Checkbox Syndrome: Why We Spend Money on Things We Don’t Need
Have you ever been tempted to buy the latest shiny piece just because it has more options than its competitor? We call this “checkbox syndrome,” or moving to a new gadget or product, just because it’s an upgrade, not because it’s better . Before you get caught up on a list of specs designed to impress your audience with a flashy announcement, stop and consider if this update is really for you .
Blast From The Past is a weekly feature on Lifehacker in which we bring old but still relevant posts to life for your reading and hacking enjoyment. Today we are lost in the big city.
What is flag syndrome?
When I worked with the folks at PC Mag , we saw hundreds of gadgets, and they all sold on their own based on how they could change your life. Sasha Segan , PC Mag’s lead mobile analyst, raised some of these issues, especially when it came to phones. He explained that smartphone makers succumbed to flag syndrome, or the habit of adding a feature to a product, because everyone has it and is easy to sell, not because it was actually useful to someone.
The worst part of flag syndrome is that it spreads to us buyers. We make purchasing decisions based on these fantasies. We buy Android phones with powerful front cameras even though we never use them for video chatting, or we buy a new Macbook Pro with Thunderbolt even if we don’t have – and we don’t plan to buy – Thunderbolt peripherals. We buy new cameras because they slightly improve on the previous model, but hey, it’s new, so it should be better, right? Here’s how to think twice about this marketing hype, overcome the fog of checkbox syndrome, and save money when you contemplate your next update.
Ask yourself: Is my current gear sufficient?
Apple’s latest iPad is a significant upgrade from the previous two – the new Retina display is beautiful and the updated GPU really makes 3D gaming a joy. Most gadget blogs sincerely suggest that you upgrade, especially if you have an original iPad or no iPad at all. Many of us at Lifehacker headquarters pre-ordered the new iPad, and editor-in-chief Adam Pasch had planned to do so , but waited a day or two. He explained to me that he eventually realized he had an original iPad that he rarely used, and while the graphics boost and gorgeous display were huge improvements, the only things he used his iPad for were the lightweight Instapaper and Kindle. reading. Was the new iPad a major update? Definitely. Was this feature worth his money or even useful to Adam? Not at all.
Asking yourself if your current gear serves your purposes and if the upgrade will actually improve the way you currently use your gear is the first step towards breaking through the marketing fog. It can do amazing new things, but if these features don’t apply to you now, they probably won’t apply to you when you’ve parted with your money.
Make Your Own Key Features Checklist
Hands-on reviews and spec lists are definitely helpful, but they shouldn’t influence your buying decisions at all. We’re not saying gadget reviews are useless, but when presented with a huge list of impressive new components and features, write them all down on your own checklist. Then check or circle the features that really apply to you and how you will use the item.
For example, if you buy a smartphone, every review you read will highlight important features like processor, screen size, built-in memory and storage, camera quality, size, weight, etc. Take advantage of these features and highlight those which are important to you. If you’re looking for a phone to make and receive calls, receive emails, and maybe do a little social networking, processor is probably not important to you. If you are a photography beetle, the camera is probably important and you should highlight it. Take the time to transform these expansive feature lists into ones that matter to you – you might find yourself spending extra on a heavily advertised device, but just as good as a cheaper model where it matters. For you.
Think about how you will use the update
One way we often rationalize upgrading or buying a new one when we might get away with buying an updated or previous model is to look at the marketing of the new version and convince ourselves that we will need this new feature someday . We already mentioned that you should take a look at your current gear and determine if you already have something that can do double duty, but Trent at The Simple Dollar puts it this way:
When a new product comes along, we are often shown the perfect example of how someone can use it. It sounds pretty impressive, but when you start digging into the details, things start to break down. Does he really do anything you want? Is this really something new?
… Once you start evaluating such products, a lot of things start to fall apart. Their new features aren’t really all that surprising or useful to you. Sure, you could think of a rare situation in which you would use it, but is it worth paying that much more just for this special occasion?
In his example, he describes an iPod Touch that he received as a gift. He was ready to start buying and downloading apps to use with his phone, but found that everything he had ever done with an iPod Touch – even if the ad featured happy people filming videos and playing games on theirs – was listening to Music. He already had a smartphone to do this, and there was enough room for music on the phone, so he put the iPod Touch aside and reacquainted with his phone. In short, an update is not an update if you don’t need the feature at all and isn’t worth your money, especially when a cheaper or free alternative is available.
Stop obsessing over stats, stats and updates
Hopefully these tips will help you get rid of the checkbox syndrome and stop getting hung up on lists of specs that have nothing to do with how you use your technology. Don’t get us wrong, it’s interesting to see how technology evolves – every month there are new gadgets on the market that are more powerful than the previous ones – but when it comes to your hard-earned money, you are in debt to yourself and your wallet. be more skeptical about these reviews and so-called updates, and determine if they’re worth it for you before you reach for the plastic.
How to resist the siren of a new device, be it a new iDevice device, an Android phone, or a powerful new DSLR camera? Do you buy refurbs to save money, or do you specify the characteristics that are important to you before buying? Share your saving methods in the comments below.