The AC shops for a photo mug online: the product is great, but the process leaves something to be desired. (Retailing).

What does the phrase "too much of a good thing" bring to mind? Truffles by the truckload? Caviar by the bucket? A love life that would make Casanova blush?

All the AC can think of is Google (www.google.com), which is one of the finest free, general-interest search engines around. So

Just this: Google simply is too thorough, when all the AC wants is to buy, is a photo mug online. The AC types "photo novelties" as his keywords; and in seconds, he is rewarded with 116,000 websites from which to choose.

"Stupid keywords," the AC hears his detractors yelling from the back of his mind. So he quickly deletes "photo novelties," and enters "photo mugs" instead.

Though it took Google an extra second to respond, it next brought up 227,000 entries. The AC can't possibly understand how such an open-ended keyword phrase as "photo novelties," which encompasses thousands of items, can result in more than 100,000 fewer website entries than using "photo mug," a single product from within that very same world of seemingly endless possibilities.

Past experience makes a difference

Though the AC has purchased a dozen or more items online, not to mention being the high bidder on eBay for a dozen or two more, he never has shopped by "surfing" the Internet, and wants to give it a try.

All previous purchases were bought from companies he knew from the pre-Internet era that have a brick-and-mortar presence in the world, or from word-of-mouth recommendations from people whose judgment he trusts--most of the time, at least.

The AC's oldest friends, including those who've only recently stopped talking to him--probably forever--and won't tell him why, are now in their early 60s and are thinking about retiring to the little house in southern New Mexico they inherited several years ago.

They hem and haw, hem and haw. The best reason for staying is their daughter and grandkids are nearby; the best reason for leaving is never, ever shoveling snow again. To make matters worse, they live in a suburb that tickets homeowners whose houses badly need painting. Big blue paint chips in the freshly fallen snow are rather conspicuous, they've noted. Pithy understatement is a talent the AC cherishes in his friends.

The AC doesn't want to influence their decision, and that's why he wants this photo mug. The choice isn't perfect, but as close to it as he can come, and will cover each option facing his friends.