Keeping Up With Technologly

Have you ever tried to keep up with technology? Its damn near impossible without taking a small student loan out to be successful in doing so. The new IPhone 5 was just released last week and I had a chance to check it out at the mall the other day. I walked into the Verizon store and headed right toward it, looked at it with the salesman at my back curiously wondering what I was doing. I held it for about 10 secs and said "so this is it". A simple "whats that" he muttered, I said "the Iphone 5", "yep" he responded. I was very unimpressed with the overall design and new features that it offers. Its suppose to have a faster processor and a new enhanced screen which allows for better HD images. So cool, now one can get to their Facebook page literally a instant faster. To me that doesn't interest me, but to millions of people who try to keep up with technology it is a huge ordeal. I feel fortunate enough not to get caught up in this sort of stuff as I would be broke if I had tried to for something that let me surf the internet a bit faster then the person next to me.

DQ Blizzards, I'm kind of a sucker for them. I'v always liked them but have never hard 3 in a week until these past couple of weeks. Why have I had so many? Because they are running a buy one get one for a buck. Can't afford not to get one. Blizzards are a mix between a malt and a sunday, loaded, "well sometimes loaded" with your favor mix of candy all blended together to equal one awesome combination. The ol bank account statement keeps subtracting $4.97 and I have no regrets for my spending as long as I'm getting my fix. It's a great deal and taste that keeps me coming back for more, plus its a cheap date.

Marketing a New Generation of Camo

The other day I was downtown Bozeman visiting the new local Schnee's store, which use to be Powderhorn Sports. As I walked through the newly remodeled store I was struck by the major changes that had occurred. As I stepped into the hunting room tucked deep in the corner of the store I noticed a sales associate informing one of the customers of Sitka hunting gear. Sitka Gear is new revolution to the camo hunting world, as it presents a newly digital style camo patter that is meant to break up the outline of a hunter in the eyes ones prey. This newer camo pattern is designed with an animals vision in mind rather than what us as humans can see. It's so different than any other camo pattern available on the market, which leads to a lot of skeptics of its overall effectiveness. As I meandered around the two discussing the product I was extremely curious how an old school hunter would accept this new camo. This made me realize deeper that marketing a product that is so different to hunters compared to traditional camo patterns had been created and marketed effectively to compete with the biggest names of the hunting clothes industry. The first question that rises is how does Sitka take a pattern that has never been seen before and make believers in it? What kind of marketing strategy did they target to be as effective as they are. Was it the product placement on hunting television shows, or just the outrageous amount of advertising dollars that were spent to promote the product. To me it is as if one were to compete against coca-cola. How can a new company enter a market and rise to the top as if they had been around 100 years? Although there are skeptics of Sitka Gear, there are also a ton of avid hunters that are believers in this camo. It truly interest me how consumers develop trust and loyalty to a product that doesn't seem like it would work in the field. This kind of stuff makes me enjoy the field of marketing as it intrigues me to know more of how consumers react to new and old products through marketing.

As a passionate hunter I love practical clothing that can be worn  in the field and as casual dress. I enjoy the fact that what I where when hunting can be a resemblance of who I am. About a year ago I was stricken by a gentlemen that was wearing a Under Armour sweatshirt that had an excellent camo pattern on it. Yea everyone has seen a camo hoody sweatshirt before, but this particular one was something unique compared to the rest of them. I needed one, not wanted one, but felt the urgency of needing one. However, after looking for this hoody on every imaginable website hunting related there were none to be found. I was devastated as I was so attracted to the overall appearance and functionality of it. So, almost a year later last week I received a new Bass Pro Shops catalog, and as I was paging through it on my couch I suddenly shouted "No way in hell", my roommates looked at me as if I were crazy. I couldn't get to my computer fast enough to see if it was in stock, it was and I was soon checking boxes on the check out pages faster than ever. I couldn't wait to be sitting in the duck blind with it on for this coming season. I thought a large was a reasonable size to order since I usually buy other hoodies in this size. The other day the UPS man was knocking at the door and I knew that what was waiting. No not books from chegg or amazon, but my hoody that I have been waiting for. I ripped the box open and dug in as a kid on Christmas morning, my first reaction was man this feels a little tight as I pulled it over my head. I felt like fat guy in a little coat to say the least. Instantly I began trying to justify the tightness that I felt, but how can one justify a tight $75.00 sweatshirt that doesn't fit. I felt defeated, as I already took the tags off in the mix and thought returning it was out of question. I finally had the one item that I had been looking for and now I have to return it, and that's if they even accept it without the tags. All this for a sweatshirt,  this is ridiculous. All I could dwell on is how terrible it is to buy clothing online. I reassured myself that I wouldn't do this again for this particular reason. So frustrated I was to say the least. Now another 2 weeks before I can have the proper fitting hoody that I have wanted so bad. I found that this experience of mine shopping online an unsatisfying experience that will dictate future online shopping choices in the future. Although our generation is seeing more and more retail stores downsizing like Best Buy or diminishing altogether, the luxury of heading to the store and holding a tangible item is hard to beat as a consumer. I hope that the UPS man will be knocking again soon.