When most people think about selling, they think about the coolest, most awesome product or service out there that is fun to sell. But have you ever thought about what it must be like to sell something that is boring and something that everyone needs…like toilet paper. How do you think the sellers of toilet paper make their brand/style the most wanted? Well I think the answer is semi simple. Since there are a hundred different kinds of toilet paper, something has to differentiate them or else there would only be one to choose from.
In a situation like this sellers need to capitalize on what makes their product different. For example, lets take Charmin Ultra Strong toilet paper and compare it to Great Value toilet paper. Charmin Ultra Strong might be a lot more plush and softer, but Great Value has a ton more squares and will last longer. As a buyer, you would have to figure out where your priorities lay and know if you prefer the cost effective option or the comfort option.
Along with the buyer, the seller also needs to know what kind of market they are selling to. Older folks will probably want to save money and just buy the cheap kind (like my grandparents do) and younger people will most likely want to buy the one that feels better on the bum. There are a lot of things to take into consideration when selling something that is in such a common household item, but it still needs to be done!
testacr22 
Josh Elverson 
Ethan David
Very true. They must differentiate themselves from the crowd. I personally thought it would be the reverse (younger generation would choose to save money while the older generation wants to be comfortable). I also remember from marketing class that one company tried differentiating themselves by launching a marketing campaign. They made a toilet paper roll without the center cardboard tube which they claimed was ruining our environment. So they made a very tall replica of the Empire State building out of these cardboard tubes. They got a lot PR for it as well.
Lol, I love that you chose this topic! It’s true that we often think about selling glamorous or exciting things, but so many people have the job of selling everyday items. Sewer systems, garbage bags, glue… all of these things solve real needs, and that’s really all that’s necessary to sell something. It just takes finding out who has those needs and how the product or service can help. Great post!
We do often overlook the boring and mundane products that need to be sold. I think differentiation is key because when you’re selling fundamentally the same product as everyone else, it’s the little features that make difference.
Selling does not always have to be a cool product, though it is definitely more exciting to sell. l like your point that their are many different types of toilet paper that have different stand out attributes that make them the brand that they are. It would be interested to see how much mainstream advertisement plays a role in toilet paper sales by brand. Does Charmin sell more than Great Value because of its marketing exposure? Or do people not put much thought into what brand of toilet paper they buy?