5 ms·

Because the consumer doesn’t matter? What exactly are their alternative options if the only game(s) in town decide to only sell a particular level of product qu

by 1_2__4 9y ago

Because the consumer doesn’t matter? What exactly are their alternative options if the only game(s) in town decide to only sell a particular level of product quality? Not asking rhetorically. What exactly is it you’re suggesting these “quality conscious” consumers do? Markets and naked capitalism as solutions go these issues have proven ineffective. This article is evidence of it. And all you suggest is some naive, Econ 101 platitudes.

YSFEJ4SWJUVU6 9y ago
>Markets and naked capitalism as solutions go these issues have proven ineffective. On the contrary. You're mostly making up that there actually is a huge demand for higher priced, higher quality products there, while the fact that no one has gone for that supposed huge and very available market speaks against that being true. That wishes of a small minority are not being catered for doesn't prove anything.
roel_v 9y ago
Let's say there really is a consumer preference for the 'better', Western-style goods. Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% (which would be more than the profits supermarkets make - retail grocers are one 2-3% margins)? I mean, if people are so desperate, they'd buy his stuff right out of the back of his truck, right? The reality is much more nuanced than what you're suggesting. The reality is that people don't care as much, and that producers aren't as stupid/greedy as you make them out to be. Their buying patterns are what economists call a revealed preference. Sure, if you ask them, people will all say that they want the best-quality products. Turns out though (and not just there, but everywhere) that in reality people want a mix between quality, affordability, perception, and other things. (oh, and suggesting that an article in the Guardian of all places is "evidence" of anything is laughable)
- grimskin 9y ago
  > Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% Because that's illegal?
  - roel_v 9y ago
    ...what? Why would that be illegal? You realize we're talking about EU member states here, and what that entails, right?
    - grimskin 9y ago
      Huh, I was under impression that there are still some regulations regarding food imports/export within EU. Apparently, I was wrong.
- baq 9y ago
  > Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% (which would be more than the profits supermarkets make - retail grocers are one 2-3% margins)? I mean, if people are so desperate, they'd buy his stuff right out of the back of his truck, right? there are shops in my city that do exactly that, but the markup is more like 105%.
rayiner 9y ago
Romania is part of the EU. If there was really a demand, companies would move in. That’s not a platitude, it’s how things work. Just like saying that balls fall back to the ground when you throw them up. Articles that don’t cite statistical data but rather anecdotes aren’t “evidence” of anything. That’s not what evidence is. What they really reflect is minorities projecting their views onto the majority. For example, I personally find web business models perplexing. Why would you want to watch advertising and data mining when you could just pay $50 a month or whatever for content? But I resign myself to the fact that I’m a minority and people really do prefer that insanity to honest monetary transactions.

by 1_2__4 9y ago

YSFEJ4SWJUVU6 9y ago

>Markets and naked capitalism as solutions go these issues have proven ineffective. On the contrary. You're mostly making up that there actually is a huge demand for higher priced, higher quality products there, while the fact that no one has gone for that supposed huge and very available market speaks against that being true. That wishes of a small minority are not being catered for doesn't prove anything.

roel_v 9y ago

Let's say there really is a consumer preference for the 'better', Western-style goods. Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% (which would be more than the profits supermarkets make - retail grocers are one 2-3% margins)? I mean, if people are so desperate, they'd buy his stuff right out of the back of his truck, right? The reality is much more nuanced than what you're suggesting. The reality is that people don't care as much, and that producers aren't as stupid/greedy as you make them out to be. Their buying patterns are what economists call a revealed preference. Sure, if you ask them, people will all say that they want the best-quality products. Turns out though (and not just there, but everywhere) that in reality people want a mix between quality, affordability, perception, and other things. (oh, and suggesting that an article in the Guardian of all places is "evidence" of anything is laughable)

grimskin 9y ago
> Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% Because that's illegal?
- roel_v 9y ago
  ...what? Why would that be illegal? You realize we're talking about EU member states here, and what that entails, right?
  - grimskin 9y ago
    Huh, I was under impression that there are still some regulations regarding food imports/export within EU. Apparently, I was wrong.
baq 9y ago
> Why wouldn't there be someone who would drive a truck across the border a few times a week, marking up his products say 5% (which would be more than the profits supermarkets make - retail grocers are one 2-3% margins)? I mean, if people are so desperate, they'd buy his stuff right out of the back of his truck, right? there are shops in my city that do exactly that, but the markup is more like 105%.

rayiner 9y ago

Romania is part of the EU. If there was really a demand, companies would move in. That’s not a platitude, it’s how things work. Just like saying that balls fall back to the ground when you throw them up. Articles that don’t cite statistical data but rather anecdotes aren’t “evidence” of anything. That’s not what evidence is. What they really reflect is minorities projecting their views onto the majority. For example, I personally find web business models perplexing. Why would you want to watch advertising and data mining when you could just pay $50 a month or whatever for content? But I resign myself to the fact that I’m a minority and people really do prefer that insanity to honest monetary transactions.