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Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

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Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#21

Post by searealist »

bigbinary wrote: post #15
searealist wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Show me the boots that are 3.3x more expensive but last 5x as long. When buying new, it's very rare that buying expensive actually saves you money.

There’s definitely a point of diminishing returns, but boots from Ross can cost about $45, while a $300 pair of red wings would last a lifetime, if maintained properly. A pair of $1000 boots are definitely beyond that line and will also last a lifetime, while costing 3.3x more

What boots cost 3.3x these and will last 5x as long: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Brahma-Men-s-Combustion-6-Steel-T...

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#22

Post by ssss11 »

st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

Well I think this all makes sense but people don’t generally do it because 1 high quality furniture item is more expensive upfront than the first cheap item. People with no money go for the cheap one then are trapped in the cycle of replacing it every few years.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#25

Post by jaredezz »

st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

I tend to follow what I call the "toolbox rule," mostly because I've used it the most with tools. If I find I need something, I'll buy a cheap version of it, even if the cheap version is noticeably lower quality (which it almost always is). Then, if I use said cheap version enough that it either breaks or is no longer useful to me anymore, I'll buy a nicer one. It helps me justify the greater expense and demonstrates the need for it.

I've done this with umbrellas, camelbaks, tents, ski equipment, but mostly, as stated before, tools.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#26

Post by thelastgallon »

The enshittification of everything! https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/enshittification

A few days back there was a discussion on HN, The Tyranny of the Marginal User[1]. This applies to products. Products are made worse, advertised as great deals using all kinds of psychological tricks (Eg: discounting tricks in Austria discussed today in HN.), influencers, wellness peddlers, bloggers, podcasters, etc. Everyone, everywhere, everything, all the time is about buying stuff! See Temu, how it gamified shopping, bringing in game app store pressure tactics to shopping.

People complain all the time about how things are costly or getting costlier or shrinkflation, but it doesn't stop anyone from buying, which leads me to think most people have too much money and have zero discretion on what to buy. A while back, people used to back away from buying stuff which they thought wasn't a great deal. But something has changed in the past few years, anybody can make any garbage and people will buy it! Think about cars: most everyone bought cars a few thousand below MSRP, but now undiscerning people have proven to manufacturers and dealers that they will buy whatever crap car is made at 50% markup. There is no selection pressure on manufacturers to make good stuff.

[1]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37509507

[2]https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37532973

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#27

Post by thelastgallon »

Another reason why things are worse and they will keep getting worse.

About a toaster company:

"If you are passionate about toast, you will not work at a company that does not build toasters, that only does marketing. So my central thesis here is that if as an organization, you outsource too much with the idea that we will still retain the designers and our own power to innovate, it will not actually work.

The smart people will not work for your company, because you have turned into a marketing and financing exercise. And the smart engineers, they want to build better toasters, they want to touch actual stuff. So the thing is, there is a point of no return.

If as a company you have outsourced too much. No good engineer will still want to work for your company."

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=37540271

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#28

Post by CobaltFire »

searealist wrote: post #18
swalling wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are several brands of boots like this. I have a pair of Red Wing boots that I purchased new in 2013 (I don’t remember the price but today they are $350). Unlike most other modern sneakers or boots, they are made so that the soles be replaced, which I have done once for $100. Other than this, the only consumable part is shoelaces. With maintenance of the leather, it is completely expected for these boots to outl…

$350/3.3 is $106. Do you expect these boots to last 5x longer than $106 boots?

Mine did; I'm still wearing them (I bought mine in 2016, and they haven't needed resoled yet) and the $100 boots I was wearing (US Navy authorized) would barely last a year. So for the $300 or so I paid then I got 6 years hard use out of them, and I'm still using them for stuff now that I don't wear them for work.

I have other pairs of dress shoes from Red Wing that are similar; I doubt I'll EVER need to replace them.

Note: the boots are style 2412, the shoes are a variety but the oldest are called MIL-1 Congress boots (Chelsea). I have a few pairs of a different style dress shoe from the heritage line as well.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#29

Post by clnq »

tru3_power wrote: post #19
st-keller wrote: post #3

Interesting - didn‘t notice that. I‘m only buying quality stuff and stick to it as long a possible. Most of my cloth are years old. I’m buying a new iPhone if the one i have doesn’t get any updates anymore, and furniture has to outlive me. I always thought this is reasonable and that everyone would do it that way: Always having high quality stuff, saving money instead of wasting it by continuously buying cheap things…

How do you go about finding quality furniture?

Solid wood is an easy answer. Buy used and it will be much cheaper. Restoring worn wood is easy and it's a nice weekend project.

Re: Why everything you buy is worse now [video]

#30

Post by AwaAwa »

Oddly enough all the companies are more 'carbon friendly' and advertise it. Yet the cycle from consumer hands to trash is faster than ever. I suppose its one of those things that you won't get paid to study, but have a high chance of receiving pain for any such stufy.

In hindsight seems like Capone, being commoner friendly.

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