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> People say you vote with your wallet, but they don't. They do; they just don't vote the way you think they ought to. Empirically, given a similar quality it

> People say you vote with your wallet, but they don't. They do; they just don't vote the way you think they ought to. Empirically, given a similar quality item, almost all people vote for lower prices, almost always, despite any amount of haranguing about how it'd be morally better to pay slightly more because of this or that benefit. Other examples: * During the US deindustrialization of the 1970s-1980s, there was a big "Buy American" campaign, touting the many benefits of paying slightly more to preserve the US industrial base and its jobs. It was completely ineffective. * The political climate in San Francisco is ostensibly heavily biased against chain stores, yet the new City Target in SOMA had lines around the block when it opened. Laws to restrict chain stores by fiat were even deemed necessary to stem the tide of chains, even though empirically they do pretty well in the city -- meaning many residents actually do want to spend their money at chains. * Almost everywhere a new Wal-Mart opens, people complain about all the local mom and pop retailers that'll be put out of business. Yet the new Wal-Mart is usually packed. Years later, it remains in business. They close locations that aren't profitable. People do indeed vote with their wallets. They just don't usually vote the way you think they should.

gutnor 11y ago
'Voting with their wallet' is actually an expression used to remind people that what they actually buy is what is affecting the market, not what they say or what they wish. What I'm actually saying is that if you need to enter a physical store for some type of goods, then it is not stupid to pay a markup. That's actually paying for a service you need (and for the record, it is very unlikely that it is a service I need). In all the example you gave, it is ok to tell people to stop complaining and vote with their wallet. eg: you complain you want mom and pop retailer to survive but you only shop at WalMart, vote with your wallet or shut up. ( again for the record, a lot of the mom and pop retailer just sucked, the added value they provided was limited to the convenience of being located where you once did most of your shopping, not expert advices, choice, accessibility, or any kind of flexibility or service. They were replaced because once they lost the location advantage, they simply provided not reason to set a foot in their shop ever again. If you regularly go to a village lost in the middle of the countryside, you probably understand what I mean )

gutnor 11y ago

'Voting with their wallet' is actually an expression used to remind people that what they actually buy is what is affecting the market, not what they say or what they wish. What I'm actually saying is that if you need to enter a physical store for some type of goods, then it is not stupid to pay a markup. That's actually paying for a service you need (and for the record, it is very unlikely that it is a service I need). In all the example you gave, it is ok to tell people to stop complaining and vote with their wallet. eg: you complain you want mom and pop retailer to survive but you only shop at WalMart, vote with your wallet or shut up. ( again for the record, a lot of the mom and pop retailer just sucked, the added value they provided was limited to the convenience of being located where you once did most of your shopping, not expert advices, choice, accessibility, or any kind of flexibility or service. They were replaced because once they lost the location advantage, they simply provided not reason to set a foot in their shop ever again. If you regularly go to a village lost in the middle of the countryside, you probably understand what I mean )