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Consumer reports actually did a comparison of major detergents quite a while back(and probably did again since). The main difference between them all? Scent. Not one failed to clean clothes. In this category, Tide is probably the biggest seller-but go to a Sam's Club or Costco and look at the huge tubs-Tide is several dollars more for the same amount as one called Gain, so i bought that. Makes my laundry smell like burned wood, though, so now I have to put in fabric softner. Did I save any money? Maybe a little, factoring in the purchase of the softner.
I like to think I'm a savvy enough consumer in that I try to never buy any product simply because of its advertising factors. Cost is the biggest issue with me, coupled with ease of use or convenience to me. On the other hand, if a store brand of, say, vegetables comes with wasteful stems or bad pieces, and we know that national brand does not, that needs to be a factor as well. I think Art's recent truck purchase is an excellent example of consumer thinking-why a pretty Chevy(although his dealing is admirable) and not a plain Ford F150? When we bought our first PT, we had no idea what we were getting into-we loved the look,price was excellent and ordered it without seeing one for real, plus we did the 'build a car' online and made only one change when we went to the dealer-I refused to fall for the 'but you need these heated seats' type of pitch. While many were paying over 25 grand for theirs, mine came in at under 20 grand. Only in buying a second one, did we do it with personal knowledge of the car, not only by a heartfelt desire for it. The ideal consumer never uses his/her emotional reaction to a product, but it's a conscious battle to not give in to the 'gotta have that' mentality. The powers that be know this and they have every intention of winning-I have no intention of losing.
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