I’ve been lucky enough to go scuba diving in Belize, on the world’s second biggest coral reef. I’ve even dived the famous Blue Hole – one of Jacques Cousteau’s top ten sites.
I stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, where there is just one supermarket. You can’t miss it. As you can see, the building is painted a noticeable shade of pink.
They’re on a small island, so almost everything they sell is imported. You have to be careful to check ‘use by’ dates, as you can’t assume they will be valid. You also have to check the prices, because – according to Trip Advisor reports – they can be randomly adjusted at the till.
One thing you don’t have to do is spend ages choosing. That’s because there will probably only be one type of everything you want to buy.
There will be just one sort of cheese. Probably out of date and sweating in its plastic wrapper.
There will be just one brand of shampoo. Not necessarily the kind you usually use to wash your hair.
At first, you might think that’s a disadvantage. Then you realise that shopping is so much quicker. Not having to make a decision saves so much time. If you want cheese, buy cheese. If you want shampoo, buy shampoo. It doesn’t really matter what type you get.
Life on the island is slooooow and relaxed.
Life in the UK has so much choice it can be unnecessarily complicated. It adds to our stress and general level of ‘busy-ness’. We welcome anything that saves us time.
Why you need to know this
When you are marketing your products or services, why not offer just one option? That way, clients are likely to choose you over a complex competitor. Then you’ll sell more stuff, and be able to treat yourself to a holiday in Belize!
Please let me know what you think about this idea in the comments below.
