Why Selling intangibles is more tough and challenging than selling tangibles?

Answer 1

Greed... this society is driven by it.

Answer 2

I don't think that's necessarily true. It depends on the type of products and services you are talking about. Many products and services include both tangible and intangible benefits.

Take a car for example. The tangibles are the actual components that make up the car but things like "sportiness", "reliability", "luxury", "ruggedness", etc. are intangibles.

Or even something as mundane as a household cleaner. The tangible is just the chemicals that make up the cleaner. The intangible include "freshness", "safety", "healthiness", etc.

In fact I'd argue that in many cases it is the intangible benefits that we seek (security, reliability, sexiness, coolness) and the tangible properties are just means toward that end. That's why most advertising focuses much more on intangibles than tangibles.

Answer 3

Are you talking about intangible offerings as distinct from tangible offerings; and not tangible and intangible benefits of the same offering? For example, in the first case, if you are selling insurance, it is an intangible offering, whereas a car is a tangible offering. But in the second case, a car will have both tangible and intangible benefits.

I presume your query is about the first case: you sell something intangible such as insurance, consultancy, medical or law practices, advertsing services, research sevices, etc.

The problem with such intangible offerings is ofcourse their intangibility. Customers cannot experience the real worth of your offering, unless they buy it. If you are selling tangible products, such as cars, customers can see, touch, smell, feel or hear before they decide whether to buy it or not.

The solutions if you are selling are: (1) heavy advertising provoking customers' emotions, egos and values, linking the offerings strongly with these and creating a position for your offering in the customer's mind, (2) create trust and credibility using testimonials from previous customers and if required offering free services; (3) create tangible elements in your offering which the customers can experience prior to buying, such as exceptional customer handling, free but valuable services, credible offices and marketing collateral, exceptional technical support, if any, etc; and (4) make your offer absolutely risk-free by offering full guarantees and if possible (and it is always possible if you sell genuine value) offering hassle-free full money back guarantee.

Answer 4

In selling a tangible one may or may not be swayed by sales pressure but ones own five senses come into play.
Sight
Touch
Hearing
Taste
Smell

Intangibles usually make use of only two senses.
Sight, (written word), and Hearing.

Answer 5

in case of intangibles the success of your marketing depends on how well you are able to create an impact in the potential consumer's thoughts..which is very tough..coz you can not show the service..a feel of the service has to created
in case of tangibles, selling is easier as you can display the product, make it attractive, its merits/advantages can be displayed/explained explicitly....or even trials can be allowed..for eg. if its a perfume.. testers can be used..test driving of a car..

Answer 6

I do not agree with the basic premise of the question. You cannot compare apples and mangoes. Both have their own good and bads.

Answer 7

Because you can't see it, feel it, manually use it and there's no warranty to it. Its based on faith and trust and those 2 things alone are already rare to receive and to get from people.

Answer 8

i guess people like to belive in what they see.... if they can see it and touch it..it sells