It's interesting how a good narrative can add so much value. I experienced this a few years back in San Francisco.

I tend to only shop when I have a clear need. This time, I was after a new bag with some very specific features – no surprise to those who know me! I needed it for a large laptop and daily items, but also to expand for overnight or gym gear.

Given my exacting needs, I suspected finding the perfect bag would be a long shot. Still, my curiosity meant I had to put in the effort and see the search through to the end.

Ten shops in I’m chatting to a guy in a North Face outlet, explaining my needs. After a seconds thought he replies, “Hang on… I might have something. A wealthy client once asked for a custom bag just like that. Our team made a prototype that separated into two with a zip but it wasn’t quite right for him, so we still have it”. He was gone for a while as he dug it out.
I’ll be honest, I was already sold.
“… and here’s a neat detail” he continued as he pushed the bag over the counter, “the ‘O’ in the The North Face logo is stitched in a different colour. It’s grey in this case, not black, showing it’s a prototype.”

SUCKERED and SOLD!
He didn't just show me a bag; he told me its story. That story, true or not, made it feel unique. I walked out with more than a versatile bag; I got the narrative that made it special.

Products with a good story connect better and almost sell themselves. But finding or creating a story for things that don't have an obvious one? That takes real creativity.

I used that bag daily for ages. Ironically, the zip that made it so unique – the heart of its story – was the part that eventually failed. I wish I had kept it and fixed it now.