Trial-sized Tubes of Wine

In one of my classes, we learned about the power of uncertainty for Purple Cow products. Purple Cow products are basically remarkable niche products that some people love and have to talk about. My professor posits that the reason Purple Cow products have become more salient in recent years is because there has been a proliferation of information through the Internet.

For example, some cases of beer go for $120. These are rare beers with distinct tastes. If I love extremely bitter beer, then I am willing to pay a high premium for it. But as soon as uncertainty enters the equation about whether this beer is actually the beer I'd like, then I will no longer pay for the beer. By reducing uncertainty, you substantially increase this segment's willingness to pay. That's why ratebeer.com makes microbreweries more successful - people can know with more certainty that the beer their getting is a beer they'll like.

Springwise covered a new product that allows wine companies to put their wines in trial-sized tubes. I thought this was brilliant because it gives wine companies a way to reduce uncertainty about the quality of their product. I would invest in a heartbeat.