What is a productive first question when advising a customer about a high-priced kitchen appliance?

• A. How much does it cost?
• B. Do you want to pay in installments?
• C. How do you plan to use it?
• D. Are you shopping for a gift?

Answer: (C)

Understanding how a customer plans to use a high-priced kitchen appliance centers the conversation on real needs. When you ask how they intend to use it, you uncover crucial details like the types of meals they cook, how often they’ll use it, the batch sizes, and the kitchen space available. This information lets you map features to their actual needs—size and capacity, power, specialty functions, and durability—so you can recommend models that truly fit their cooking habits and setup. It also helps justify the investment by linking product capabilities to tangible outcomes, which builds trust and moves the sale forward.

Asking about cost first can put the focus on price rather than value, and discussing payment terms or gifts without context can derail the conversation from needs to logistics. If you know what they’re aiming to accomplish, you can tailor questions and guidance accordingly, making the rest of the discovery and the recommendation more precise and helpful.