Thread: Is capitalism conducive to the production of goods that last as long as possible?

I guess there are cases of planned obsolescence, but competition will result in an optimum combination of quality, price and innovation. Without competition, there is no incentive towards anything but quantity.

Why do polls count undecided? If you can't make up your mind, why vote at all?

Originally Posted by Ernie S.

I guess there are cases of planned obsolescence, but competition will result in an optimum combination of quality, price and innovation. Without competition, there is no incentive towards anything but quantity.

Does a bu$ine$$ make more money if it a) sells you a widget, for $50, that will last for 30 years (in your case, essentially the rest of your life, statistically), or b) sells you a widget, for $20, that lasts for one year, that you repeatedly replace? Obviously, in the latter case, the bu$ine$$ makes a lot more money, and gets to claim that it is selling you the widget at a "low price."

Originally Posted by atheist

Does a bu$ine$$ make more money if it a) sells you a widget, for $50, that will last for 30 years (in your case, essentially the rest of your life, statistically), or b) sells you a widget, for $20, that lasts for one year, that you repeatedly replace? Obviously, in the latter case, the bu$ine$$ makes a lot more money, and gets to claim that it is selling you the widget at a "low price."

They make the most if they sell you the $20 widget every couple of years while you are young and broke. When you are older and more affluent (and the kids are gone so it doesn't break every year), then they sell you the $50 widget.

Originally Posted by atheist

In my personal experience, the answer is no. What are your thoughts?

Ever heard of the 'Rambling Wrech from Georgia Tech' contest?

Originally Posted by Ernie S.

I guess there are cases of planned obsolescence, but competition will result in an optimum combination of quality, price and innovation. Without competition, there is no incentive towards anything but quantity.

Ever been to a Dollar Store?

Originally Posted by Sunshine

Ever been to a Dollar Store?

Even better, remember the Sears-Roebuck good. better, best offerings?

Originally Posted by Dick Martin

Even better, remember the Sears-Roebuck good. better, best offerings?

There's no 'best' at a Dollar store. It's all junk. I buy my cat litter there because I can get it in small bags. I know the large bags other places have are a better buy but I tore my rotator cuff some years back when I lifted a 5 gallon can of cat litter. It was a good buy, but the surgery was 10K and that didn't include the 3 months of PT.

Originally Posted by atheist

Does a bu$ine$$ make more money if it a) sells you a widget, for $50, that will last for 30 years (in your case, essentially the rest of your life, statistically), or b) sells you a widget, for $20, that lasts for one year, that you repeatedly replace? Obviously, in the latter case, the bu$ine$$ makes a lot more money, and gets to claim that it is selling you the widget at a "low price."

The answer is neither a or b would maximize profit in the long run. First of all, today's widget will be replaced by new technology withing 5 years tops. Are you sitting at a computer you bought in 2,000? I'd bet your computer is under 3 years old. What point would there be in building a computer that would last 30 years?
Let's say that the average big ticket appliance advances technologically enough that the average person would want or need to replace it every five years.

(What's the average life span of an MRI machine?)

The way to maximize profit is to build a refrigerator that will last, maybe 6 years on average.
If I'm selling fridges that last longer than the average replacement cycle, and you are underpricing me with a fridge that will last 3 years, you may make more money than me for a while, but when your fridge shits the bed, the customers will pay a few dollars more for mine, rather than buying another lemon from you.

Well the goods I get that say "made in china" last about 1/100th as long as the goods I used to get that used to say "made in the USA". Granted, China is a capitalistic-communistic hybrid, but I'm not overly impressed with ANYTHING I have ever owned that said "Made in China".

Philosophically no, a completely for-profit model doesn't benefit in many cases from making long-lasting goods. They have to last long enough to give customer satisfaction, but if they last too long, they can actually hurt profits.

Greetings and Felicitations,

Originally Posted by Ernie S.

The answer is neither a or b would maximize profit in the long run. First of all, today's widget will be replaced by new technology withing 5 years tops. Are you sitting at a computer you bought in 2,000? I'd bet your computer is under 3 years old.

You would be wrong on my account. My main computer was bought in 2004 and I still use laptops which were made in 2000. Most people who continuously buy the newest computers are just idiots wasting money.

Sincerely Yours,
C. David Neely

Originally Posted by Sunshine

Ever been to a Dollar Store?

Sure I have, but I don't buy at the dollar store with the expectation of the product lasting very long.

I use power tools daily on my job. I could buy a Black and Decker hammer drill for $40. If I'm lucky, it will drill 10 1 1/2" holes through concrete before it dies and I have to buy another $40 hammer drill. Seeing I need to drill maybe 150 such holes per year, spending $150 on a Milwaukee Hammer drill that will drill 300 holes before it needs a $40 service seems to make sense.
How about a fridge? Would you be happy replacing your fridge (and your food) every 2 years, or would you pay 30 or 40% more for a fridge that will last longer than you will likely own it?

Originally Posted by CDavidNeely

Greetings and Felicitations,



You would be wrong on my account. My main computer was bought in 2004 and I still use laptops which were made in 2000. Most people who continuously buy the newest computers are just idiots wasting money.

Sincerely Yours,
C. David Neely

Of course there are exceptions. My dad kept the same chest freezer for almost 50 years. (Sears Kenmore)
Since 2002, I have had up to 3 computers all running for different purposes here at my desk. Sadly, I'm now down to one 2 year old machine. The last one to fail was one I built in 1998 that still ran Windows 98