It’s Quite Simple; We Want To Utilize Them Fully!
I came across an article that got me thinking about its statement. The article was written by Charlie Sorrel and titled Why We Love Cases, Stands, and Accessories So Much.
The key takeaways from the article were the following:
Accessories let us personalize our gadgets.
Simple accessories are often best.
Most of our phones look the same while naked.
I, personally, would like to expand on this given the wide-ranging amount of accessories I buy for each of my gadgets. I agree that people want to personalize their gadgets in some cases. How else would you explain covers sold with eye-catching color or bombastic designs? Personalization is a big business, and retailers capitalize on our need to express ourselves through gadgets. Charlie also calls out that our cell phones look the same while naked. Perhaps it is, for this reason, most phone companies started to offer colors.
The last point of “simple accessories are often best” is valid, but does it tell the whole story? The real question is, what do we consider simple, and which product are we accessorizing?
I believe one reason I love accessories so much is that I underutilize the capabilities of many of my gadgets. In some cases, the accessories enhance the experience, and you get more “Bang for the buck.” Sometimes a simple stand, or dongle will prove effective. Sometimes you need a little innovation to enhance the listening experience in your car with your iPhone. I wrote about one such innovation here:
Is it an obsession or love affair of accessories when retailers constantly push these on you? Apple, for one, doesn’t include a simple plug anymore, knowing they have most likely saturated the market with plenty of their little chargers. There is more money in the accessories, and they can save money on packaging (See Picture)
Let’s face it, for years; we were told the add-on sales were where the companies made the actual margin. People like me like their gadgets, and we are always looking to improve the experience. How else would you explain just a tiny sampling of the items I use daily!
