True, the above does represent an extreme example;
however, anyone with a digicam knows of those precious shots that got away.
Presuming the camera will shoot when you press the button does not seem to be an
unrealistic expectation. The following is a published consumer opinion that is
readily displayed to a worldwide audience of prospective purchasers: "This
camera takes a looong time between pressing the shutter release and capturing
the picture...you can forget about taking action photos, people walking around,
animals, or anything moving unpredictably. 1 find myself mentally calculating
trajectories, and then composing the shot based upon the prediction. This results in a lot of lousy photos."4
In its own way, the marketplace is highlighting deficiencies in the consumer
experience. Consumer rants, public and in print, as well as objective and
subjective ratings and reviews abound. For example, Epinions.com/ Shopping.com
displays a rating matrix that includes subjective consumer ratings of shutter
lag. Untold sales are being lost as a result of consumers who are unhappy with
or unwilling to accept the state-of-the-state digicam consumer experience. Here
at EZ Rated, Inc., consumers who have struggled through the testing process with
the latest digicam regularly tell us they are thankful for the experience. Why?
Now they know they are not going to buy a new digicam as previously intended.
The reason typically offered is that they now believe the process is more of a
hassle than they are prepared to deal with.
Too much of the digicam consumer experience is still too maddening. First,
consumers must wade through the confusing array of pixel and zoom claims, media
formats, form factors, and industry jargon, etc. If they make it through that
odyssey, they then must learn how to set up and operate their new beast, and
ultimately figure out how to transfer digital files. For their journey,
prospective buyers have been promised wondrous experiences—laced with simplicity
and utility. Unrealistic expectations of simplicity and utility that is...
When consumers get their new' cameras home, their visions of bliss often
morph into rage as promises are not realized, at least not quickly enough. In no
time these consumers have to deal with their new camera's unanticipated
limitations, such as lag, low-light focusing, optical viewfinders, and obscure
logic controls, etc. What they are offered, to help them deal with all of this,
is "gibberish committed to paper"—otherwise known as a manual. Finally,
consumers are supposed to circumnavigate the obstacles in getting an affordable
quality print from their camera—a process for which there are many solutions—few
of which are truly consumer friendly. Disappointment, negative referrals, brand
damage, support requests, and returns, etc., are obvious end results.
In the first half of 2003, "global sales of cellphones with built-in cameras
surpassed sales of conventional digital cameras."5 For consumers, the
convenience afforded in having their ever-present phone double as their
point-and-shoot is almost irresistible. No matter how the image is captured,
satisfaction is what counts. Megapixels may move product—over the short term,
but satisfied consumers move more product—and do so over the long term.
Hopefully, next year your neighbor will still want the latest digicam under the
tree—as opposed to the latest digi-Nokia.
ptn
