I can’t quite believe how much I was just willing to shell out for an unlocked iPhone 4S. I’m wracking my brain for rationalizations. The “T-Mobile is cheaper and it will pay for itself” rationalization is actually true, but it will still take almost two years to pay for itself. [Though during that 2 years, I’ll get better service than I would from AT&T or others.] Also, I can switch carriers at will, so that’s potentially a valuable benefit.
Then there’s the warranty and service plans. I just wrote about this in a recent Get-it-Done Guy episode. I’ll also have both the superb service experience of T-Mobile and the superb service experience of Apple. (Both of which I’ve used extensively with great results.) YAY!
The real rationalization? I feel happy every time I use my iPod touch, and I feel frustrated every time I use my Blackberry. I will feel happy when I use my iPhone. And what’s that worth?
There’s a REAL business lesson here: People don’t just buy your product. They also buy the experience of using your product.