Garmin Needs to Keep Things Simple

SAN FRANCISCO -- For Garmin(GRMN Quote), the message is clear: Keep it simple.

Most experts say the maker of GPS-based navigation systems has been confusing customers, lowering buyer satisfaction and taxing the company's operations by offering 30 models of its "Nuvi" car navigation systems that range from $200 to $1,000 in price.

"I believe 30 (models) is too much," says Russell Winer, a professor of marketing at the Stern School of Business. "There's a lot of academic research that shows consumers get overwhelmed by a product having too many attributes and variations." ...