Which type or brand of window film should you consider for your home? Brand perception can play a big part when choosing the right brand for the job. There are multiple manufacturers that produce excellent window films and are always improving and developing their products. A handful of these manufacturers dominate the market in the US and Canada, much like the big 3 car companies Ford, Chevy and Dodge dominate the North American truck market. If we were to test drive new trucks from the big three, they would all drive and perform well, they would all look good, they would all, for the most part, have all the same bells and whistles. When choosing a favourite truck, it very often comes down to brand loyalty or the little details that sway our opinions.
The films manufactured by the major players in the North American industry all do what they are designed to do with their stated performance specifications closely regulated by the same governing body. This makes it easy for us to do accurate side by side film comparison when choosing a brand or type of film. Performance, warranty, product cost and if purchasing a North American made products is important to us, country of origin.
Performance details of each manufacturer’s products are easily found online and can be extremely helpful when making a choice or comparing film to film. Each film will have ratings for heat reduction (solar energy rejected) UV reduction, visible light transfer, glare reduction to name but a few.
Warranty details can differ from manufacturer to manufacturer depending on the choice of film. As a rule of thumb, I like to think that the companies offering longer factory warranties on their films both residentially and commercially, are obviously less concerned about the longevity of their product than a company offering a shorter factory warranty.
Product costs can vary tremendously, this is where brand perception often plays a part in our choice. Careful comparison of products will educate the consumer into making an informed decision on which brands to consider. Brand loyalty is great if we are aware of the whole picture with the brand. It may surprise you for example, that one of the most recognizable brands of window film sold in North America is actually manufactured overseas. The consumer is paying more for this brand because of added shipping costs, duties, brokerage and various distribution costs while brand perception and clever marketing strategies make us believe that we are paying more for the product because it is superior to the rest of the products out there.
It is not until we compare the detail that we start to see a picture of which brand provides us with exactly what we are looking for. This is as true in the window film business as it is in the car and truck industry. We should go into our purchase knowing that we are making the right decision based on factual knowledge of the product.
In closing, always look and understand the facts before making a choice. A very wise and successful marketing genius once said;
“An educated consumer is a formidable opponent.”
