The Half Truths of Selling--and Their Impact on Buying
One sales tactic I recently fell pray to is the half truth. I think the reason this approach works so well is that the customer wants to believe that half truth (I certainly did). You know, the "Those shoes will stretch as you wear them" or the "It's paint and primer in one, so you'll 'probably' only need one coat.
The problem with this strategy, however, is that once buyer's remorse kicks in, it has the potential to hit big. Big, as in, returning the item in question at best; switching providers for good at worst.
Consider my recent fall to a series of half truths:
Last month I realized that I need reading glasses. I already own glasses for distance, so I knew it was time for an eye exam. Off I went to my local Cohen's Fashion Optical with my current frames, planning to put new lenses in them based on my updated prescription. The optometrist suggested progressive lenses, with a warning that the edges of the lenses would be slightly blurred because of the way they're made--but, that shouldn't be a problem, because all you need to do is turn your head slightly, he said. He also told me that transition lenses get darker than they used to, so they'd suffice for sunglasses while driving.
As I gazed longingly at the flashy new frames in the display case, he noted the minute scratches on my old ones. I really should get new frames, he said, since I was investing so much in new lenses.
I really wanted the convenience of progressives in shiny new frames. So half truths in place, I was sold--hook, line, and sinker.
Full truths:
Progressives are fine for driving and reading a book, but they're useless for reading on the computer, which, as an editor, I do all day. I had to move my head back and forth to read every line. It's tiresome and dizzying, and not something you could ever get used to.
Transition lenses darken just fine in direct sunlight, but barely darken inside a car. Most of the year I drive "into the sun" when commuting, so I need actual sunglasses for driving.
If I want to keep the progressives, I'd need two additional pair of glasses: one for reading and one pair of distance sunglasses for driving. The optometrist was kind enough to offer reading glasses for free; they took two weeks to get and they were made incorrectly. I can't read with them at all. Plus, who wants to schlep three pair of glasses everywhere.
The deal breaker:
The optometrist said it would take a little time to get used to wearing the progressives. One of the associates said the same about the reading glasses. However, the progressives make my right eye ache and the reading glasses make my left eye ache. According to them this is normal and will pass after a couple of days. I've never heard that before, nor have I experienced it with any other change in my prescription.
So later today I'm headed back to Cohen's. I'm planning to return all the new glasses and go elsewhere for a new eye exam and glasses that don't give me a headache. I'll put new lenses into my old frames, which may not be as fashionable as the new ones, but, hey, they have a magnetized sunglasses attachment. And when I go for the other exam I won't be won over by half truths or shiny objects.
UPDATE (8/11/10): I visited Cohen's and the optometrist made a concerted effort to ensure that I left happy--and with my glasses. (You can't return lenses, anyway; you can only fix them if there's a problem.) He took one pair and is adding shading to turn them into sunglasses, and fixed the reading glasses, which were accidentally made incorrectly. So, while I'll still have three pair of glasses, at least I'll have glasses that work how I need them to.
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