The best thing about Google is the vast amounts of information it gathers and categorizes. If it’s out there, Google brings it back in its results.

The worst thing about Google is the vast amounts of information it gathers and categorizes. If it’s out there, Google brings it back in its results.

Therein lies the paradox.

Autobytel recently fielded a study that found that 7 out of 10 Americans suffer from what they’ve categorized as Search Engine Fatigue—a condition/malady/sickness/state of mind that comes from not finding what you’re looking for on the web.

Luckily, there is a remedy.

Search engine fatigue is the genesis of our site 3LUXE. We didn’t know the term, but we certainly suffered from it.

We (my wife, two kids and I) moved into a new house (new to us, really old in fact and needing lots of updating) in the summer of ‘06, which immediately put us in the market for a number of big-ticket items. Having to buy so many things all at once really brought into sharp focus that there was no one source that easily identified the best items for purchase.

To be clear, recommendations and reviews weren’t impossible to find.

Just frustrating.

And time consuming.

The search engines gave us millions of results, and the information existed within those, but it took a ton of time to winnow through the results to find those that were really relevant. And the shopping comparison engines were only of real use when we already knew what we wanted to purchase.

That’s why we created 3LUXE—we research thousands of products in hundreds of categories and only post reviews on the three we’ve found to be best in each category. We find these products through online and offline research, including personal use where possible. Essentially doing the research people would do if they had more time. With a goal of being the first place you go, before you go shopping.

Barry Schwartz of Swarthmore College wrote a book about how more is often less. It’s called The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less. It’s a great read and I highly recommend it no matter what business you’re in.

The main theme of the book is that when there are too many choices, or too much information, your brain can’t reasonably process all of the trade-offs that are possible. There are too many options to be considered. Too many variables to weigh. It’s nearly impossible for you to feel confident that you’re making the right decision. In the end, most of us make no decision (i.e. purchase) at all. The Autobytel/Kelton Research study showed the same result, 75% of those who suffer from Search Engine Fatigue get up and walk away from their computers.

That’s phenomenal.

That’s the paradox of choice brought to life.

That’s the reason why we started 3LUXE.

All the best,

Doug