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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]

#61

Post by powderpig »

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…

This is essentially the Boots Theory, coined my Terry Pratchett. The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money. Take boots, for example. ... A man who could afford fifty dollars had a pair of boots that'd still be keeping his feet dry in ten years' time, while a poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet. Men at Arms. p. 32.

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

#62

Post by fsagx »

trilbyglens wrote: post #48
aspyct wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, that was just an example to illustrate the "what if your cheap X causes collateral damage", which is a real thing. Imagine you get a cheap drone for videography. It fails mid flight, falls and kills someone. Bad tools can have consequences. What does parent commenter do about this?

I think if your tools are causing an inferior outcome, you are likely already working at a higher level of craft expectation and wouldn't be buying cheap tools in the first place. If your tools are for a basic handyman toolbox you're likely to never need very high quality and expensive tools are a straight up waste of money.

This was my standard mode for years until I had children. I remember a time I stood in the tool aisle at the hardware store considering the cheap tool and the nicer, name-brand tool, and went with what seemed to be the higher quality item because it may last to be passed down. I have many "vintage" tools in my tool boxes from my father and father-in-law that seem to be indestructible.

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

#63

Post by 5350-uiop-1130 »

thelastgallon wrote: post #26

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, everywh…

> most people have too much money and have zero discretion on what to buy

I've noticed that people seem to expect less from things nowadays. In video games, they're okay with spending a lot of money on cosmetic skins. Even big companies like Apple advertise features like sending animated cat emojis as a big deal.

I find it a bit strange, but some people really like and defend them. It's just how things are changing in the world.

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

#64

Post by 3np »

searealist wrote: post #38
3np wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Looking at the reviews: Most of them in that range.

The top review literally says it's better to buy these over and over when they wear out vs more expensive boots.

Finding $99.99 boots that last over a year isn't hard. And yet, yes, some people would apparently rather buy $30 ones every couple of months.

Scale accordingly for variance in usage and quality for the ones claiming 2w vs 1y.

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

#65

Post by freefaler »

To save you some time the main point of the video is - market drives prices down, because people want cheaper things and buy them more frequently, because it's easier to target people and cheaper to outsource production. And most people really don't care about the quality part that much.

Regarding personal consumption I'd use Total Cost of Ownership equation. Need a screwdriver 3 times a year - no need to buy something very good. Need a keyboard for you computer and you're a programmer - buy the best you can, because your hands are irreplaceable. But you don't need a fancy laptop stand - a box and couple of books can do the thing (if you don't mind the ugly desk). With the money saved you can always just invest them and get them working or spend them on something more meaningful like health, socializing or whatever you like.

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

#66

Post by zingababba »

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 subscribe to the buy once cry once philosophy. Meaning bite the bullet and buy quality. My wife is finally coming around after we've had to replace items that she initially wanted to pinch pennies on.

Obviously doesn't apply to stuff you know you will seldom use.

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

#67

Post by hellisothers »

rcarr wrote: post #57
jaredezz wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 counter approach to this is buying the branded version, and then if you're not using it as often as you thought you would, to sell it. It depends on a lot of factors such as age, condition, the product type etc but you can often sell branded products for 2/3 of what you paid for them on eBay, whereas unbranded or cheap products are very difficult to resell.

This is my approach and I generally enjoy nice products until I don’t: buy secondhand on eBay/CraigsList and sell it when/if I don’t need it anymore. The only problem is I notice I don’t feel a sense of “ownership” for most items I buy, it’s not really mine I’m just renting it until I sell it. I think this is largely fine, there are some items I intend to own forever (some film cameras and pens, couple tools) but I wonder if I’m using some of these products differently because I’d this mentality.

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

#68

Post by GoToRO »

The way I saw it work: A part for a car is prototyped. The prototype is tested and it comes out that it can last 30 years. But bussiness said it only needs to last 15 years (user use stats, the law). Prototype is redesigned so that it is weaker and also cheaper (often time not by much).

So we have this problem because companies have test equipment that can tell them exactlly how long a product will last. Initially it was used to prevent bad products, now it is also used to prevent products that are too good.

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

#69

Post by swalling »

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?

Given that the $100 Timberlands only last a year or two, the Red Wings already have lasted 5X longer.

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

#70

Post by RoyalHenOil »

jaredezz wrote: post #25
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…

For me, this only makes sense for some products. I will do it with reasonably inexpensive, short-lived products where I'm not sure how much use or wear they will get (e.g., drill bits).

But I will do my research and get the better product (which is not necessarily the more expensive product) in these cases:

- I already know that I will use it a lot and wear it out if it is not good. (An example of a tool that falls into this category, for me, would be a drill or a garden hose.)

- The poor quality variant won't (or won't just) wear out, but it will give me worse results and is barely fit for purpose. (An example would be a mitre saw or a sewing machine, where cheaper ones are inaccurate/finicky and ruin projects.)

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