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Everything is like this, just earlier today there was a "Air Travelers Resisting the ‘Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat’" thread[1] here where if the comments a

by avar 9y ago

Everything is like this, just earlier today there was a "Air Travelers Resisting the ‘Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat’" thread[1] here where if the comments are to be believed a huge number of people simply don't travel anymore because the seats are so horrible. Surely nobody would want to fly anymore! Meanwhile the airline industry has been growing consistently for decades. Similarly, surely nobody would ever pay $80 for some in-game feature in an EA game. If you aren't selling EA stock now in anticipation of their inevitable demise you're a fool! Stated preferences are very different from revealed preferences. 1. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15684552 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=15684552

Retric 9y ago
These things are relative. I 'don't fly' specifically because airlines are so terrible. But, that just means I will drive instead of take short flights, and avoid vacations that require flying. There are not a lot of options to get to say Hawaii in some reasonable time frame for work.
Nursie 9y ago
In the case of the seat, the revealed preference is "I still need to get from A to B, so you can abuse me all you like". Like airline food, there's no effective way to reveal that you might prefer to pay a little more for something a little better, and your choice is usually limited to paying a lot more.
- hyperpape 9y ago
  There are a number of airlines that have made their name on being more pleasant than others. Virgin was one. Largely the financial results seem to have borne out the status quo.
  - Nursie 9y ago
    I suppose so. It's difficult to see this stuff on any comparison website, and most airlines try to sell themselves on comfort. So you end up relying on experience or word of mouth. FWIW I try to stick to airlines I know I'll have at least a half-decent experience with. So far that's Singapore, British, Virgin, QANTAS and a few others.
speby 9y ago
> Stated preferences are very different from revealed preferences. Maybe better worded as "Stated preferences are very often different from actual behavior." On the other hand, it is worth noting that I am sure _at least some people_ probably really would boycott the game. Or in the case of the shrinking seat, surely _some people_ will stop flying. But this is just an example of some segment of potential customers opting to forego a good or service while simultatneously a new customer segment actually doesn't mind it (or they'll say they mind it but then like paying $100 for a roundtrip air ticket instead of $129 more than they like a slightly bigger seat). "It's all relative" is probably applicable here. Bottom line: Just because thousands of people don't like the $80 in-game feature, enough other people, including some that don't like $80 in-game features, continue to play and/or buy the game anyways.
- avar 9y ago
  Yes, of course some people will hate it so much that they'll boycott the service, whether it's games with DLC or airlines. But my point is that a much larger segment of the population just likes to complain, and if you listen to what they're saying you'll get an inaccurate picture of reality. For example, people who complain about the state of seats on airplanes while choosing not to book "economy plus" or "economy comfort" or whatever it's called, which often isn't more expensive than the equivalent of one sit-down meal and a beer at a cheap restaurant. But those people won't say "listen, all other things being equal I'd prefer a bit more room, but honestly I'd rather save $40 to put up with a bit of discomfort to eat at a better restaurant once I land". Even though that's the description that best matches reality given the data at hand. Instead they'll go on some tirade about how really they fly so much less than they used to, meanwhile air travel is increasing all over the world and we'd have to assume market researchers for all these airlines are idiots because there's some huge market segment for the taking if they'd only increase leg room a bit. Which they'll try, but they'll quickly find out that while people complain they're really not prepared to pay an extra $40 for it. So here we are.

by avar 9y ago

Retric 9y ago

These things are relative. I 'don't fly' specifically because airlines are so terrible. But, that just means I will drive instead of take short flights, and avoid vacations that require flying. There are not a lot of options to get to say Hawaii in some reasonable time frame for work.

Nursie 9y ago

In the case of the seat, the revealed preference is "I still need to get from A to B, so you can abuse me all you like". Like airline food, there's no effective way to reveal that you might prefer to pay a little more for something a little better, and your choice is usually limited to paying a lot more.

hyperpape 9y ago
There are a number of airlines that have made their name on being more pleasant than others. Virgin was one. Largely the financial results seem to have borne out the status quo.
- Nursie 9y ago
  I suppose so. It's difficult to see this stuff on any comparison website, and most airlines try to sell themselves on comfort. So you end up relying on experience or word of mouth. FWIW I try to stick to airlines I know I'll have at least a half-decent experience with. So far that's Singapore, British, Virgin, QANTAS and a few others.

speby 9y ago

> Stated preferences are very different from revealed preferences. Maybe better worded as "Stated preferences are very often different from actual behavior." On the other hand, it is worth noting that I am sure _at least some people_ probably really would boycott the game. Or in the case of the shrinking seat, surely _some people_ will stop flying. But this is just an example of some segment of potential customers opting to forego a good or service while simultatneously a new customer segment actually doesn't mind it (or they'll say they mind it but then like paying $100 for a roundtrip air ticket instead of $129 more than they like a slightly bigger seat). "It's all relative" is probably applicable here. Bottom line: Just because thousands of people don't like the $80 in-game feature, enough other people, including some that don't like $80 in-game features, continue to play and/or buy the game anyways.

avar 9y ago
Yes, of course some people will hate it so much that they'll boycott the service, whether it's games with DLC or airlines. But my point is that a much larger segment of the population just likes to complain, and if you listen to what they're saying you'll get an inaccurate picture of reality. For example, people who complain about the state of seats on airplanes while choosing not to book "economy plus" or "economy comfort" or whatever it's called, which often isn't more expensive than the equivalent of one sit-down meal and a beer at a cheap restaurant. But those people won't say "listen, all other things being equal I'd prefer a bit more room, but honestly I'd rather save $40 to put up with a bit of discomfort to eat at a better restaurant once I land". Even though that's the description that best matches reality given the data at hand. Instead they'll go on some tirade about how really they fly so much less than they used to, meanwhile air travel is increasing all over the world and we'd have to assume market researchers for all these airlines are idiots because there's some huge market segment for the taking if they'd only increase leg room a bit. Which they'll try, but they'll quickly find out that while people complain they're really not prepared to pay an extra $40 for it. So here we are.