Do you have a penchant for unique and special things? Do you tend to look beyond the bigger brand names for something with a little more character? Does it make a difference to you to get to know the designer or manufacturer of a product you admire?
If you answered yes to any of the above, like me, you tend to gravitate towards smaller companies that make the things you desire. For me, it’s in the areas of guy gadgets. I love to find smaller companies making cool and innovative products in audio gear, camera gear and accessories and watches.
My son is always amazed at how much research I put into a product before I decide to pull the trigger and spend my hard earned cash on it. I hate buyer’s remorse and would rather do the work up front than be upset later. It’s also a ton of fun (for obsessive ol’ me.)
Being a designer (visual, software), I care as much for the thinking behind a product as I do for the final product. To discover what the designer who designed a specific small production run of diver watches, or a manufacturer of a camera strap, is what draws me into the piece of gear that much more. To know that if I ever have a question, an answer is a day or two email response away.
Here are some examples of recent purchases of mine from very small manufacturers whom at some point or another I’ve engaged in conversation to completely understand that the purchase is right for me.
Audio gear:
> Red Wine Audio Signature 15 Integrated Amplifier and Isabellina DAC
> Omega Loudspeakers Super 6 Alnico XRS Extreme’s
Camera gear:
> Luma Labs Cinch Camera Strap
Watches:
Now some may think Ricoh and Longines are not that small, and they are not. But they are certainly nowhere near the market saturation of competing brands like Canon or Nikon for cameras, and Omega or Rolex for watches.
The Pro’s:
> Supporting a growing small business. (Let’s do what we can. These small businesses are innovating on a much tighter budget and with much more heart than the big guys and usually deliver products with much less overhead built in.)
> Direct communication with people designing and/or making the gear.
> Small customization possible. (Try that with the big guys. Need a special finish, special color, and special combination of bits? These guys will try their best to accommodate and make you a customer.)
> Much greater value for the money. (Usually the retail chain is eliminated and direct pricing gets you a better deal and more money towards what really matters: the design and components.)
The Con’s:
> Choose your companies wisely and you should have no issues with long-term customer and product support.
> Restocking fee on returns. (Although some companies actually have very innovative programs for keeping customers in the family and letting them upgrade to the latest and greatest affordably. See Red Wine Audio.)
> Difficulty selling your gear on the uses market. (If other buyers have not done the research you have, chances of name recognition are small and chances of getting a good price for your well cared for gear is tougher. It really just takes longer so be patient.)
Lastly, here are a couple of (my favorite) web sites that can help in your search for the underdog, smaller and dare I say more enthusiastic designers/manufacturers. Similarly to the manufacturers above, the publishers/editors of these magazines are VERY approachable.
Audio:
Cameras:
Watches:
Have fun!
Photo: Pita Barcelona Watches
