Bias & Baking

Let’s stroll down the baking aisle at my grocery store. Flour, sugar, vanilla extract, etc. for the more committed bakers. And the cake and cookie mixes for the less committed—like me.

My impending decision is buzzing with biases on this short walk. These are a few I’m aware of, and I’m sure there are more.

“The well-known national brands are produced in unfathomable quantities. That means lower prices and lower quality. And lower shelves.”?

I completely ignore the dozens of Betty Crocker and Duncan Hines boxes.

“The top shelf means expensive—the overproduced packaging is a clue. It’s good stuff, but it’s more than I’ll typically spend.”

I often ignore the top shelf.

“Distinct packaging implies a distinct product.”?

I evaluate flavors and packaging on only one or two shelves.?

My grocer knows that every customer in their store brings their biases with them. And so do the packaging designers. They use that knowledge to help you find what you’re looking for. They also use it to ‘help’ you spend more.

You might not sell baking mixes, but you’re playing this game even if you don’t know it. If your service, product, website, or even zoom background doesn’t make it through their unconscious and immediate biases and filters, there’s a very good chance they will ignore you and choose a different option. And they won’t tell you about it.

Do you know someone with a top-shelf business that looks like a bottom-shelf bargain? We'd be happy to take a look. Maybe we can help.

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