Just Puttering Along

“None of them is very helpful at helping a person make a decision. Suppose, for example, I was looking for a headset with three features: comfort, ANR [automatic noise reduction], and a price around $300. In all of these [catalogs], I wouldn’t have a clue!”

He suggests the catalogs add some decision-making aids for customers. “Maybe they should have a chart, or a sidebar called ‘How to Pick a Headset Right For Your Needs.’” Although most of the catalogs did have feature comparison charts (up to four pages long), Kiger found them “not very kinetic.” All were organized by brand name rather than by price or features.