ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Product proliferation

Product proliferation is when there are a lot of different types of the same product. Imagine you're at a store, and you see a whole aisle of toys. There are so many different toys to choose from! That's product proliferation.

Companies make different versions of a product to try to grab your attention and make you want to buy theirs. They want you to think their toy is the best one. So they make different colors, sizes, and shapes for the same toy.

But having too many choices can be overwhelming. It's like going to a candy store and not knowing which candy to pick because there are so many options. Having too many choices can make it hard to decide and take a lot of time.

Companies also need to make sure they don't confuse people with too many product choices. Imagine if the toys were all called the same thing, but each one was different. It would be hard to know which one to pick because they all have the same name. So companies try to give each toy a different name or label to help people understand the differences.

Sometimes, product proliferation can be good because it gives us more options and variety. But it can also be bad because it can make things confusing and overwhelming. So it's important for companies to find a balance and make sure their products are easy to understand and choose from.