What Is Betamaxed?

Betamaxed is a term that originated in the late 1970s and early 1980s to describe the very famous and also lengthy VHS vs. Betamax format wars. In those days, VHS was an inferior product. It was cheaper and easier to produce but didn't have as many features as Betamax. People chose VHS anyway because it was such an affordable option for home entertainment. Since then, betamaxed has been used to describe any time a superior product gets passed over for an inferior one. It can refer to any situation where something is considered better than its competitors but needs to be picked up by consumers, like when Netscape lost out to Microsoft in the browser wars or when Apple lost out to Microsoft in the personal computer market. When a superior product gets betamaxed, it's usually attributed to a marketing flop. However, multiple factors come into play when an inferior one outsells a seemingly excellent product. The most obvious is pricing because people will only sometimes spend more on a top-of-the-line technology when a cheaper but still functional alternative is available. Another factor that may arrive into play is the customer experience. Customer who buys from you once will likely return if they have a good experience with your brand and product, but if they have an unsatisfactory encounter, they may never come back again. This is true even if your outcome is more valuable than the competitors. If you don't give them a reason to buy from you again, they may choose another brand for their next purchase (even if it's inferior). Finally, there's social proof. If your customers aren't talking about how great your product is or recommending it to their friends and family members, then chances are no one else will be aware of its existence either!