Award Winning Blog

Tuesday, October 16, 2018

The Wisdom of the Marketplace Challenged



            Consider the word unlimited.  What comes to mind?  OK. Hold that thought.

            Now, let’s precede unlimited with the following word options: Go; Beyond; Above.

            I think one would “get” the concept of go in terms of wireless cellphone service.  Go means qualify for unlimited, unmetered, unthrottled service.

            But in the wireless world, unlimited does not mean un-anything. If it did, we would not have more expensive rate plans that offer: Beyond Unlimited, or better yet, Above the threshold of unlimited.  See this web site for an explanation of Verizon wireless plans and prices: https://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/verizon-plans-explained/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=dlvr.it.

            So how will the marketplace and the related court of public opinion respond to this pricing and service provision strategy?

            For my part, I find it insulting and an over-estimate of consumers’ chump factor.  On the other hand, P.T. Barnum had a different opinion about suckers.