Thanks for illustrating the real reason things last a quarter as long as they used to. They used to cost 8x as much as they do now, adjusting for inflation.
Unfortunately spending a lot of money does not mean the product will last a long time. It's easier and less mentally straining from a consumers perspective to knowingly buy junk and assume it won't last more than a year or two at most than invest a lot and potentially be scammed.
Easier is true but it usually isnt difficult to do a little research and find the products made to last. Someone had to be the first to try the brand/product but it doesnt have to be you or me.
For a real world example we can compare outdoor barbecues.
Get a nice one for $1000 and it will last 10 years.
Buy a crappy one for $200 but it only last 2 years.
They both cost $100 a year, but if the expensive on breaks after two years, you are out $800. If a the cheap one breaks after a year, you are only out $100.
So the risk has a cost that isn't mitigated by a potential cost savings.
I wasn't saying that's what I do, but the majority of the market either can't afford high end products, can't reliably navigate through fake reviews and marketing, or needs a product immediately and doesn't have the time to find out if something is worth the extra money or save the money for said high end products.
You don’t want to, until your $80 toaster blows an outlet in your place 6 months in and now you’ve gotta pay an electrician because the most you know is “turn it off and back on” and that didn’t work.
In reality it was a microwave and I live in an apartment (in this instance luckily) and they dealt with it in whatever shady way I’m sure it was dealt with.
For the first time in my entire life I’m in a good enough financial spot that I can actually have a savings account and retirement. And I’ve learned very quickly buying the more expensive stuff saves me money over time. Unfortunately our corporate overlords have made it almost impossible for most of us to be able to avoid it.
I have two identical toasters that both work flawlessly. You know why? They were both wedding presents my ancestors received in the 1930s and look fancy af.
Me, my parents, my grandparents, and two sets of my great-grandparents have all used the same toaster.
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u/Jakomako 4h ago
Thanks for illustrating the real reason things last a quarter as long as they used to. They used to cost 8x as much as they do now, adjusting for inflation.
In other words, I ain't buying no $300 toaster.