Buying a vacuum cleaner should be easier

Buying a vacuum cleaner sucks. Why on Earth are there so many models? They really only do one thing and they spend most of their lives in a closet anyway. A different type of electronics store might make the process a whole lot less annoying…

I simply wanted one that’s cheap, does the job and has proven to be reliable. You know, a good one. But the store has dozens of them, and no less than 5 or so per price range.

Reminded of Barry Schwartz’s Paradox of Choice, I’d rather go to a different kind of store: one with only one or two models per price range, plus maybe an utterly irrational ‘cool’ option just for the fun of it. The selection would be based on test by Consumer Reports and similar organisations and the expertise of the store. Clear infographics and other documentation in the store justifies the selection. A wiki-like website could give customers the opportunity to suggest other products or criteria.

You’d need less floor space, less stock and less time is wasted by employees going through all the 27 options with every customer. You might even build a community of costumers loyal to your store.

Plus it might prevent me from feeling I should have picked that other one…