[Leader]

For a new venture, I have a choice of either selling THE well-known brand of an item (which I haven't tried myself), or a different brand that I know is great, and is about 3 or 4x cheaper.

This is a gardening product.

The Big Brand would come in branded, shiny packaging--nice 'n professional like from the store.

The Other Brand may come that way, but chances are I would have to repackage it into retail-sized packs myself. Plain packaging that'd do the job.

Knowing the performance of Other Brand, I can't imagine that Big Brand could be better. It's actually my suspicion that it's not as good. And, the price they charge is a definite ripoff.

So I decided to ask ABWers: Which do you think will go over better with actual customers?

[chetf]

Make a site for both. One promoting the brand, the other letting people in on the secret all real gardners know... domains are cheap.

[Leader]

But then I'd have to stock 'em both = double investment. If people started clamouring for it I could see doing it, but I don't really want to do that on spec since it's not the main item...

[webworker]

I'd say to go with the one you know is an excellent product and good value. It's a lot easier to sell a product you believe in, not only from the perspective of caring about the benefit to customers (which isn't what pays the bills but it does come across), but personal enthusiasm makes it much easier to write persuasive sales copy that communicates sincerity.

>>It's actually my suspicion that it's not as good. And, the price they charge is a definite ripoff.

There's definite value to maintaining a sense of personal integrity. There might be more money to make by selling the name brand because of consumer brand recognition, but you seem to not "believe" in it. That's something you'll have to weigh against other factors based on your own personal set of values.

>>So I decided to ask ABWers: Which do you think will go over better with actual customers?

The one you can feel the best about yourself for and also do the most effective selling job for.

[SSanf]

I didn't know you carry your own stock. Are you changing over to being a merchant?

[Jane]

I would sell them side by side on the same page. Stock one and sell the other as an affiliate. Tell them why you think the cheap one is good but give them a link to the expensive one as well. Having the brand name one on the site will bring in searchers who don't know about the cheap one.

I have put links up to things and told people it was crap and they bought it anyway. Why not buy the expensive one also and test it out. How much is it?

[Leader]

Originally Posted by SSanf

I didn't know you carry your own stock. Are you changing over to being a merchant?

Score!!

My full-fledged merchant site is going up in the other window. All that's left is to write the privacy policy, and all the product spins. Oh, and a logo.

But "changing over" isn't the right word. "Adding to" is more accurate. As long as sales keep coming in to my other sites, I'm not turning off the spigot.

I guess that makes me another merchant with affiliate sites. Now I can understand why AMs don't close down their other stuff!

@Jane: It's not so much per pack, but I'd have to buy a case of it to get the wholesale price. As for using another merchant's affiliate program for it...no can do, unlike with a standard affiliate site, those other merchants that sell it are the direct competition! So, they "don't exist" as far as my site's concerned, kwim?

I may go ahead and list 'em both, but I'd really rather not! I could just imagine somebody ordering 1 little 6-oz pack of the kind I can only get in a 20-lb bag! It's not so much the cost of it per se that's the issue, but the concept of being stuck with the stuff.

There might be more money to make by selling the name brand because of consumer brand recognition, but you seem to not "believe" in it.~Webworker

There's not more money in it for ME. They charge so much wholesale, that there's hardly any room left for a markup!

And you're right, I don't believe in it (or at least, I don't believe it's any better than the other stuff), which is why I never tried it for myself. But, I also won't pay more for aspirin just because it says "Bayer" on it!

On the other hand, Bayer Asprin is still a strong brand, so some people really must not mind paying way more, just for a name!

[MichaelColey]

Originally Posted by Jane

I would sell them side by side on the same page. Stock one and sell the other as an affiliate.

I would agree with Jane. Sell both. Let the people decide. You're going to have some shoppers who are motivated only by money. You're going to have other shoppers who have to have the best (even if there is no difference). If you sell both, you'll make both groups happy customers.

When you go into a grocery store, they have name brand and store brand items side by side. Why? For the same reason. And more. With the name brand sitting there at $3.29, they can change $2.59 for the store brand instead of $1.59, and you think you've made a great deal.

I worked for a company once that had one main product. It was available in five different sizes. The largest size was far larger and more expensive than most people needed. We hardly sold any. The owner of the company told me why we had that size. So people would buy the next larger size.

Whether you stock them, have them drop shipped, or sell them through an affiliate link, the same concept applies. Of course, if you're going to be a merchant and hope to have an affiliate program at some point in the future, I would recommend stocking them both.

[jerseyjim]

I agree too, I list ads frpom both small and big merchants,using the time of the year, I am going heavier with toys,games,etc. a big seller for me has been electonics and surprising dishware,jewelry has dropped a bit,but since I give all my sites the same name,and a slogan "Everyday is special for someone", a good mix of gifts, it shows up when I check reports,and don't forget Irish and celtic products, a lot of clicks and traffic.The news today showed about 50% of people in this country plan to go on vacation, i added some new travel ads, and since home sales are up, I also added more home decor,improvments,etc.as well as party,food beverages,they get high ratings, the thing that is still annoying are those merchants "temporaily offline, too many with getting any notices as other programs do,my nickles worth.
JJ

[Greg Rice]

What about a small market study then? Buy a half dozen of each and take them to friends and relatives and ask their opinion. It's difficult to say which would be better without knowing the product and understand why you don't want to say what the product is, right now. There are products I would buy because of the name and there are products I'd buy because the name isn't important and the price is important.

[Leader]

It's difficult to say which would be better without knowing the product and understand why you don't want to say what the product is, right now.

When the site's all ready, then I'll get specific about what's on it. After all, if I don't, I won't be able to get any affiliates (once I've got the program set up)!

Or maybe I should ask people to make their links say "Something Good Is On the Other Side of This Link" LOL

[Greg Rice]

You could do that but you'll have to put in the program terms that affiliates are NOT allowed to follow the link and see where it goes

[megatonloh]

It's very interesting to be able to handle both as an affiliate as well as merchant. The thought is are the products that you buy wholesale available from other merchants online. If there are than it will be tough to compete as your pricing must be very attractive and after S&H what is left for profit.

The expensive one if you do sell may help build up your profit margin. Anyway if you can manage both go ahead and best of luck.

[zimmy]

My personal opinion - go for the less expensive item. I say this because the packaging won't matter for the product you are selling. The end result is what matters. And - if the less expensive item is better quality then I want high quality product - not packaging. Your pictures of the actual product is what is going to sell them - not the fancy delivery. IMHO.

But that's just the frugal mom in me.

[Rexanne]

I would sell the less expensive item because I could recommend it and give my visitors real value for their time on my site and a reason to buy from my site now and in the future. If you know the lesser known product is great, let your visitors know and give them the benefit of your knowledge and experience. They can go anywhere to buy the better known product but you're giving value and you'll feel better about every sale you make. :-)

[DirectROi]

Retail and Etail are very different. Marketing studies suggest that in "Retail", product positioning and packaging is everything. In Etail the consumer doesnt get a chance to see or feel the product, so more often than not price becomes the larger factor. I can say this with a large level of certainty. In Etail if a consumer gets a product in shoddy packaging and it results are marginal they are more apt to chargeback the item than if they are to get an item in a well packaged/presented way that may not work.

[MichaelColey]

I would still recommend selling both. Even if you never sell a single one of the more expensive ones, it'll help give value to the cheaper product. People like a choice. Give them a choice between your two products, not yours and someone else's.

[Leader]

@ DirectROI

So you're basically saying, price is what gets people to buy, but the presentation has to be nice in order for them to keep it? Makes sense... I think I could do a fine enough job of packaging it, I just don't have the glossy cardboard w/pix bit that Big Brand does. I did find a paper alternative that is a step up from my original idea, though...

@ Zimmy--This isn't the main product, but one that's to help those. As for the main product, those aren't cheap...not the most expensive out there but not the cheapest by any stretch. As for packing *those,* that'll be the easy part! Well, as easy as "packing" can get anyway. At least I won't do like some j*bs I've had, and use a box that's EXACTLY the size of the shipping carton - 1 micron (which makes it darn near impossible to get it in the box)!