Anyone been shopping for light bulbs recently? My friend Susan has, and she was so surprised at what she found in the aisle that she posted her experience on Facebook. LED bulbs, halogen bulbs, fluorescent bulbs, incandescent bulbs, and CFL bulbs occupy the shelves. The number of SKUs in the light bulb category has exploded, and it is exponentially harder for the shopper to navigate the aisle and find what they came in to get. And wait, a 40-watt bulb is no longer a 40-watt bulb? Do I need to know calculus to successfully crack the wattage equation? One has to wonder how many shoppers time out and leave the aisle without a purchase because of choice fatigue. The features and benefits have simply become overwhelming. Retailers are missing out on an opportunity to help guide the shopper in their decision-making with simple signage, navigation and educational materials.
Have you bought light bulbs recently? What do you think? We’d love to hear about your experiences instore as well as any research you did before going to the store to help equip you with the knowledge to make a decision.
Image Source: Facebook with permission from poster
