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The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

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Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#371

Post by gotoeleven »

ralfd wrote: post #221
thatjoeoverthr wrote: post #135

I’ve noticed a significant drop even recently, having recently bought the single worst pair of shoes at a brand name store. They basically dissolved like tissue paper within a week. I’ve never seen anything like it. My working assumption right now is this two phenomena together. One, a sneakier kind of “shrinkflation”. You can make a can of coke smaller but you can’t do this with shoes. But you can swap out materials…

> simply because word won’t spread Shame the shoe brand!

According to the amazon page, TOTOFOYAGOO has been a trusted brand since June 11th 2025.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#372

Post by toolslive »

TrackerFF wrote: post #125

At least when it comes to musical instruments, cheap instruments today are astronomically better than the cheap instruments I grew up with - and they are cheaper. The manufacturing process has become so good that what you get for $350 today, is about the same standard as what you'd pay $500-$800 for 30 years ago (which is probably closer to $1000-$1500 today). As far as clothes go - I the cheap junk back in the day d…

another counter example: Tomatoes. The price evolution: https://www.in2013dollars.com/Tomatoes/price-inflation/1953-...

They used to have taste. Now it's gone.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#373

Post by SweetLlamaMyth »

fidotron wrote: post #348
layer8 wrote: post #176

Many comments here are arguing that quality has actually gone up over the past decades. However, a common experience for me is that I own something of good quality from 5/10/15 years ago and now buy the successor model from the same brand, but the product has gotten worse, being cheaper made. And I have a hard time finding a replacement that matches the quality of the old version. It’s a regularly reoccurring frustra…

> Many comments here are arguing that quality has actually gone up over the past decades. Yes, many people confuse technological development with quality improvements. Technology can improve quality, but it can also be used in other ways. My personal view is the west, especially North America, never recovered from the oil crisis of the early 1970s. Prior to that energy was almost seen as disposable, at least compared…

It seems strange to me to attribute this to the 70s oil crisis vs factors like expectations of unceasing profit growth leading looking for any and all efficiencies, or globalization making extra translate into increased shipping costs from the other side of world.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#374

Post by brewdad »

Spooky23 wrote: post #220
JKCalhoun wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't disagree with your point, but I suppose my wish then is that there were not low-quality (low-cost) everything in the world right now. I'm not unsympathetic regarding the poor, I grew up poor myself. And my single working mother raising two kids got by on hand-me-down furniture from her mother (probably, as you and the article suggest, of decent quality though). Having the option for (new) inexpensive everythi…

> One wonders what the Great Depression would resemble in the 21st Century. Would we still have the latest, but crappy, gadgets and such Think Star Wars. Live in a hovel, but have some magic gadgets.

Much of the third world lives this way today. Atrocious living conditions but society runs on their personal cell phones. A cell phone can be more important in poorer parts of Asia than it is in the US.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#375

Post by sgt »

nradov wrote: post #219
zkmon wrote: post #112

I live in a developed country. People buy a new home here, and find the kitchen counter top surface bulges up easily when a hot plate is placed on it. Turns out that the surface is a laminate that is not heat resistant. Family business houses used to invest in long-term success through brand, reputation and durability. Startups or hired CEOs focus on short-term goals and invest in creating superficial perceptions tha…

They don't have granite counter tops in your country?

They probably went for the laminated granite...

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#376

Post by JKCalhoun »

whoisyc wrote: post #200
JKCalhoun wrote: post #169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't disagree with your point, but I suppose my wish then is that there were not low-quality (low-cost) everything in the world right now. I'm not unsympathetic regarding the poor, I grew up poor myself. And my single working mother raising two kids got by on hand-me-down furniture from her mother (probably, as you and the article suggest, of decent quality though). Having the option for (new) inexpensive everythi…

> I admit that I am surprised that I am finding myself wishing that we, the Western world, were poorer again. Luxury belief. Doesn’t it feel a little suspicious that the only people to ever say “we should become poorer” are people from rich countries where even the poor can afford cars and gadgets? Go to the countries actually manufacturing your goods and ask the average factory worker if he wants to be poor and prep…

> Luxury belief.

Sure.

But I've lived on both sides though and think we've gone too far to the other end of the spectrum.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#378

Post by contingencies »

ainiriand wrote: post #365
layer8 wrote: post #176

Many comments here are arguing that quality has actually gone up over the past decades. However, a common experience for me is that I own something of good quality from 5/10/15 years ago and now buy the successor model from the same brand, but the product has gotten worse, being cheaper made. And I have a hard time finding a replacement that matches the quality of the old version. It’s a regularly reoccurring frustra…

That situation happened to me with Logitech mice, they were really great some years ago. Now they are not the long lasting products they were.

Enjoying M240 at the moment. No issues as yet.

Re: The bewildering phenomenon of declining quality

#379

Post by mountainb »

layer8 wrote: post #176

Many comments here are arguing that quality has actually gone up over the past decades. However, a common experience for me is that I own something of good quality from 5/10/15 years ago and now buy the successor model from the same brand, but the product has gotten worse, being cheaper made. And I have a hard time finding a replacement that matches the quality of the old version. It’s a regularly reoccurring frustra…

It is often easier to make another sale of a downgraded product using earned customer goodwill than it is to continuously innovate, delight existing customers, and win new ones based on quality. It's less risky just to run a brand into the dirt, get paid, and screw any shareholders remaining.

Also many of these kinds of activities are illegal, but people do it anyway on the reasonable calculation that they won't be sued and that the government won't investigate them.

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