scientifics

When I purchase a cup of coffee:

I know I’ll like my cup of coffee. It will fully meet my expectations. For the $4 I spend I don’t expect it to change my life. I don’t expect it to even last beyond its last drop (and a trip to the bathroom later). It’s an experience I can fully trust will be pretty much the same each time. There’s no gamble here.

When I purchase an app:

I already have 30 games on my phone, some of them very good. Do I need another one? I don’t play the 30 I have. The experience I’m going to get from adding one more game is not trustable. I’m assured of nothing. Last week I bought a game for 99 cents and it was terrible. I played it once, for 15 seconds.

Josh has a very compelling argument for why a $4 cup of coffee is a much different purchase than a $0.99 app. I tend to agree with him. All of my small but regular purchases are not gambles, but things I know what I’m actually getting (and there is no free alternative).