A shoe is a shoe, which protects our feet. But then there are shoes from Nike, Addidas, Reebok that cost a bomb and shoes from the local market which are not that expensive. What is the difference between these shoes?

A phone is a phone right? you make calls, surf net and there are many available in the market from 2000 Rs to 50,000 Rs and more. So why do people pay so much for an Apple Phone or Pixel? 

A cola is a cola but we ask for Pepsi, Coke, Mountain Dew?

What is it that makes people pay a lot for a bag or clothes from Louis Vuitton or Gucci, or car from Jaguar, Mercedes? 

All these are brands. People buying stuff are always torn between whether they should buy the branded or unbranded stuff? And you hear your parents saying value for Money. So what is a brand? Are branded items always good? Why are branded things so expensive? When does it make sense to buy a branded item? Are brands about Quality, Comfort and Durability.

From the song MACKLEMORE & RYAN LEWIS – THRIFT SHOP FEAT. WANZ , video here

They be like, “Oh, that Gucci – that’s hella tight.”
I’m like, “Yo – that’s fifty dollars for a T-shirt.”
Limited edition, let’s do some simple addition
Fifty dollars for a T-shirt – that’s just some ignorant b@#$%
I call that getting swindled and pimped
I call that getting tricked by a business
That shirt’s hella dough
And having the same one as six other people in this club is a hella don’t
Peep game, come take a look through my telescope
Trying to get girls from a brand? Man you hella won’t

What is a Brand?

The brand simply put is a unique design, sign, letter, word, or a combination of these, employed in creating an image that identifies a product, firm and differentiates it from its competitors. Over time, this product becomes associated with a level of quality and satisfaction in the consumer’s mind. The brand is also called trademark and when it identifies or represents a firm it is called a brand name. We have so many branded names all around the globe which include; COCA-COLA, PEPSI, BUGATTI, FERRARI, ADIDAS, NIKE. How many brand names can you think of? 

Brand vs Non-Brand

When it comes to consumer choices, brands matter. Consumers pay a premium for branded goods because, over time, the brand has created a perception of quality, consistency, and trust. Leading brands like Nike, Apple, LV are more than just products or services—they evoke memories and emotions associated with quality. A brand is a combination of three things, i.e. promise, wants and emotions. However, the term has been extended to mean strategic personality for a product or company, so that ‘brand’ now suggests the values and promises that may perceive and buy into.

People often claim that branded items are better than unbranded items. And Branded items are expensive than unbranded items. Brands often claim that they set high levels of quality checks, rigorous screening methods at each stage of manufacturing, pay higher wages to employees, have many overheads, have to spend on advertising, after sales service network, etc. So it’s fair that brand charge higher. Or is it? Checkout the profit margin of Phones.

Apple’s per unit profit,$151 (roughly Rs. 9600), is five times higher than Samsung, which has profit per unit of $31 (roughly Rs. 1,900),  and approximately 14 times higher than the average per unit profit of Chinese brands. Chinese brands like Huawei, Oppo and Vivo are all performing similarly in terms of profits per unit, each having an average per unit profit of $15 (Rs.961), $14 (Rs. 897) and $13 (Rs. 833) (Ref: Apple Earned $151 Profit Per iPhone in Q3 2017: Counterpoint)

Why People buy?

People generally buy a product in hopes that it provides a quality experience. Recognized brand names typically have shown a consistency in product quality. Often, consumers rely on prior experiences or public word-of-mouth when selecting brands

A computer should work efficiently and help them perform personal or work tasks effectively.

Food should provide quality taste or nutritional value.

People have a desire to fit in, whether at school, work or in friends, family. For this reason, people sometimes buy brands because they believe the brands will contribute to greater social acceptance. This is especially true in fashion.

People have a desire to stand out or standout

Tech-savvy consumers or those who want to impress buy Apple products to correlate with a desire to be perceived as “techie.”

Buying a  higher-priced car brand or Armani suits can contribute to your image as a high-class, well-to-do or sophisticated professional.

To Buy Brand or Not?

These questions one needs to answer before buying any product.

• How long will I use the product?  if Its mobile, it should at least 2 years, if a car at least 5 years, a dress maybe 2 years. Longer the product is expected to last, the better quality it should be.
• How many do I need to buy? You will buy one mobile but many shoes or dresses. If its once in a while purchase
• How much amount is involved?  Buying a dress involves a few hundred or thousands. But buying a car involves lakhs of Money.
• What is the purpose? if it’s your birthday you can celebrate by buying an expensive item.
• Am I buying this for the name or because I really like it? Do I want it just to communicate an image or will it actually serve a purpose?
• Is the price reasonable when I consider my income?
• How will this improve my quality of life? Will my life be lessened without it?
• What are the values of the company that makes this item?
• How and where was this made and by whom?

Never go beyond your budget to impress someone.

If its an electronics or big ticket item like a car, mobile buy branded one. 

If it’s a daily use item, like clothes, shoes, fix a maximum value and experiment.

How did the practice of branding begin?

The practice of branding, it’s thought to have begun with the ancient Egyptians who were known to have engaged in livestock branding as early as 2,700BCE. This practice was used to differentiate one’s cattle by means of a distinctive mark burned into the animal’s skin with a hot branding iron. If a person would steal the animals, anyone could detect the symbol and deduce the actual owner

Branded Shoes vs Local Shoes

Is a shoe not a shoe? After all, they are all foot-wears which protect our feet.

Good shoes should fit well. Wearing uncomfortable, ill-fitting, or lesser-quality footwear can lead to a host of foot and ankle problems, as well as foot injuries. Footwear should have a comfortable, durable design, be made of good materials, and protect the feet from injury. To ensure that your shoes fit well:

• A proper fit is a top priority. Never buy a shoe based on looks alone; brand, design, style, and colour should come second to a proper, comfortable fit.
• Heel heights of one inch or less, or flat shoes, are best for your feet. If high heels must be worn, do not go higher than two inches and avoid wearing them for periods longer than three hours. The higher the heel, the greater the pressure on the forefoot. The heel counter should be padded on the inside and rigid on the outside.
• Avoid shoes with narrow or pointed toe boxes that crunch and put pressure on the toes.
• Soles should have a good tread to avoid slips and falls; they should also be shock absorbent. Although rubber soles are best, thick rubber soles that extend over the tip of the toe box can cause accidental falls if they snag while walking.
• Uppers should be made of soft, breathable material that offers unrestricted movement.
• Inside the shoe, make sure there are not raised seams that can cause friction and irritation, especially if they rub against problem areas like bunions or corns.
• Laces provide the best fit and support, as opposed to slip-on footwear.

Tips on Buying shoes

• Buy shoes in the evening when your feet are more likely to be swollen. This will give you a better fit throughout the day.
• Look for shoes that have roomy toe boxes (the space around the toes). Shoes with roomy toe boxes (not pointed toes) will help prevent bunions and blisters.
• Try on shoes wearing the kind of socks you will usually wear with the shoes.
• Shoe size varies from brand to brand, as well as from style to style. Make sure you go by how a shoe fits your foot and not just the size marked on the shoe.
• Walk around the store several times to make sure the shoes fit properly when in motion. Check the foot for any redness that could indicate rubbing or pressure.

How Long does the unbranded shoe last? What process does it take to be manufactured? What material is used

One of the differences between the unbranded shoe and the branded shoe is their quality. Unbranded shoes may permit disorderliness in stitches and rough edges and thereby presenting diminished appearance to the customer, this affects product quality. But the branded shoe (mass-produced) are of good quality, ranging from the stitches, smooth edges, finishes, and attractive appearance. This makes them appear more standard and more expensive although they may be produced from the same material. Unlike the branded shoe companies, the local shoe companies may not be looking to uphold any reputation instead they go for profit first. Reputable companies will ensure superior quality in order to uphold their integrity.

The video below shows the difference between Real vs Fake Nike Shoe

Branded Clothes vs Unbranded Clothes

If you have ever watched any football match, you will just observe that their jerseys bear a unique logo on the top left (most times it’s ADIDAS or NIKE!). These jerseys are called branded clothes. You would have observed some have a particular logo which distinguishes them from the others while some are just plain or don’t have any unique symbol to strike the difference. Those ones without any unique symbol are grouped as non branded clothes.

You can tell the difference between branded and non branded items by sight or by touching them. There is a quality difference, design difference and of course price difference.

The branded clothes are more expensive when compared to the non branded clothes, this is because of their level of quality both in the material used, the processes and finishes, packaging and others.

• Price: As we all know there is a lot different in a price between a branded and non-branded. Most of the time you can purchase the first copy of the original brand at 1/3 price of the actual brand.
• Quality: You can be assured of the quality of the branded clothes and can rely on, whereas non branded clothes do not work on quality as their aim is to deliver cheap clothes in the market.
• Testing and Research: Brands not only provide quality, they research on every single detail to make it comfortable and attractive also they test the fabric on different parameters for long-lasting use whereas non -branded clothes are not the results of any research nor undergone with any tests.
• Return and Exchange Policy: No return or exchange policy is provided for non-branded whereas in branded clothing you can exchange or return any cloth if it has a defect or some are worn-out.

When it makes sense to buy the brand

Whether branded or non-branded, all serve the basic purpose to cover our body but oftentimes we go for more, that is;

• When quality is very vital (avoiding disappointment).
• To look unique.

Did you know that buying brand helps us save money? Good! Now you know. Brand helps us get value; it is true branded products are more expensive still they reflect that value. You buy them and they last longer, and are durable. But for non-branded you are not sure of getting such value, you may buy and re-buy or repair within a short range of time and that continues, creating unnecessary expenses.

Why people buy Apple iPhones and Macs

We have our different needs, what you need is different from what I may like, people may choose iPhone over Android because they derive satisfaction from it or it is a status symbol. Customers of Apple love products as such as iPhone and MacBook because of design and aesthetics of both hardware and software

Other reasons why people buy iPhones;

• They are easy to use.
• Better hardware and software integration.
• iPhones are fast.
• OS updates when you want them.
• They have already owned an iphone.
• iPhones are easy to recognize.

Meaning of Names of the Brands