If there ever was a niche product, I would say window tinting fits the bill. When I tell most people I am in the window tinting business they often get a glazed look over their face. Their next question is usually asking if we also sell sound systems, curb feelers, and lower cars. I usually just say no and refer to that purple bubbled up film you see on the back of car windows, and then they understand. In what other industry can you have hundreds, if not thousands of moving billboards on the road advertising the failure of a product you are trying to sell? It’s like having a national ad campaign on how much your product sucks.
You could try to tell them that the technology in that bubbled film they see on the road is 30 years old and completely different than what's available today. You could also tell them that the window film that is currently on the market is used for a variety of different reasons. Anti graffiti film protect storefronts from graffiti and vandalism, security window film protects both homes and offices from break-ins, custom graphics create custom designs on interior office glass, and exterior building wraps can be used to change the look of an entire building. But even after all that, I would venture to guess the ugly purple bubbled film is still what they will remember.
I don’t blame people for the perceptions of the window film industry. The market makes those decisions on its own. If window film companies are willing to sell customers cheap window film and customers believe it's a good product, then manufacturers will continue to sell it. It usually always goes back to the saying, "you really do get what you pay for." Yes, there is still that old, outdated and purple window film out there that I'm sure window film companies still sell. That's not all that's out there though. There are some window films on the market that contain no metals or dyes—which is what old window film (purple bubbled) contained. There are others that are optically clear. There are thousands of different decorative window films and patterned window films.The options are endless, so don't be tricked and think window film is still gross and outdated!
The funny part is I really don’t hate window tinting. I love it. Not like, growing up all I wanted to do was tint windows 'love it', but 'love it' in a sense that it’s a great business. It’s simple, and while hard to demonstrate sometimes, the benefits are real and can be so impactful for homeowners and business owners alike. Although our industry may not be sexy or front page news most of the time, that’s okay. Because sometimes the most practical businesses are the ones that last the longest.
If you've had window film installed in the past, we would love to hear your experience and what you think (good or bad) in the comments below!
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