Product Information at Point of Purchase
It is very important for customers to make the right decision to purchase the right product, the product that provides the benefits that they want with the lowest possible environmental impact. The information must be available for the customers so they can make an educated decision. Thanks to the modern technology, our smartphones, and environmentally responsible companies the information has become more accessible. Good Guide and Nike’s Making app help customers by providing valuable information about the product, the material used, social and environmental impact and health issues.
Good Guide is an application/website that provides evaluations of the health, environmental, and social impacts of a specific consumer product. The product categories include personal care, food, babies&kids, and household products. It enables the customers to make comparisons, and aids them to make the best decision. You can either go online and search for the product on the website, or you can scan the barcode with your smartphone app and the information will be available within seconds.
Nike’s Making is “a tool to inspire designers and creators to make better choices in the materials they use.” It provides information to make real time decisions whether you are a designer or a customer who wants to know the impacts of the material you use. “Making is powered by the Nike Materials Sustainability Index (MSI), a database that was created by Nike over seven years using publicly available data on the environmental impacts of materials.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhTjaSuBp7E
As a customer who makes several purchasing decisions every day, it is very important for me to know the impacts my purchasing decisions, and applications like these improves the trust between the producers and customers by providing transparency.
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Hi Burak,
Nice follow up to our discussions in class. I was impressed by the user interface and graphic design of Nike’s Making application, as well as its easy-to-use functions. What impresses me the most about Nike and this initiative, however, is its Materials Sustainability Index, and how it took over seven years to develop as you mentioned. It’s clear that Nike is genuinely devoted to environmental and social conscious practices, despite all the criticism and controversy it’s faced in the past.
The tough part about Nike’s Making application is that it only focuses on the cradle-to-gate assessment, rather than the cradle-to-cradle. The data is primarily focused on the performance of its gear and equipment, which is understandable because the entire process is harder to put in just numbers. Vivian Mong, the footwear designer of Nike Dennis reasons it perfectly when she says that because performance and aesthetics comes first for the consumer, Nike can’t compromise that. Once again, we see the recurring theme of ‘great first, green second.’ Nonetheless, it’s still a great way for Nike to show how it’s making more sustainable decisions in its production process.
Would you say that this application is a game changer for you? Do you feel more inclined to purchase the products that have more of an environmental impact?
Thanks again for sharing, Burak!