The central problem of a free market is also its greatest strength: it relies on the people making the purchases to decide what constitutes a good product or se

The central problem of a free market is also its greatest strength: it relies on the people making the purchases to decide what constitutes a good product or service. It asks us to vote with our wallets. This works best when the individual educates him/herself about each purchase. However, when individuals make purchases based on popularity rather than merit, or based on what they're used to, their ability to vote with their wallet suffers. And when producers begin to settle into a position of comfortable mediocrity, when they refuse to compete and improve, they also hurt the consumer's ability to vote with their wallet.