Why be Behind the Curve? part one #876
Is there any advantage to being behind the curve? No matter whether the "curve" in question is customers' current likes/dislikes or trends in technology, it would not seem advantageous for any company to strive to trail behind. However, there may be a few exceptions.
1. Tapping into profitable nostalgia. At its worst, nostalgia can seem like a needless rehash of the past. But at its best, it can remind people of excellent things and ideas... and sometimes it can even appeal to a new audience.
2. Embracing levels of service that were once common, but are now considered inconvenient for businesses. It may not always be profitable to provide excellent service. However, small and niche businesses may be able to succeed by providing the services that larger companies once did.
3. Finding an item that was once loved and later forgotten, and improving it for a new audience. This goes a step beyond nostalgia into re-invention. It's the result of thinking "Item B was a great idea, and since the current items don't do quite what it did, perhaps it can have a new lease on life." The improved thing may not resemble the old one, but in order to be distinct and profitable it will probably be very different from all the current things on the shelf.
4. Embracing simplicity. If your audience might like simple things and ideas that work (without too much maintenance?) then this could be an excellent idea.