, store treats a marriage or its absence is very wide) about 3.5 million devices were returned to stores in the first two weeks. Almost 10 percent of all phones sold. The deafening figure, which is above the average marriage for each manufacturer, which does not exceed 5 percent. It would be easy to say that 5 percent of sales accounted for those who preach consumer extremism and forget about this issue. But that would be an erroneous number.
Understanding the question, I was able to find out that the number of calls and the number of phones that salons receive communication differ significantly. So, for 2011, mobile phone stores received only about a million devices (I have data for 9 months, so the total number is an assumption for ease of understanding). The rest of the appeals were invalidated or people were immediately sent to authorized service centers. Very often there are appeals due to the fact that people do not read the instructions and can not figure out how this or that function works.
But a million defective phones is too much even for manufacturers who drive marriage constantly. Therefore, I had to study this figure carefully and this is what I discovered. There are practically no people who trade in consumer extremism regarding cell phones. It is a myth. Communication with service centers, shops showed that my interlocutors immediately recall individual, bright personalities and begin to say eagerly that they suffer from them, as they constantly return phones . But five people can remember from the force, they are not enough for more. A study of the statistics of returns, however, showed a completely different, interesting picture.
Conventionally, a million phones that return back can be divided into two large groups. The first includes models with real flaws (marriage), about 60 percent. But the rest, these are phones that may have a marriage, but, as a rule, also have changed greatly in price during the first three months of sales .
A simple conclusion follows from this: ordinary buyers resort to consumer extremism, who buy a phone in the first months of sales, and then see how rapidly it is getting cheaper. For a poor Russian buyer, the temptation to turn in the phone and get 3-4 thousand rubles of difference is too great . And the necessary attendant confusion is not a limitation for him, since his gain from such a transaction is obvious (people have little money in the regions, but a lot of time, which creates prerequisites for this phenomenon and characterizes the socio-economic situation in Russian society well).
Analyzing the models and terms of how they are handed over, I came across quite obvious patterns:
- The surge in returns falls on 3 weeks after a significant price reduction.
- The threshold value is -22% of the initial cost or 2000 rubles.
- To a greater extent this phenomenon is characteristic of the Russian regions, the smaller the city, the higher the percentage of returns, people consider money.
I will not give a complete list of models that Russians return to stores. I can only say that two brands are leading in it. But without an example, this article would be incomplete. In order not to go far, I’ll call the model that we started to carry already in January, and in February we will have a surge - this is the Nokia 800. Here is a graph of the average price change from Yandex.Market. For two months, the price fell from 20,990 rubles to 16,990 rubles. The difference is 4,000 rubles .
Interestingly, this phenomenon has a side effect. Buyers' actions reinforce the negative impact on a particular model. For a mass model and a well-known brand, this happens as follows. For example, many Nokia 800 customers who donate this device get paid in March. They can return to the same phone and buy a used one. the device (short run time, and the price is at the level of 14-15 tr, almost perfect condition - gain from the first price is even higher than 6-7 thousand rubles). You can buy a new device - win 4 thousand rubles. But it’s not so important what they will do later, because by creating a secondary market (used phones do not disappear, networks sell them at a discount), they encourage further price reduction and put pressure on a specific model. Vicious circle. It is in this user behavior that the answer to the question why it is cheaper not to lower the price, even in the absence of sales, than to demolish it by more than 22 percent in the first three months of sales lies.
A simple conclusion can be drawn from this article - consumer extremism, as a mass and widespread phenomenon in Russia, regarding mobile phones, is absent. Another thing is that a sharp drop in price is an economic reason, which makes the return of the phone and the receipt of benefits by the final consumer profitable. And many consumers go to this step.
PS I will be glad to comment with examples and descriptions, perhaps you have an interesting experience regarding the return of goods, including non-phones. thank
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/137526/
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