Brand Positioning: Cell Biology Kits & Reagents

Each member of The Science Advisory Board who participated in this study was invited to comment on the following:

The Scenario: You have just won a lottery jackpot of $2.5 million. Being the dedicated scientist that you are, you decide to continue conducting research rather than retiring to your own private island to live a life of leisure and luxury. The Question: Now that you can afford to buy any life science product you'd like, would your use of cell biology kits and reagents from [Brand] change? Why or why not?

The responses, which have been edited for grammar and clarity, appear below along with each respondent's job position.

BD Biosciences - Yes

BD has many innovations in cell biology and assay development field which can not be filled by other companies. BD also has a great reputation for its product reliability.
Post Doctoral Fellow

BD Sciences products are fantastic, no need to change.
Post Doctoral Fellow

BD seems to have excellent quality control, customer service and order processing capabilities. I have only received but one inactive reagent from BD. The customer service division quickly issued a replacement. The sales rep kindly picked up the un-needed reagent. My orders have always arrived in a timely manner. I have and will continue to be a loyal customer of BD Biosciences.
Post Doctoral Fellow

Because I can afford almost everything, I will buy as many as possible products from BD.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I use their products anyway. Even if I am not able to afford some, I still have to do research.
Staff Scientist

I would buy every new fangled kit and system possible, as I could attempt to keep up and add to large scale "ome" science which seems to always get published in Cell, Science and Nature journals.
Post Doctoral Fellow

Past positive experience with the company.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Quality.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Since I have enough money, I would like to try all the available kits on market.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

BD Biosciences - No

Because this is a very good company with quality product for the cell biology research.
Post Doctoral Fellow

Cost and reliability do not always correlate.
Staff Scientist

Good quality and experience with the kits.
Staff Scientist

I have been and continue to be familiar and comfortable with them.
Staff Scientist

It takes a lot of time to get things working in the lab. Once kits, which suppose to do everything without effort but is not the case are performing, the last thing I want is to change for something new. If we have to count on the BD technical service to troubleshoot the kits, we will never have an experiment working. They just read the same manual that is sent with the kit. You never get to talk with someone that actually have any experience using the products. No, I will not change for BD, I will continue using the ones I am using, but until they have something with unique characteristics that cannot be replaced, I will not change.
Principal Investigator

My decisions are not currently, nor would they become, based on price.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Once the paranoia and the fear that my life will be ruined clear, I will realize that that (2.5 million) is not enough money to change my life in a significant way (besides having a bit of financial freedom). I would continue to work because I like science. I would continue to use the same products in the same manner because I believe in getting the best available product for the lowest price possible. I would continue to be frugal (some might say cheap) because that is the nature of a scientist.
Staff Scientist

Price more than functionality dictates my choice/recommendations for reagents.
Department Head

Still useful in getting the job done.
Principal Investigator

Though I have enough money to buy anything (in terms of life science products) it would be waste of money if I buy more expensive products in spite of knowing that the one I have works good. If not, at that rate I will soon be back to square one.
Post Doctoral Fellow

We are pretty tied to BD for flow cytometry work and feel that there is a relationship there with as much training and repair work that we have received over the years. We could use other brands on our BD instruments, I guess, but trust the reagents.
Principal Investigator

We have verified the procedures of BD Biosciences.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Cell Signaling Technology - Yes

Because the quality of Cell Signaling Technology is pretty good, many data in my research depended on the products from CST in the past.
Laboratory Technician

I would definitely buy more kits to be able to spend more time at home, not making solutions.
Staff Scientist

I would probably do a different kind of research; one that costs a lot of money, but doesn't always produce reliable results (i.e. unfundable). And I think this research would NOT use any cell biology kits.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I'd feel free to buy kits for EVERYTHING. I don't buy kits for things I could easily do by hand/make the chemicals for myself. If money was not an issue, though, I'd take the easy way every time.
Post Doctoral Fellow

It is a reliable source for biomedical research.
Post Doctoral Fellow

Reliable!
Principal Investigator

The use of products would probably increase so that I could do more effective research without the constraints of a budget. At the same time I would want to get the most for my money so that the research conducted would be not only quality but also efficient. Cell Signaling has nice protocols associated with their products eliminating some of the details of working out conditions, which helps to make assays more dependable, reliable and reproducible.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Cell Signaling Technology - No

I am familiar with the products of cell biology kits and reagents from Cell Signaling Technology.
Professor/Teacher

I have not had a lot of experience with this company, but one antibody, which I have bought, has not worked well. In future, it is likely that I will buy from this company only if a product will not be available at other companies.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I trust them.
Staff Scientist

Quality goods.
Staff Scientist

Reliable.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

Some antibodies that Cell Signaling sells are unique and I want to buy them. But many of their products are not so unique and a little expensive (my image). So I can't find a reason why I have to buy them from Cell Signaling.
Post Doctoral Fellow

They have good reagents and kits that meet our needs and their technical sheet is very detailed and easy to follow.
Staff Scientist

We buy what we need.
Principal Investigator

GE Healthcare - Yes

Get used to it and like the quality result got from it.
Staff Scientist

I have known GE to have some good stuff that is reliable.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I would stockpile a year supply of kits. 2.5 million isn't really that much in today's economy, so that means I'd still be trying to get grant money, just with less going towards my personal salary or other benefits.
Post Doctoral Fellow

If my product of interest is superior quality and user friendly in the sense of cost and customer support.
Post Doctoral Fellow

More money means I have more options. I may be able to try other good stuff that is suggested by other colleagues to have better results for my work.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

With megafunding I would try more high-risk ideas, which of course requires more reagents and kits!
Professor/Teacher

GE Healthcare - No

Because I'm buying my kit according to my needs and not according to their cost.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I am really happy with the products offered by GE and plus they usually send replacements with new lot numbers no questions asked.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

I use optimum number of kits and reagents as of now so I don't see a change even with a lottery!
Post Doctoral Fellow

I'd have my own kits custom-made, rather than having to rely on the imperfect match between what we need and what is offered.
Principal Investigator

I'm pleased with these products and I like the sales rep.
Principal Investigator

Quality.
Staff Scientist

Right now my funding is drying up and therefore can not even think of anything other than writing and re-writing grants to obtain funds.
Staff Scientist

You're right, I would not retire under any monetarily advantageous scenario. I also would not alter the relationship with GE Healthcare. It is currently a win-win situation and I intend to keep it that way.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Invitrogen - Yes

Can afford them now.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

High quality, easy use, good sales reps.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

The kits are well prepared and easy to use.
Principal Investigator

Invitrogen - No

I am already using what I need, because it is already pretty affordable.
Laboratory Technician

I use Invitrogen products for quality not price. So my choice won't change.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

I would continue to purchase from Invitrogen because now I'd be able to afford them.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Invitrogen is assimilating all of the other biotech companies, and they have done so with Molecular Probes who makes the best secondary antibodies. So, because I am crazy and still working in the lab even though I am independently wealthy, I would still get my secondaries from Molecular Probes and since Invitrogen owns them, I would get them from Invitrogen.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I've had good success using their products and have confidence in their technical support group.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

Money is not the driving force in my life.
Administrator

My use currently matches my needs.
Department Head

Price is the main issue with Invitrogen---the cost is often prohibitive. Indeed, we have often been forced to search for lower-cost alternatives. It's almost as if they assume everybody's working off of large grants and can afford to pay such high prices. Having money to burn means we can actually afford their stuff. Of course, I'd probably still hunt for bargains.
Professor/Teacher

Simplicity. I just don't have the time to hunt down other things when what I have works for reasonable cost.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

Since their products provide reliable quality and reasonable pricing, I would not be likely to change a vendor just because I won a lottery.
Staff Scientist

The Invitrogen products are easy to use.
Principal Investigator

They are a trusted brand. Stick with what works!
Principal Investigator

They are solid products and provide experimental convenience. If money is not an issue, they are fine.
Principal Investigator

What works works and I would probably be less moved by lower price competitors.
Staff Scientist

Why would it change? While it is important to be budget minded when you are doing research, you still want to pick the most appropriate products. The reagents I use are not necessarily the most expensive or the cheapest. They are the best quality for the cheapest price.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

Pierce Biotechnology - Yes

After that much needed long vacation and setting up an endowed chair for myself, I would like to have an opportunity to try projects that have greater risk. Having funds that could support highly trained scientists in multiple but related areas, then the use of kits and reagents would dramatically increase.
Principal Investigator

Good reliable company overall. Always have had good antibodies.
Laboratory Technician

I actually am more familiar with Invitrogen and will stick with them.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I could endow my lab and set out on new, high risk research projects that would increase use of reagents from more specialized, high tech companies.
Professor/Teacher

I would increase the number of kits from Pierce that I utilize in my day-to-day operation of the lab. I am a fan of the Handee columns, specifically the HA and MYC tag kits that simplify immunoprecipitations. However, these are not inexpensive and when doing a lot of IPs the expense can add up.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I'd likely buy a few extras so everyone in the lab can have their own box.
Principal Investigator

Pierce Biotechnology - No

"If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"
Staff Scientist

Because the quality of their products is high so it's worth paying for!
Post Doctoral Fellow

Because they are quality products.
Professor/Teacher

High quality products.
Principal Investigator

I already can use what I need.
Principal Investigator

I like the way I do my research now and would not change the way I am conducting it.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I purchase whatever kits and reagents my lab needs to do the research now.
Professor/Teacher

I will always use the brand I am used to -- since time is always money and I will not waste it.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I would use the jackpot to establish a foundation to fund my research. Since appropriate decisions regarding funds are always important to science, the choice for a company such as those under consideration is not made on the poverty verses wealth perspective but rather on the best way to accomplish the task and to tackle additional tasks.
Principal Investigator

No change from the kits, although I would purchase a lot more instrumentation!
Professor/Teacher

No, because I use these products because they meet my needs and they work well.
Professor/Teacher

Pierce simply has so many innovative products that no other vendor (the trustable vendors, I mean) can offer. They make my research life way easier. Just can't think $2.5 million can make my life any much easier than Pierce has already offered right now.
Staff Scientist

They still provide a fine service of specific immunoprecipitation reagents for our studies.
Post Doctoral Fellow

This is a good product and the cost is not over the top, even with more money to spend. I would still stick with something I know and feel comfortable using. I would however still find time to look for that perfect island should I decide not to be dedicated any more.
Lab Director/Supervisor/Coordinator

We use the Precise Gels and Reblot Reagent almost on a weekly basis. My experience with the gels has been incredible. Great band pattern, runs quickly, smooth and consistent. I have a very limited amount of protein to work with and thanks to the Reblot reagent I am able to study expression of three different proteins from one transferred gel. We tested recipes for a reagent like this one and nothing worked. Lucky for us Pierce Biotechnology has affordable, good quality products for our research needs.
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

Yes and no - "no" because of the price - meaning that my use of their product isn't dictated by price since it is relatively affordable, but my overall use would probably go up because if I had $2.5 million I could fund my own grants, hire more techs, do more experiments and thus use more of their product!
Staff Scientist

Promega - Yes

Fast and easy to use!
Graduate Student/Research Assistant

I would secure the help of custom-services companies and hire reliable professionals to carry out experiments and order the reagents of their choice.
Principal Investigator

I'd buy more of what we already buy so that we don't have to worry about running out-- right now we can only afford to buy one kit at a time!
Professor/Teacher

Promega - No

I am very happy with Promega products as they are.
Post Doctoral Fellow

I use what works. Promega products work, therefore we use them.
Staff Scientist

Perhaps the biggest hurdle one has to endure to change a product kit, commonly used by everyone in the lab, is that there usually is a very defined, established protocol, adapted to the lab's specific needs.