What are some products that make a huge chunk of their sales due to peer pressure?

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

What are some (non-clothing) products that can attribute much of their success to peer pressure - meaning, they have been established as the product used by winners/the "cool" people, while people who use a competitor's product are looked down upon?

To me, it seems the top product like this is the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. For an entire subculture, it's "ride a Harley, or don't ride".

I haven't thought of too many others like this in recent years. The iPhone was like this for a while, but I think the bloom is off that rose with the rise of Android smartphones.

What other products use peer pressure as their primary sales driver? I've excluded clothing because there have been so many fads over time. If there is a clothing fad that lasted more than 10 years, maybe it's worth including.

[Leaffan]

I really don't think Tide laundry detergent is any better than the much lesser-priced, no-name stuff, yet it's the only laundry detergent I'm allowed to buy.

[Manda JO]

Deodorant.

[Joey P]

PBR amongst the "I'm drinking this because the hipsters drink it and I'm not a hipster (but I sort of am) so it's ironic" crowd"

[Rex Goliath]

I really don't think Tide laundry detergent is any better than the much lesser-priced, no-name stuff, yet it's the only laundry detergent I'm allowed to buy.
For what it's worth, consumer reports generally ranks it pretty highly, and their cold-water formula was voted best.

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

PBR amongst the "I'm drinking this because the hipsters drink it and I'm not a hipster (but I sort of am) so it's ironic" crowd"

Okay, but would a group of hipsters deride someone who ordered, say, a microbrew instead?

Just asking - I don't drink (much) beer so I don't know what would happen.

[Joey P]

Okay, but would a group of hipsters deride someone who ordered, say, a microbrew instead?

Just asking - I don't drink (much) beer so I don't know what would happen.

I honestly don't know. I can't say I run with the hipster crowd.

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

Deodorant.

Do you mean deodorant vs. not using any deodorant; or one particular brand vs. others?

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

I honestly don't know. I can't say I run with the hipster crowd.

Regardless, it does fit the OP as I'm sure their sales are really helped by the whole hipster thing. Good one.

[Leaffan]

For what it's worth, consumer reports generally ranks it pretty highly, and their cold-water formula was voted best.

Well, I suppose, if you're covered in grass stains and blood maybe. *Of course if that's the case, laundry detergent is probably not your number one priority.




*Based loosely on a Seinfeld joke. I don't want to get reported for plagiarism!

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

I'm going to amend my OP to exclude products that are popular because of their reputation for quality ONLY. I'm looking more for stuff that sells because of "keeping up with the Joneses" rather than "this is a great item that never breaks" as a rationale. I don't think Honda cars sell well due to peer pressure as much as for their reputation for quality. I think if you buy a Mercedes now it might be a peer pressure thing, since their reliability is subpar these days.

Having said that, what about John Deere products? I can't decide if their sales are driven mostly by product reliability, or peer pressure.

[Manda JO]

Do you mean deodorant vs. not using any deodorant; or one particular brand vs. others?

In general. I mean, those "Aren't you glad you use Dial? Don't you wish everyone did?" really turned up the general concern with having any odor at all.

[Bloodless Turnip]

Any shoe that is not comfortable.


Wait, are shoes clothing?

[Tastes of Chocolate]

A lot of Apple products -
My co-worker was thrilled to win an ipad at work, but once he got it, he was telling us about how he had no idea how or why to use it.

Jewelry - "Every kiss begins with Kay" - Kay is a jewelry chain.
- "He went to Jared" - Jared is another chain.

[Dewey Finn]

Jewelry - "Every kiss begins with Kay" - Kay is a jewelry chain.
- "He went to Jared" - Jared is another chain.
Advertising slogans do not equal "peer pressure."

[YogSosoth]

There are entire industries dedicated to this. If we're not talking about specific products, I'd easily point the finger at pretty much the entire fashion industry. "Wear this or you're lame!" is their motto, and people, generally women, suck it up like a vacuum. You cannot tell me there is a discernable difference between a $1000 Louis Vuitton purse and a $100 one from Target, you just can't. Yet I have friends who spend thousands on one. I always tell her "Your bag shouldn't cost more than the items its storing!" but she has been doing this for years and only gets the brand names.

People, jeans all look the same. They all fucking do. They're bluish and are made of denim. Sure, some wear out faster, but its never worth it to buy a pair of jeans over $50. They're all the god damn same

I have personally never spent more than $100 on a single piece of clothing and I plan to stick to that until the day I die, fuck brands

[A Monkey With a Gun]

YogSoSoth, the OP specifically asked for non-clothing products.

There is one product that is so incredibly obvious I'm surprised it wasn't the first thing mentioned. Cigarettes. I don't think anybody has ever picked up that habit without being influenced by some form of peer pressure. It's not like they pick up a copy of Consumer Reports and weigh the pros and cons before they buy a pack.

Granted, the addiction may be the chief driver in sales, but it's peer pressure that brings in the new customers.

[YogSosoth]

YogSoSoth, the OP specifically asked for non-clothing products.


Ooops! Missed that! Very sorry! :o

[Balthisar]

I tend to think that Indian and Honda are at least as respected as Harley.

But, yeah, iPod versus Zune. Who has a Zune? I think Microsoft finally discontinued them.

Maybe Toyota, because everyone knows that Fords suck and you'd be stupid to buy one. (I'm not stating that that's a fact, but the perception).

I'd say Ikea anything in some circles. It's the same, low quality as Walmart sells, but it's considered "cool" laminated particle-board instead of lowbrow laminated particle-board.

Newports, because Salems are for women.

[Darryl Lict]

Diamonds.

[elfkin477]

Beanie Babies
Silly Bandz
Pogs
Pokemon Cards
Tamagotchi
Cabbage Patch Dolls
Furbies
Zhu Zhu Pets

You can't talk about peer pressure driving sales without mentioning the products (http://abcnews.go.com/Nightline/slideshow/blast-past-toys-buy-11683244) who only made any money at all because kids all wanted the "cool" new whatzit like the other kids have.

[Lamar Mundane]

Not a product, but this is the model for the way Campus Crusade for Christ works. They target the athletes and the popular kids in schools and then use them as recruitment tools - "If you want to hang with the cool kids, join our group!"

[wolfman]

Jagermeister

[elfkin477]

JagermeisterOh yeah, definitely. It was a hard lesson learned: no matter how attracted you are to the guy offering it, just say no to jager. Otherwise, you and the toilet will have in-depth conversations all the next day.

[Leaffan]

Jack Daniels. The stuff is horse piss.

[kunilou]

Having said that, what about John Deere products? I can't decide if their sales are driven mostly by product reliability, or peer pressure.

If you're talking about John Deere agricultural products (tractors, plows, combines, etc.) they're the real deal, also backed up by distribution, a strong dealer networks and all that other Marketing 101 stuff.

If you're talking about the JD lawn and garden products, they mostly live off the reputation of the farm equipment, and unless you buy your farm equipment from a JD dealer who'll give you a great price on a lawn tractor, there's no real reason to pick it over, say, a Honda.

[brittekland]

Tattoo and Piercing
SUV (particularly fair weather city folks although much less so now since gas price shot up)
Booze/drinking
Cigarettes
Chewing Tobacco for baseball players
Hair Styles (from mullets to shaved head and highlights to dark-roots-light-ends)
Starbucks
Sunglasses (Aviator to Wayfarer to whatnots)

[brittekland]

Jack Daniels. The stuff is horse piss.

I like Jack Daniel (though I used to hate it but I didn't like hard drinks much then). Should I not admit it publicly?

[typoink]

Regardless, it does fit the OP as I'm sure their sales are really helped by the whole hipster thing. Good one.

I used to think the PBR -> hipster thing was one of pure pragmatism: PBR is cheaper than "big name" macros, but is drinkable and has a decent-looking can compared to some. Hipsters also like ironically uncool things, so picking the beer with a dumb name and no ad campaign seemed obvious.

It's become clear that PBR actually aggressively courts hipsters, sponsoring indie rock concerts and being served in divey rock bars all over. I've heard that the whole thing was brilliant, intentional underground marketing designed to find a niche for a weak product.

Way to go, Pabst.

[bump]

That cheap-ass mezcal with the worms in it.

I think the vast majority of their sales are from college guys who buy it on some kind of macho dare.

[Lacunae Matata]

As someone recently in the real estate market, may I add granite countertops and stainless steel appliances? These things are gonna be the stylistic equivalent of Harvest Gold appliances and snag carpeting in a few years.

[joebuck20]

But, yeah, iPod versus Zune. Who has a Zune? I think Microsoft finally discontinued them.



That's the one I came in here to say. For a few years in the 2000s, and to a certain extent even nowadays, MP3 player was pretty much exclusively synonymous with iPod in the minds of a lot of people, even though there were a lot of other brands on the market.

[YaraMateo]

There are entire industries dedicated to this. If we're not talking about specific products, I'd easily point the finger at pretty much the entire fashion industry. "Wear this or you're lame!" is their motto, and people, generally women, suck it up like a vacuum. You cannot tell me there is a discernable difference between a $1000 Louis Vuitton purse and a $100 one from Target, you just can't. Yet I have friends who spend thousands on one. I always tell her "Your bag shouldn't cost more than the items its storing!" but she has been doing this for years and only gets the brand names.

People, jeans all look the same. They all fucking do. They're bluish and are made of denim. Sure, some wear out faster, but its never worth it to buy a pair of jeans over $50. They're all the god damn same

I have personally never spent more than $100 on a single piece of clothing and I plan to stick to that until the day I die, fuck brands


How much was your wedding dress? ;)

To answer the OP, cigarettes. I can't help but think of the episode of Roseanne when she tried to quit and she blames tv for her smoking. Saying when she was a kid EVERYONE on tv smoked. :p

[brittekland]

TV
Kitchen appliances
Weber gas grill

[Hippy Hollow]

A lot of Apple products -
My co-worker was thrilled to win an ipad at work, but once he got it, he was telling us about how he had no idea how or why to use it.

Jewelry - "Every kiss begins with Kay" - Kay is a jewelry chain.
- "He went to Jared" - Jared is another chain.

I knew someone would mention Apple products at some point. But I think the implied point in the OP is that the product is not as good; just that peer pressure obliges people to buy it. I would argue that Apple products are beautifully designed and tend to offer a superior user experience when compared to rival products. I own all of the iDevices, and tend to be a mid- to late-adopter... I usually balk at the price of the new stuff and I limp along with what I have until I see how kick ass the Apple stuff is, and I relent.

You nailed it on the jewelry stuff. I don't need to show anybody my iPhone/iPad/iPod. Wedding jewelry, especially engagement rings, are expressly to show others.

I would say some makes of car - like the entry-level BMWs, I think, that are not that reliable and have cloth interiors. Or is it Mercedes-Benz?

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Makeup.

[Amblydoper]

... I don't think Honda cars sell well due to peer pressure as much as for their reputation for quality.

Honda cars in general, maybe.

But the aftermarket, pimp my ride, hang-out-in-the-taco-bell-parking-lot-and-talk-about-street-racing crowd sure seems to flock towards the civic as if there is no other option. Hell, I remember seeing "imports" and "hondas" on the list of interests on dating site profiles years ago. I'd say that specific honda fits the OP's requirements, selling so well because of peer pressure. The community decided that any other car just wasn't as good, even if it was.

[HubZilla]

GMC/Dodge/Ford Trucks. Real men drive manly American pickup trucks. There was even a commercial "There is no Japanese word for pick-up truck".

My SiL tried to pull the same stunt when she looked at my Nissan rice-burner (a pathetic Titan, no less). She huffed "We only buy American". We checked the VINs: My car was made in Georgia, her Chevy was made in Mexico.

[brittekland]

Power tools
Interior Design products (including Kitchen, bathroom etc)
Racing bicycles
Vacuum cleaners
Fancy washer dryer
Boats
Neighborhoods, ie, rich neighbors to not so rich
Ugg boots

[Joey P]

TV
Kitchen appliances
Weber gas grill

I don't think any of those really qualify here. I don't think anyone buys a TV due to peer pressure, they buy a TV because they want to watch TV, they want/need entertainment. Kitchen appliances? You're going to need to expand on that. Unless you have a way to cook chicken, boil water or freeze ice cream with out kitchen appliances, I'd consider them a necessity in life. And as for Weber Gas Grills, they truly are high quality and more then worth the extra expense. A Weber is typically IME about double the cost of a similarly sized grill but built much much better. Again, IME, Weber's tend to last 10-15 years (even kept outdoors and getting used 2-3 times per week) where other grills will last 2-3 years under similar circumstances.

[Joey P]

Power tools
Interior Design products (including Kitchen, bathroom etc)
Racing bicycles
Vacuum cleaners
Fancy washer dryer
Boats
Neighborhoods, ie, rich neighbors to not so rich
Ugg boots

Seriously, did you even read the OP? The topic isn't asking people to list things. Do you really think people buy vacuums or power tools because of peer pressure? Interior Design Products? What does that even mean?
How does one go about buying neighborhoods or rich neighbors?

[Joey P]

GMC/Dodge/Ford Trucks. Real men drive manly American pickup trucks. There was even a commercial "There is no Japanese word for pick-up truck".

My SiL tried to pull the same stunt when she looked at my Nissan rice-burner (a pathetic Titan, no less). She huffed "We only buy American". We checked the VINs: My car was made in Georgia, her Chevy was made in Mexico.

Whenever I see a bumper sticker that says "Don't put my flag on your import" I always think to myself "My Honda is more American then your Ford."

[brittekland]

Seriously, did you even read the OP? The topic isn't asking people to list things.

Do you really think people buy vacuums or power tools because of peer pressure?
Particular brand of vacuum cleaner or power tool over others?

How does one go about buying neighborhoods or rich neighbors?
Buying a house in one town over the next town?

Interior Design Products? What does that even mean?
Such as Ralph Lauren paint color over other brand or certain material over other?

[Joey P]

Particular brand of vacuum cleaner or power tool over others?

Exactly, this thread is about what those brands might be. Hoover? Dyson, Bissel? Dirt Devil? Dewalt? Milwaukee? Craftsman? Mikita? B&D? Skil? Huqvarna? What are your thoughts on that?

Same for everything else you said. We're not just listing products, but specific things that people buy due to peer pressure, not just genres of products.

[brittekland]

I don't think any of those really qualify here. I don't think anyone buys a TV due to peer pressure, they buy a TV because they want to watch TV, they want/need entertainment. Kitchen appliances? You're going to need to expand on that. Unless you have a way to cook chicken, boil water or freeze ice cream with out kitchen appliances, I'd consider them a necessity in life. And as for Weber Gas Grills, they truly are high quality and more then worth the extra expense. A Weber is typically IME about double the cost of a similarly sized grill but built much much better. Again, IME, Weber's tend to last 10-15 years (even kept outdoors and getting used 2-3 times per week) where other grills will last 2-3 years under similar circumstances.

Brand envy?

Size, type and brand of TV?

Bosch dishwasher over Maytag, Kitchen Aid food processor over Cuisinart, Allclads vs. T-fal etc?

I have a stainless Weber gas grill. I love it but it took me years of wanting one and envying looking at friend's and neighbor's to finally get one. I guess America's Weber gas grill envy has been all along just a figment of my imagination. There are other good gas grill brands out there but Weber is the national to-get brand.... a status symbol so to speak. But then I may be wrong as I've been wrong plenty times before. I sometimes live in a bubble.

I guess I should have expounded a bit but I thought the idea was self-explanatory and I was willing to go into discussion if need be. This is a discussion site, no? Pardon moi.

[brittekland]

Exactly, this thread is about what those brands might be. Hoover? Dyson, Bissel? Dirt Devil? Dewalt? Milwaukee? Craftsman? Mikita? B&D? Skil? Huqvarna? What are your thoughts on that?

Same for everything else you said. We're not just listing products, but specific things that people buy due to peer pressure, not just genres of products.

Products.


What are some products that make a huge chunk of their sales due to peer pressure?
What are some (non-clothing) products that can attribute much of their success to peer pressure - meaning, they have been established as the product used by winners/the "cool" people, while people who use a competitor's product are looked down upon?

To me, it seems the top product like this is the Harley-Davidson motorcycle. For an entire subculture, it's "ride a Harley, or don't ride".

I haven't thought of too many others like this in recent years. The iPhone was like this for a while, but I think the bloom is off that rose with the rise of Android smartphones.

What other products use peer pressure as their primary sales driver? I've excluded clothing because there have been so many fads over time. If there is a clothing fad that lasted more than 10 years, maybe it's worth including.

[Queen Tonya]

What about Tupperware, Home Interiors, Partylite, Mary Kay and all the other products that get sold via home 'party' selling? You can buy food storage items, knickknacks, candles and make up all sorts of places, but folks buy those particular over priced items because they feel pressured to help out a friend.

[kanicbird]

Ever see the movie 'The Jones', about a 'family' created by a marketing company who's purpose was to pier pressure those around them to buy certain items.

To a certain extent this is used in a wide range of marketing products.

[Eyebrows 0f Doom]

Brand envy?

Size, type and brand of TV?



I am still not seeing how people buy TVs due to "peer pressure." Name a brand of TV that fits this criteria:
they have been established as the product used by winners/the "cool" people, while people who use a competitor's product are looked down upon?

[It's Not Rocket Surgery!]

I thought of another one (maybe, since my thread is morphing into something else):

Audiophiles are pretty snobby in general, but what about people who still use turntables? They seem to look down on digital music users.

[brittekland]

I am still not seeing how people buy TVs due to "peer pressure." Name a brand of TV that fits this criteria:

I don't know perhaps, say, this 81" screen HD TV (http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-82738-82-Inch-DLP-HDTV/dp/B003HPB97I/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1310054321&sr=1-4) or a big Sony your dentist friend has compared to your Walmart house brand tv?

I have TV envy: I'd like bigger screen better brand tv with split screen etc. I know some people have much better TV than my Insignia 24". I had real hard time finding the cable box remote control code for my little tv and the picture quality isn't the greatest etc but for now it'll have to do. :(

[flight]

Ever see the movie 'The Jones', about a 'family' created by a marketing company who's purpose was to pier pressure those around them to buy certain items.

To a certain extent this is used in a wide range of marketing products.
My bolding.

Is that when you threaten to throw someone into the ocean with cement loafers if they don't use the right brand of toothpaste?

[Machine Elf]

I don't know perhaps, say, this 81" screen HD TV (http://www.amazon.com/Mitsubishi-WD-82738-82-Inch-DLP-HDTV/dp/B003HPB97I/ref=sr_1_4?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1310054321&sr=1-4) or a big Sony your dentist friend has compared to your Walmart house brand tv?

I have TV envy: I'd like bigger screen better brand tv with split screen etc. I know some people have much better TV than my Insignia 24". I had real hard time finding the cable box remote control code for my little tv and the picture quality isn't the greatest etc but for now it'll have to do. :(

Here's the key point:

do you want an 82" TV because 82" TVs kick ass,

or

do you want an 82" TV because your cool friends and/or neighbors have one, and you want to be able to say you have one too?

Based on what you said above, it sounds like the former - which means your purchase of an 82" TV would not be due to peer pressure.

I agree with people who have mentioned Harley Davidson motorcycles. Some people buy them because they genuinely like cruiser-style bikes, and/or want an "American" motorcycle - but I think a lot of folks buy HD's because their friends have them.

Same deal with smartphones (any brand). While they can be occasionally useful, companies are perpetually rolling out the latest and greatest, and people repeatedly stand in line overnight to be among the first to buy them. Christ, nothing is that useful. The only reason to stand in line to buy the latest iPhone or Droid is because you want to be the coolest kid on the block.

[tdn]

I'm not sure if music and movies fall into this category, but people will often line up hours ahead of time for a new CD/DVD/tickets.

When I worked at a video store, we often had people fighting over the latest offering. Rent something that came out over a year ago? Unthinkable.

[brittekland]

Here's the key point:

do you want an 82" TV because 82" TVs kick ass,

or

do you want an 82" TV because your cool friends and/or neighbors have one, and you want to be able to say you have one too?

Based on what you said above, it sounds like the former - which means your purchase of an 82" TV would not be due to peer pressure.

I agree with people who have mentioned Harley Davidson motorcycles. Some people buy them because they genuinely like cruiser-style bikes, and/or want an "American" motorcycle - but I think a lot of folks buy HD's because their friends have them.

Same deal with smartphones (any brand). While they can be occasionally useful, companies are perpetually rolling out the latest and greatest, and people repeatedly stand in line overnight to be among the first to buy them. Christ, nothing is that useful. The only reason to stand in line to buy the latest iPhone or Droid is because you want to be the coolest kid on the block.

I often have people coming over to hang out at my place (because I'm single I think..) in the evenings and weekends. A lots times we drink beer and end up watching TV. Most of them have nice big Samsungs, Mitsubishi, Sony, and Panasonics at home. I can't afford to get the best most current large TV so we usually put my small TV on the coffee table to watch. It makes for cozy hanging out but I get a lots of shit from these guys that I'm cheap or "this sucks" "let's go the corner bar" etc etc. I don't always wanna go to a bar. I want a nice big plasma TV like them so I can shut 'em up for good and feel like I too belong to the time. And also to put the TV where it belongs (against the wall) and see the little prints and the little white balls easier... who doesn't (maybe not, a lot of people go w/o TV or minimize its presence these days I hear)??

[Machine Elf]

I often have people coming over to hang out at my place (because I'm single I think..) in the evenings and weekends. A lots times we drink beer and end up watching TV. Most of them have nice big Samsungs, Mitsubishi, Sony, and Panasonics at home. I can't afford to get the best most current large TV so we usually put my small TV on the coffee table to watch. It makes for cozy hanging out but I get a lots of shit from these guys that I'm cheap or "this sucks" "let's go the corner bar" etc etc. I don't always wanna go to a bar. I want a nice big plasma TV like them so I can shut 'em up for good and feel like I too belong to the time. And also to put the TV where it belongs (against the wall) and see the little prints and the little white balls easier... who doesn't (maybe not, a lot of people go w/o TV or minimize its presence these days I hear)??

OK, I was wrong; it does indeed sound like your lust for a big-ass TV is driven by peer pressure.

Do you think that most large TV sales are driven by the same motive?

[brittekland]

OK, I was wrong; it does indeed sound like your lust for a big-ass TV is driven by peer pressure.

Do you think that most large TV sales are driven by the same motive?

Mahbe. I can't rule the possibility out. I think I can assume the better brand TV makers rely on a certain percentage of their sales to peer pressure/envy. After all nice large TVs are access, luxury that can make someone's moderate existence more apparent. I know that it only took one of our friends to get one before all others did.. of course except me. I do not have their caliber of access cash.

You can't imagine someone's spouse saying "I think we are the only one still watching ancient analog TV. Let's get a plasma HD TV with a good size screen."?

[perfectparanoia]

I really don't think Tide laundry detergent is any better than the much lesser-priced, no-name stuff, yet it's the only laundry detergent I'm allowed to buy.

I often get grease splatters on the fronts of my shirts. If I use anything other than Tide, I have to pretreat them (and often I don't notice until I go to wear the shirt again).

If I use Tide, no pretreating required.

[alice_in_wonderland]

Christ, nothing is that useful.

Some dude in China sold a kidney to get an iPad II. That's nutty, and I'm saying that as an apple lover.

How about soft drinks? A lot of no name brands (PC, Noname, etc) taste just as good as the name brands (at least to me) but I wouldn't buy PC Ginger Ale if I had guests coming over - I would buy Canada Dry.

Now, just to prove myself wrong, I only ever buy Diet Coke because I actually do prefer the taste of it. I wish the PC stuff tasted better because it's literally 10 time less expensive. (i.e. Diet Coke is about $1 a can - PC diet cola is 10 cents).

[pancakes3]

lance armstrong bracelets, engagement rings (size of the rock, not the ring itself), and oddly enough... bottled water.

personally i drink out of the tap but i have some friends and ex gfs who think that a good bottle of water is a major status symbol in the gym. either the disposable bottle itself or nalgenes, or etc.

[kushiel]

Back in the late 90s/early 00s Alienware gaming rigs were pretty much the ultimate in computer gaming. I never did much computer gaming so I don't know if they were worth it, but the name was synonymous with gaming computer. I think it went downhill after they got bought out by one of the big computer makers.

[Yarster]

I know it's already been mentioned but...

THE...FUCKING...KITCHENAID....MIXER!

Oh yes, my wife had to have the 5 quart model with the turning head that can grind up a corpse after a mafia hit. Why? Because every other woman we knew had one. It is now a $250 paperweight that takes up valuable counter space. They should sell that thing with a motion sensor that laughs at men when they walk into the kitchen to mock them for giving in to the peer pressure. And before the ten professional bakers on this board call me an asshole because they use their Kitchenaid every day, I can assure you the average person who owns one doesn't.

I guess I should thank God I dodged a second bullet with the name 'Dyson vacuum' on it that almost hit me using the same logic.

[alice_in_wonderland]

And before the ten professional bakers on this board call me an asshole because they use their Kitchenaid every day, I can assure you the average person who owns one doesn't.

Well, I certainly won't call you an asshole - if your wife was gagging for a mixer because her friends had it that perfectly fits the OP.

With that aside, I'm not a professional baker at all and I do actually use my KitchenAid at least once a week, usually more often. This is because I do a lot of baking and cooking by scratch for my family and I find the KitchenAid really is a superior product. My mom has a similar style Hamilton Beach mixer and it doesn't even come close.

However, if your wife was never particularly interested in baking and talked you into buying the thing because her friends had it and 'If I have it I'll bake way more!' well, yah. Sucks to be you. :)

[salinqmind]

Makeup.

Yes. Expensive makeup. I don't know how department stores sell those trays of miracle potions and overpriced lipsticks to stay in business, but they apparently have a never ending supply of fervent customers. Apparently an $8 Cover Girl mascara is akin to something like Preparation H or Q-tips, but "splurge cuz you are so worth it" $24 Dior mascara is in an entirely different category. The Sephora shop should get some kind of award for extracting the most amount of money from the customer's wallet, and it's all peer pressure. IMO.

As for vinyl and turntables - I have tons of records and a turntable, because we never throw anything out! Wanna hear the extended version of Funkytown? (I know, I know, that's not what the poster back there meant, I'm just being funny, sort of.)

[brittekland]

Btw these falls under the "kitchen appliances" I mentioned above:

Bread machine - I think we used it all of two times with mediocre results; had a friend who made a lots of bread with her machine for a while and used to give me some now and then though.

Ice cream machine - A Cuisinart. I bought it some 5 years ago after seeing a bunch of people with one; I have not used it so far. The brilliant plan was to make creamy peach ice cream that I can't seem to find anywhere. Maybe tomorrow is the day. I hope it's not defective. :rolleyes:

[No umlaut for U]

Professional manicures.
People have reached adulthood in one piece, but mysteriously lack the power to paint their own nails?

[Sleel]

Farmville, Mafia Wars, pretty much all of the social games. They're all great big multi-level marketing schemes dressed up as games.

[perfectparanoia]

Yes. Expensive makeup. I don't know how department stores sell those trays of miracle potions and overpriced lipsticks to stay in business, but they apparently have a never ending supply of fervent customers. Apparently an $8 Cover Girl mascara is akin to something like Preparation H or Q-tips, but "splurge cuz you are so worth it" $24 Dior mascara is in an entirely different category. The Sephora shop should get some kind of award for extracting the most amount of money from the customer's wallet, and it's all peer pressure. IMO.


There are some items of makeup (like Mascara) where price is not an indicator of anything. However....

Anything with a vibrant hue (eyeshadow, blush, etc.) will last a lot longer if you go up a couple of levels in price. There are less fillers and more colour in the product (this goes for companies such as Mac). I have actually saved a fortune on makeup once I started buying more expensive stuff (which only happened because I got a Sephora gift card one Christmas).

YMMV, I wear makeup everyday. If you are an occasional user, you probably need to throw out your makeup before it is used up and this advice is moot.

[Amblydoper]

I'll bite on the Kitchen Appliance thought...

Kitchen Aid and Cuisinart each make a stand mixer and a food processor, but you just don't buy any stand mixer other then a Kitchen Aid, and you just don't buy any food processor other then a Cuisinart. Also, you can buy a blender from either of them, but You shouldn't; you should buy a Vita-Prep. It doesn't really matter who makes the better product, I will think less of you if you bought the wrong brand. God help you if you bought a Hamilton Beach or Black and Decker anything.

[Taber]

Pinkberry. I bet there are some people who go there because they like it more than competing yogurt shops, but I suspect more go there because Britney spears and assorted stars were photographed there.

[Taomist]

I really don't think name-brand sunglasses are worth hundreds of dollars due to just the name. Same for purses.

[Taomist]

Re: the tv...I find bigger televisions to be a LOT more useful than a tiny one. 82" sounds ridiculously oversized, but hey. I think we have a 32" and it's plenty good. I could imagine getting maybe a 50 or so, but we'd need a huge living room with lots of space before a screen 82" would seem nice instead of just way too much.

[Taomist]

YogSoSoth, the OP specifically asked for non-clothing products.

There is one product that is so incredibly obvious I'm surprised it wasn't the first thing mentioned. Cigarettes. I don't think anybody has ever picked up that habit without being influenced by some form of peer pressure. It's not like they pick up a copy of Consumer Reports and weigh the pros and cons before they buy a pack.

Granted, the addiction may be the chief driver in sales, but it's peer pressure that brings in the new customers.


FWIW, I didn't fall into that category. I started when I was 33, because I tried someone's at a party that I thought smelled good. Still can't/won't smoke ANY regular cigarette, but there's one particular brand+flavor that I've smoked ever since. Wont' smoke anything else; everything else tastes like shit. :p


I'm gonna throw in 'Beer' into the category of peer pressure driven sales/use. Who the hell likes beer? How many times have you heard people say 'You have to learn to like it'. The hell I do! That's why we invented vodka. Fuck beer. :p Yes, I know some people actually like it first sip, but the percentage of folks who will drink that because that's all there is <at a kegger, underage sneaking from the fridge, whatever> seems high to me.

[Joey P]

I'm honestly not sure about this one, so I'm just putting it out there, THX, or at least the THX badge.
I know for some products that have two versions, one touting THX the other one not, it's strongly suspected that they are both identical, but the THX version is only different in that it has the THX logo and is licensed by THX, at least that's the case with the TiVo premiere. I actually got the THX version because it had a bigger hard drive, but if that was the only difference, based on what I've read, I wouldn't have paid extra for it.

There was something else that I can't think of at the moment that stopped using the THX logo (I think it may have been either Mirantz or Onkyo receivers). Someone on a forum I frequent bumped into one of the people that work for the company at the CES show and asked them about that. Their answer was they didn't feel like paying for the license anymore. I took from that that the hardware/firmware was still the same. But when people rattle off specs about their home theater gear, do they really want to have to skip being able to say "THX certified"?

[aaelghat]

If we look at the OP's original question, What are some products that make a huge chunk of their sales due to peer pressure?


...and interpret "product" a little loosely, I'd like to nominate religion and sports affiliations.

In terms of religion, if you are in the USA, there is peer pressure to join and contribute monetarily to (let's say) a Christian denomination and perhaps peer pressure against joining and contribute monetarily to Islam or Budhism. That leads to greater revenue for the Christian "product".

If you're in Chicago, you'll find there is more peer pressure to buy and display Chicago Bears or Chicago Cubs cups, pennants, etc. than to buy Green Bay Packers merchandise.

I'd also second that there is clout in sporting a Nalgene or Camelback water bottle in the camping or environmental communities, and there is some subtle peer pressure to use those products, when another water bottle would do as good of a job.

I also believe a Toyota Prius falls in this category. There are cars that have a lower carbon footprint, but for those that like to associate themselves with "eco" products, their is a greater "peer" reward for driving a Prius.

[Lust4Life]

Ferraris, Porsches, Rolls Royces etc. if a car is just a means of transport to you then you don't need to buy these models.

Also expensive perfumes.

[Beware of Doug]

Bud. This innocuous-tasting lawnmower lubricant has somehow become a marker for patriotic working-class masculinity.

[casdave]

Fitted kitchens, I know a few folk who've had these installed because all their friends have them, but have you ever thought about them in terms of catering and food hygiene?

They are hopeless, the base units sit on a plinth, beneath which you cannot get to clean, and the back panel is generally a few inches away from the back wall.
This means, if you get pests, they have somewhere warms and inacessible to live.

Now look at a proper catering kitchen, usually everything, including sinks can be wheeled away from walls, it can all be disconnected, incuding water and drains.

Oh yeah, and on a safety related front, if you have gas, and you get a small pinhole leak, it will gather behind those nice units, you may not even smell a thing, until it blows up.

[brendon_small]

Fancy washer dryer


In the defense of fancy washer and dryers, there is a big difference between the washer/dryer I had in college (that we bought second-hand and was just a random set) and the nice fancy set I bought after college. We bought Whirlpool Cabrios, and to be honest, they work really well. I got them at cost because I worked for the store, but while I was there I sold a lot of Whirlpool products. Either the cheap ones broke first and we repaired them, or the fancy ones broke because the users were idiots (slight exaggeration, but really, we sold to a lot of idiots.) I don't think I would say that having the top of the line is important, but they really do save water and electricity (so are cheaper to operate) and they do a better job than the "found on craigslist" dryer we had...of course, we weren't peer pressured into it at all. I sold them at the time, I knew what I was buying...

Brendon Small

[Balthisar]

On the Kitchenaid front, I have both a stand mixer and a food processor based on Cooks Illustrated's recommendation. They're both awesome. On the case of the stand mixer, it was my first, so I have nothing to compare it against. In the case of the food processor, I've had several, crappy food processors in my life, and I ended up not using them because they were crappy, except I didn't know they were relatively crappy in addition to just being crappy. The Kitchen Aid I willingly use all of the time because it really is useful. (Now to see if they work just as well at 50 Hz in a few weeks…)

[CanvasShoes]

Rap.

[uuaschbaer]

Puma shoes, cars in general, the Bible ... Oh yes: spa treatments.

[Diceman]

Bud. This innocuous-tasting lawnmower lubricant has somehow become a marker for patriotic working-class masculinity.
God yes. It's very bland, pretty much the least-common-denominator of beers. And yet it has the reputation as the King of Beers, and you pay a premium for it compared to, say, Labatts or Coors.

As for soft drinks, I'll conceed that there might be good store brand drinks out there, but most are noticably inferior to Coke or Pepsi. It's most obvious with colas. I have never tasted a store brand cola (and I've tried dozens) that I'd care to drink again.

[Dewey Finn]

And yet it has the reputation as the King of Beers, and you pay a premium for it compared to, say, Labatts or Coors.
Budweiser's slogan is the "King of Beers" but with the growth of microbreweries recently I doubt that anyone buys that line.

[Sarabellum1976]

I'll go with makeup and go so far as to say that it's ALL peer pressure related. Cheap brands, expensive brands, all of it. Do women really wear makeup to look good for THEMSELVES?

Nope, they wear it to look good for other people.

[lindsaybluth]

As someone recently in the real estate market, may I add granite countertops and stainless steel appliances? These things are gonna be the stylistic equivalent of Harvest Gold appliances and snag carpeting in a few years.

Yep. These people don't know that nowadays the only thing cheaper than granite these days is laminate, aka plastic counters.

I'd say POM Wonderful juice. Pricey bottle for the advertising and the funky container.

Burt's Bees. Not many know it's owned by Clorox now.

Paul Mitchell hair products, especially their Tea Tree line (and I say this as an occasional buyer, too!)

[Balthisar]

God yes. It's very bland, pretty much the least-common-denominator of beers. And yet it has the reputation as the King of Beers, and you pay a premium for it compared to, say, Labatts or Coors.

In Michigan I usually find that I pay more for Labatt than the price I see for Budweiser. Of course in Michigan Labatt is imported, and if you're in Canada then Bud would (probably) be imported (if not licensed locally for brewing, I guess).

(FWIW I don't know that you're in Canada.)

[DoctorJ]

It's worth mentioning that a lot of products are better in part because everyone has them. This is especially true with electronics, which might require software, firmware updates, accessories, etc. I owned two mp3 players before I had an iPod. They were both great products, but you were almost out of luck if you wanted a sport case or a charging cable, and both were associated with audio software that is long since forgotten.

The biggest offender here, as others have mentioned, is the diamond engagement ring. CrazyCatLady didn't want one and I really didn't want to buy one (though I would have if she had wanted one), but I still have this occasional irrational nagging feeling that I should have anyway. More than one person has told me that no matter what she said she wanted, I still should have spent several thousand dollars on a rock she didn't especially like.

They've been pretty explicit about this. I remember an ad campaign helpfully explaining the asinine two months' salary rule that said something like, "Spend more and she'll be dazzled. Spend less and her family will talk." Crap like that that makes me want to boycott the whole industry before you even get to the whole blood diamond thing.

[Boyo Jim]

Rolex watches are kind of entry-level uber expensive cool baubles and a statement that you have arrived. Or, in my case, that some older person on my family who believed this is now dead, and I ended up with the watch.

And I understand that once you been "there" for a while, Rolex is no longer good enough and there are even pricier time keeping status symbols to wave in front of the losers.

[YaraMateo]

Rolex watches are kind of entry-level uber expensive cool baubles and a statement that you have arrived. Or, in my case, that some older person on my family who believed this is now dead, and I ended up with the watch.

And I understand that once you been "there" for a while, Rolex is no longer good enough and there are even pricier time keeping status symbols to wave in front of the losers.

This reminds me of designer purses. I see a lot of people who like to pretend their rich with Coach and Louis Vuitton. Where as really rich people have a good number of Chanels or a Birkin.