I have written an article not too long ago about brand names. In there I put forth the argument that it’s not about the brand so much as about TRUST. You can read this article >>HERE<< if you like. I titled this article the way I did, deliberately, not because I want to add to or take away from brands, but rather to highlight this self same argument about TRUST.
You see, 3M has a good brand name. It is perceived as a GOOD product. And, I certainly agree that it is a good product. What I don’t agree with, is that it is worth the money that it commands. There are many brands, and NON-brands, that are equally good. Equally efficient in performance, and far better value for money. I can’t tell you why they (3M, or their authorised distributors) charge nearly 3 times the price of other films, but they do. This makes it nearly impossible to compete on price.
Now, I know that price is not everything. However, value for money IS everything. My thoughts are that if something is (say) three times the price, it ought to be at least twice as good. Irrespective of what you use to quantify that, it should be real VALUE, not PERCEIVED value. Qustion. Will the product last three times longer? How about, “will the product perform three times better (or even twice as good)”? Will it LOOK better?
Sadly, I have to say, the answer to all three is NO!
I have seen a lot of films over the twenty+ years in the industry, and I have to say, they don’t look any better (overall). They don’t perform better (IE twice or three time better). And, as my experience has shown, they do not last three times (or two times) longer. It is not uncommon to have warranty claims in as little as three years, or as an average of five to seven years. I have done several claims of recent months, just like this.
Am I criticising the product, unfairly. NOT AT ALL. “Knocking the opposition”, as some may say? Not at all. I’m simply annoyed that they over price their product, mislead the public into thinking they are something they are clearly NOT. IE, Better that the rest. Or, that they are some kind of market leaders.
I am happy to supply the film, install it, and warrant it. After all, the warranty is honoured by the 3M company, and it’s distributors. This is a point I want to emphasize, they DO honor their warranty. Provided that all the documentation is valid and accurate, they will replace any faulty film. So, if that is your main reason for buying the 3M brand, you can rest assured that you will have followup support when needed.
Just KEEP the documentation. You will need it to claim any warranty, should it arise. Also, in their favour, is that even though I have had a run of claims, they are small in proportion to the number of jobs done, and products sold.
Hope this has been helpful in your decision in purchasing window tinting products and services.
