Why Choice Prevents Shoppers From Buying Green

You've got a great eco-friendly product to sell.
It's healthy for consumers. It's good for the planet.
And no one buys it.

Why not?
Why wouldn't a consumer switch from their old product, to a new & better green alternative?
Because the choice is too confusing and difficult.

The customer is attached to the old product. They like it. It's familiar. Buying the usual brand doesn't require a decision. It's a habit. It's easy.

The shopper might be interested in a greener product, but they don't know what to choose.
It's a risky decision.
The product might not be as good as the old one.
It might be more expensive.

What if the shopper makes the wrong choice?
She's wasted money. She's wasted valuable time. She's stuck with a product she doesn't like. And she has to face two more choices: go back to the old brand, or tackle the daunting task of choosing another green alternative.

What are these daunting choices?
Let's look at an example of choosing a new shampoo.

Shampoo choices used be mainly about performance and price. It was all about making your hair look and feel great.

Do I want a shampoo for hair that is: oily, dry, normal, curly, straight, frizzy, or coloured? Or do I need shampoo to control dandruff, add body or repair damaged hair? Do I want to pay drugstore prices, or salon prices?

Even with the range of performance and prices, we pretty much had these choices figured out.

With green products, the choice really goes crazy.
The decision becomes overwhelming.
There are so many factors. There are:

Health choices.
Environmental choices.
Trust choices.
Performance choices.
Price choice.

Here are just some of the questions the customer asks about these choices:

Health choices:
Does this product have potentially cancer causing ingredients?
Does it contain parabens?
Does it contain sodium lauryl sulfate or sodium laureth sulfate?
Does it have fragrances or other ingredients that will irritate allergies or skin sensitivities?

Environmental choices:
Does this product have reduced or recyclable packaging? Which is better?
Is this product shipped long distances?
Does this product contain palm oil?

Trust choices:
Does this product have recognized eco-certifications?
Is this product really better for the environment, or is it just a label claiming to be green?

Performance choices:
Will this product be as good as the one I already use?
Now I only have three choices – normal, oily or dry. What if I have curly, coloured hair with dandruff?
Does this product have the correct pH?

Price choice:
If this product meets all the other criteria, how much more am I willing to pay?

Even with all these choices, the customer is not likely to find one that fits all her criteria.
She has to choose between a bunch of products that each have a few of the qualities she wants.

She has to choose a new product that is likely to not perform as well, only has some of the qualities desired, and costs more

OR

stick with the old, reliable brand that gave her great hair, at a reasonable price.

Can you see why shoppers don't choose green?

Fortunately, there's something you can do. You can help them decide.
Become your customers' trusted source of information.
Learn exactly what your customer wants.
Research the products. Answer the questions.
Back up your claims.
Only offer the best options. The options that deliver performance & value.

Make it easy for shoppers to be green.

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