Branded products, or merchandise are products that have the manufacturer’s logo, brand, slogan, or any other insignia that identifies the product as theirs on the product itself. Branded products invoke a brand identity in the customers and a sense of community around the brand. They are associated with being higher quality than generic products of a similar nature, although this may not necessarily be true. They are also almost universally more expensive than generic products. As branded products are more closely associated with the company that owns the brand, they tend to represent the brand in an unofficial capacity. Branded products are also popular with social media users or ‘influencers’ as they can imply affiliation with the brand, which generally entails a certain degree of prestige. Customers often pay a premium to purchase branded products from their authorised sellers such as Branded products Brisbane to minimise the risk of having purchased a counterfeit product. Since this is essentially free marketing for the brands, they are usually not opposed to this and often encourage it. But why do consumers purchase branded products? Is there a benefit to them?

Quality

Branded products are often associated with being higher quality. This is usually true for products such as electronics, vehicle parts and other hardware and less frequently true for accessories such as clothes, bags, pens etc. This is often cited as the reason why branded products are much more expensive than the seemingly equivalent generic products. Branded products however often carry generous return policies or warranties that make it worthwhile to purchase, as even if the product is not significantly better, it can at least be exchanged if it fails to perform as expected.

Prestige

Branded products, especially accessories, are often perceived to be inherently more valuable due to the prestige. This is commonly seen with clothes from popular sportswear companies, watches, mobile devices etc. Customers derive a greater value from the product solely due to the brand that they feel it is worth the premium price. This is very common with social media influencers who rely on popularity on the platform for their income. Vying for sponsorships by prestigious brands is one of the many ways social media influencers gain an income. This is advantageous for the brands as well because the influencers’ influence will result in their followers potentially being a customer of the brand as well.

Brand Loyalty

Some customers may purchase branded products simply due to brand loyalty. Their extreme satisfaction with the brand leads them to stay on as a customer. Most brands reward long term customers by giving benefits and discounts, which may encourage this behaviour.

Effective Marketing

Probably the primary reason many people purchase branded products is because of the effective marketing campaigns carried out by the companies that hold the brands. These campaigns have resulted in their brand itself holding value and their products becoming more valuable simply due to association with the brand. Most brands sponsor local sports teams, universities and other socially well-known groups to achieve this status.