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The other day, I came across an ad of one of the premium clothing brands, suggesting exorbitant discounts on their products. Naturally, it's very tempting to check it out once. So I did. Before we divulge into further details, let me outline some of the reasons you (read I) actually buy a brand or any brand with an expensive label for that matter

Quality/Durability: This is the first thing every guy looks for I guess. If my jeans can outlast my youth, it's a prime reason to buy it. As a famous line goes, "Quality never goes out of style", to me this is of utmost importance.

After-sales: Since this is a generalized discussion about brands and not limited to some particular industry, the after-sales support becomes extremely vital. For instance, while in the process of deciding a car, we not only look at the cost/practicality/quality, we are also worried about the service support right?

Exclusivity: Though this may not feature on many people's list, it's something I've come across in the buying trends of the fairer sex. You don't want to flaunt your new buy which the other 90% of the crowd is in.
There are many other reasons why you buy a brand, style, feel-good factor, comfort etc., but the above mentioned I feel are the most pertinent. Anyway, back to my story.

I stepped in only to find that the sale is on some stock which is a zillion years old and looks pretty ragged. The advertising department definitely knows what it’s doing! On close scrutiny of the ad, I find a text the size of a microbe, telling me "T&C Apply". I know it's pretty much taken for granted these days, but hats off to the ones who come up with these themes. Although I respect the effort put in by the company, I feel it's a bit of a letdown on the longer run. Will you re-visit the showrooms when they claim discounts on the fresh stock?
Another annoying reason why brands are letting me down is the sheer non-availability of products. The latest gadget you saw on tele is not so easy to buy or there are more complications in the finances than you think. Well, if you cannot deliver at the granular level, what's the point of building up that entire image?

Before I conclude, let me point out something else. Every single day, science is bringing out new products. All claiming better performance than their competitors/predecessors. While all this might be true and exciting, there is a catch. Who in their sane mind would buy something that’s going to be obsolete in a couple of months? Is it really good to launch a slew of products just to keep the customers interested? Or are companies doing this to prove that they are constantly innovating?

How will the service of older products be affected by this? Is this constant improvement of products coming at a price to the manufacturers? Not sure. There definitely are lots of pros and cons. I'd love to hear your take on them.

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