Sample Consumer-Classification Essay
Note to reader: This draft is re-printed here with the author's permission. These student drafts are provided for a couple of reasons: first, to give you a taste of the variety of topics and approaches students have taken, and second, to provide instructors with readings that might be used in class discussions and activities. These samples are not perfect and represent final grades from across the grade scale (A through F), so please be forgiving, understanding, and respectful if you find errors or problems.
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Omotola, Okeowo
Mike Peterson
English 2010
16 June 2016
Identifying Your Circle
Telecommunication cut across various aspects of the society such as medicine, law, crime, banking, commerce, agriculture, and marketing. This shows the importance of it in the society at large. Technologies have been developed to enhance communication with the society. Radios, television, satellites, telephones, and cable network to mention a few have been designed to facilitate this process, and pass information from person-to-person. Cellphone is one of the means of communication and it has made waves for decades now because of its fast transmission of information. Cellphones have various brands such as Sony, Samsung, Nokia, Techno, iPhone, Acer and many other ones, but my brand of interest is the iPhone.
iPhones over the years have attracted so many consumers ranging from student, business people, young, old, men, women, tall, short, thin, or fat. The use of cellphone has gone global since the introduction of smart phones, Android, and iPhone which are convenient to use, and are fast, portable, and social. iPhone has established its users and they can be categorized into five class: Sincere Users, Conventional Users, Neutral Users, Social Users, and Critic Users. Whichever category you are associated with, you are unique in your own way, but all the categories are attracted to either the function or design of the iPhone.
Sincere Users
They are the genuine lovers of the iPhone and brand name in general, they will not use other product despite the negative remarks from the public about the phone. Like my friend always says “it’s either iPhone or no phone.” They love the product because they are familiar with its functions and know how to apply it to quicken their work. They are always happy to use it, and are true ambassador of the product, they speak well about the product at any time and place, and are mostly referred to by others as “Obsessed users.” Sincere users do not only use the iPhone, they use other gadgets produced by the brand such as iPad, Apple notebooks and watch, this is because they trust the brand name compared to other cellphone manufacturers. Their love for the phone makes them seem too obsessed about it, and scares some people from using the phone, hence they too become obsessed with the brand.
Conventional Users
Conventional users are also known as public or general users. As the name implies, they are phone users whose decisions are based on the public. Following the public sometimes seems like the right thing to do, since mass decisions are mostly right and contains less fault, this is the basic concept for conventional users. They base their decisions on using iPhone because everyone is using it, and the public say it’s very good and effective. Not all conventional users are lovers of the phone or brand, they may just like the phone, and may switch to another brand of phone if the public say it is good and that is what everyone is using. They are also true followers, not of the phone or brand, but of the public. Very few conventional users are well informed about the functions of the phone. The majority just know the basics, and a few are willing to be more familiar with the functions of the phone to meet their needs and pass important information to others.
Neutral Users
It is often said, “it is either you are for a thing or against it,” but neutral users are always between the two. They do not choose sides because they do not want to offend anybody by their stand or choice. Neutral users do not love or hate the phone, they are just indifferent about the phone. They use the phone mostly because of the functions, or the need it helps them meet. In general, neutral users are not obsessed about any phone or brand, they use the phone that makes their work faster, or they use their instinct when making a decision on the type of phone to buy. I am conversant with neutral users because I am a typical example of one, and my reason for using a phone is majorly to communicate and make my work faster and better. I do not have a preference for brand, I just use the one that is available and can keep me close to family and friends.
Most neutral users are like this because they have little or no knowledge about a gadget, they are not technologically inclined, and may or may not be willing to learn about gadgets in general. Most of them just go with their instinct or what they see in advertisement.
Social Users
We all have that one friend, a few friends or -- even you-- that uses the iPhone as a social device. The device is used by a social user to gain attention from their peers, and ensure that people notice the type of phone they are using. Most try to make their friends feel bad and impress people in their circle that their phone is sophisticated and the current phone in use in the society. They also try to attach respect and prestige to themselves because of the type of iPhone they are using. Some may even go as far as buying all the different product by the brand in order to “show off.” Social users believe they have to use what is in vogue, so as not to feel left out.
The elegant look and sleek design of iPhone allows social users to add this feature to their fashion, style, and appearance because they say it adds to their class. Females are predominant in this category, and they do not know most functions that the iPhone can perform. Next time social users want to “show off,” they should please take time to know a little information about the device.
Critic Users
As always, their name usually precedes them. They are always judgmental and never seem to acknowledge the good in the device. Critic users always say negative things about the iPhone, and most times tend to compare the iPhone with other phone brands. Why is the battery non-removable? How can people be satisfied with the memory space? They cannot do a better resolution to the phone? It is not everybody that likes these colors. These are words of a critic; they find fault in every truth of the phone. Most critics try to show that they are well informed about the gadget, we get it. Let us give the manufacturers some credit, it is not easy to build anything from scratch and expect it to be faultless. They can only try their best. Critic users should always try to be encouraging.
No matter where you belong in the circle, either Sincere, Conventional, Neutral, Social, or Critic User all I know is that you all are consumers of the product. You use the best aspect of the iPhone to suit your needs and purpose. Each kind of user helps create a balance in the society, and the exception of one out of all these users leaves a gap in the circle, hence rotation cannot occur. Nevertheless, each user has both positive and negative side they contribute to the society.
Sincere users may discourage other people from using the phone because of their obsession, but at the same time they help promote the iPhone. Despite conventional user inability to make personal decisions, they still serve as the marketers of the iPhone and give reasons why people should use the phone. Neutral users on the other hand encourage people to make personal decisions and learn to live by the decisions they make. iPhone are not just being used to make people feel jealous by social users, but due to their genuine personality as social people helps them to keep in touch with friend and family. Critic users offend others by their words, but also encourage the manufacturers to produce better phones.
Every one of these users are important in the society to balance each other. Identify your circle, embrace it, improve it, change it if necessary, but just make sure you keep the circle rotating, and remember all users helps make the use of iPhone interesting.