Sellers and Buyers Should Do Their Homework

I read news that Vodafone is avoiding Linux netbooks because users get confused about it. Confused in their expectations of netbooks, that’s their issue. If they don’t want their customers to be confused about their expectations of netbooks, they should check how they are also marketing these netbooks. If people get confused about

My netbook connected via Synergy to another laptop.

Anyhow, I think that this boils down to people not doing their homework. For sellers, or those who bundle netbooks with their services (like telcos), they should research on their offerings before they do the marketing so that they will not make messages that could lead their customers to confusion. It matters what they say in their marketing copy before anything else. Sometimes catchphrases and slogans are culprits in giving customers the wrong impression. I hope that those who are selling netbooks will learn how to NOT give false expectations. Especially because Linux on netbooks is not what users know about all the time. If they don’t want high return rates, then they should do their homework first. If they know that they might have to add trained customer service representatives who will be called for help, then they should make a way. Just because it’s a netbook with Linux shouldn’t make their customers that it is an inferior product.

As for those who are enticed by offers of bundled netbooks with their telco or something, they should do their research first. I personally use a netbook for work. But that’s because I know that I can use Ubuntu Netbook Remix on it and be happy. And even before that I asked around. My co-workers who are more knowledgeable about these matters did agree that with what they know about my work, they knew that the specs of the netbook I chose will work for me. A netbook is a tool after all and it’s up to me to see if it’s something I could work with or not. And this is something I could do even before buying it. I also know people who’ve bought netbooks for the convenience of travelling with a lightweight machine and still have the means to check their email and surf the internet.

So think things over before buying a Linux-powered netbook or before you decide to sell them. It’s better that way.