I like Orbit gum.  I like wintergreen Orbit the best.  When I first saw Orbit for sale in the store, I noticed the packaging, the shape of the gum and the individual wrapping.  So sleek and so easy.  I would grab the blue pack. Then they introduced Peppermint, also in a blue pack. Or was it the other way around? Whatever. That was good too, so I did not mind if I grabbed the wrong one.  

Since Orbit was introduced in September 2001, they have introduced around 10 flavors and a new line of Orbit White.  I have recently seen Orbit Mojito Mint on the shelf, but have yet to try it. Now, I have to look and make sure I grab the one I want. Are there too many choices of Orbit Gum flavors? I say yes, although it is nice to have so many flavor choices…do we need them? I bid not! 

When I began in the mortgage industry in 1986 ( I swear I am not that old!), there were three loan products to choose from. You could have a 30 year fixed, a 15 year fixed or a 1 year adjustable loan.  Most people went for the 30 year fixed.  It was a no brainer. You knew what you were getting and you knew what you had.  Over the past twenty years, many new mortgage products were introduced.  Over the past five years, way too many loan products were introduced. Now, they are taking them away.  Too many loan choices apparently were not needed. So, many of the loans with bad taste and short chewing life were dismantled in recent months. I see the ones with the worst taste going first. Then the ones that did not last long going next. 

I wonder how long it will take until we are left with a choice of three loan products. I wonder if people will be happy to take the 30 year fixed loan without much thought or explanation.  I wonder if I can ever just grab the blue pack of Orbit Gum without really looking.

Dale Siegel