The Power of Branding

As I was feasting upon heaps of photos on Instagram, I came across a cute swimsuit with cheeky bottoms and a crisscross detail on its back. I’ve been long on hunt for a one-piece and since I’ve never owned one before, I immediately checked its details. Its front style looks very basic, but the back was very sexy on the right parts I wanted. Without a doubt, I purchased it thinking how beautiful it would be against the vast blue sea. Thanks to the models of the swimsuit and yup, I didn’t mind the price. Come one time when I intended to get lost on Shopee, I saw the same style for a quarter of the price! That moment haunted me for a long while. Up until now, I still couldn’t get over the fact that (re)branding got me.

Branding

One of the essential factors to consider by any business is the creation of a lasting impression. It may be through quality, design and name. In this increasingly competitive market, the optimization of brandings enables competitive edge hence its positive relationship on marketability. Branding has somehow established an identity which evolved into a type where consumers identify themselves to. Consumers, on the other hand, take note of the association as a kind of a relationship. The relationship founded feeds on the emotional or affectionate level for the consumers (Chodosh, 2018). This type of branding strategy, where belongingness is emphasized, is thought to bring about the highest return of investment. There might be a felt connection, realization of purpose, or empathy wherein feelings have pierced through and left a mark (Smithson, 2015).

For a practical person like me, brands are not really an issue. However, I think that it is their photos and their marketing strategy which hooked me. One of the reasons why I love swimsuits is because of the ease it brings in boosting one’s confidence. As I saw photos of the swimsuit models, I immediately wanted to feel and be like them. The association that I established with the brand didn’t make me think twice about their product. However, I was extremely saddened by the wasted money.

I’m not kidding that I haven’t moved on from that experience. Hence, I would like to share some consumer tips because I admit, it was not a wise decision. I also made a blog post before about determining original products from fake. You can check it out here: Is it Real or Is it Fake?

3 Tips to be a Wise(r) Shopper

1. Be cautious of what you buy online

The virtual marketplace is continuously expanding. There are thousands of sellers on Instagram, Facebook, Shoppee, Lazada and other online stores. Truly, e-commerce has minimized the cost it takes to physically visit a store. However, one of the cons of e-commerce is the assured authenticity of the products sold. Anybody can sell online. It’s even easy to do a virtual shop; even a grade school can do it. I recommend to just buy directly from the brand itself.

2. Research

Once you’ve seen what you like, don’t check it out that fast. Keep on searching on all the virtual stores you can access. There will always be a tendency that the same products are sold on other virtual stores and their price could vary. A peso is still a peso, and it still counts. So just take your time. Keep on browsing so you could really get your money’s worth.

3. Read reviews

Reviews are my best friend when it comes to purchasing anything online. If I don’t see any reviews, then I skip the product and move on the next. I make sure that I read and take note of reviews. This will make sure that the products I’ll get are in good shape and quality. This is how I filter the stores and seller accounts to find out if they are legit or not.

I hope you learned a few tips from my experience! We deserve the best products as consumers. Stay wise and happy shopping!

Thank you for reading my post! Here are some lifestyle blog posts that you might like. Enjoy!

• Wedding of the Century
• Ruins of Angkor – A Virtual Gallery Walk
• Bangkok – “The City of Angels”
• 500 Pesos Ukay Challenge: 4-Day Summer Getaway
• Job Hunting Dos and Don’ts

References:

Chodosh, S. (2018, April 9). Brand Belonging, Essential to Building Better Brands. Retrieved October 3, 2018, from https://www.emotivebrand.com/brand-belonging/

Smithson, E. (2015, October 14). What Is Branding And Why Is It Important For Your Business? Retrieved October 3, 2018, from https://www.brandingmag.com/2015/10/14/what-is-branding-and-why-is-it-important-for-your-business/