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You can ridicule fads, but I think it's interesting. I know people will pay a reasonable price for a product they might not even need, but an unreasonable price

You can ridicule fads, but I think it's interesting. I know people will pay a reasonable price for a product they might not even need, but an unreasonable price? How the hell does that happen?

koolba 6y ago
When they’re trapped in their homes, gyms are closed, and they have disposable income from not being allowed to travel, the range of “reasonable price” expands quite a bit.
- hedberg10 6y ago
  Good point. But the company was doing quite well before the pandemic, no?
  - beaconstudios 6y ago
    it's a spin class you can do from home. Plenty of people already pay high prices for spin classes, and it adds the convenience of being able to participate from home. It makes sense that it would be popular, especially among the middle class demographic spin classes are usually aimed at.
cosmodisk 6y ago
The demographics for these kind of products is very different. It's either those who do have enough money not to care about the cost or the so called aspiring ones: who don't have money but want to fit in or relate to the better off groups. It reminds me when the latest Iphone came out( the most expensive version). Guess who bought it? Our CEO and a member of my team,who was probably on the lowest salary in the company. Peloten is no different to this.
- justjash 6y ago
  This is generally what I notice also. Seems to be less about riding the actual bike and more about telling people you have a Peleton.
- rconti 6y ago
  I've actually found most CEOs I know have beat to crap old smartphones. I tend to look down on the classist assignment of folks' motivations for buying things. It's almost always projection. How many years did we have to hear about the "status symbol" of a starbucks cup? If only $2 for a cup of black coffee could buy you status, right?
ghaff 6y ago
Fads (at all price classes) are interesting. There are definitely products/activities that become very popular for a time and then just sort of fade out for no discernible reason. One good example is in-line skating/rollerblading. It was a very popular activity--at least in urban areas--a number of years back and it just sort of petered out. You rarely see someone skating these days.
- veggieburglar 6y ago
  Skating/rollerblading is coming back into style, at least here in coastal California. Everything old is new again, and everything new becomes old at some point.
celtain 6y ago
If you were already spending >$200/mo on spin classes, the price of a peloton is very reasonable as an alternative.
rconti 6y ago
Is it unreasonable? My wife bought the Peloton bike for us 4 years ago. What were they, $2k? I think the first year's subscription was free, and now she pays whatever the monthly fee is. $40, I think, right? Why's that unreasonable? When I was trying to get back into shape and add some strength training, I started seeing a personal trainer, which I honestly, probably stuck with for too long. Given per-session costs, it was costing me upwards of $500/mo. Of course that includes use of gym facilities and 1:1 training and advice. Probably one of the best things I ever did. Basic gym memberships have gotta be at least $100/mo. I'm sure there are countless people paying $200/mo and up. Obviously you get access to a lot more equipment, but you have to go there, too. I just don't see $40/month as a lot. Maybe I'm strange. Since then, my wife also added a Peloton treadmill to the mix, which is over 4k. It uses the same subscription. As do the Yoga and stretching and bodyweight strength classes.. and meditation if you're into that. Both of us, 2 pieces of equipment, unlimited classes, on your phone, appletv, whatever. $40/mo. On the average evening we've got the treadmill and bike going at the same time and when she finishes with her run she's doing stretching and core stuff in the living room while I do more on the bike. The subscription starts to sound like a pretty good deal. But don't tell them that, because we're locked in thanks to the hardware :)

You can ridicule fads, but I think it's interesting. I know people will pay a reasonable price for a product they might not even need, but an unreasonable price? How the hell does that happen?

koolba 6y ago

When they’re trapped in their homes, gyms are closed, and they have disposable income from not being allowed to travel, the range of “reasonable price” expands quite a bit.

hedberg10 6y ago
Good point. But the company was doing quite well before the pandemic, no?
- beaconstudios 6y ago
  it's a spin class you can do from home. Plenty of people already pay high prices for spin classes, and it adds the convenience of being able to participate from home. It makes sense that it would be popular, especially among the middle class demographic spin classes are usually aimed at.

cosmodisk 6y ago

The demographics for these kind of products is very different. It's either those who do have enough money not to care about the cost or the so called aspiring ones: who don't have money but want to fit in or relate to the better off groups. It reminds me when the latest Iphone came out( the most expensive version). Guess who bought it? Our CEO and a member of my team,who was probably on the lowest salary in the company. Peloten is no different to this.

justjash 6y ago
This is generally what I notice also. Seems to be less about riding the actual bike and more about telling people you have a Peleton.
rconti 6y ago
I've actually found most CEOs I know have beat to crap old smartphones. I tend to look down on the classist assignment of folks' motivations for buying things. It's almost always projection. How many years did we have to hear about the "status symbol" of a starbucks cup? If only $2 for a cup of black coffee could buy you status, right?

ghaff 6y ago

Fads (at all price classes) are interesting. There are definitely products/activities that become very popular for a time and then just sort of fade out for no discernible reason. One good example is in-line skating/rollerblading. It was a very popular activity--at least in urban areas--a number of years back and it just sort of petered out. You rarely see someone skating these days.

veggieburglar 6y ago
Skating/rollerblading is coming back into style, at least here in coastal California. Everything old is new again, and everything new becomes old at some point.

celtain 6y ago

If you were already spending >$200/mo on spin classes, the price of a peloton is very reasonable as an alternative.

rconti 6y ago

Is it unreasonable? My wife bought the Peloton bike for us 4 years ago. What were they, $2k? I think the first year's subscription was free, and now she pays whatever the monthly fee is. $40, I think, right? Why's that unreasonable? When I was trying to get back into shape and add some strength training, I started seeing a personal trainer, which I honestly, probably stuck with for too long. Given per-session costs, it was costing me upwards of $500/mo. Of course that includes use of gym facilities and 1:1 training and advice. Probably one of the best things I ever did. Basic gym memberships have gotta be at least $100/mo. I'm sure there are countless people paying $200/mo and up. Obviously you get access to a lot more equipment, but you have to go there, too. I just don't see $40/month as a lot. Maybe I'm strange. Since then, my wife also added a Peloton treadmill to the mix, which is over 4k. It uses the same subscription. As do the Yoga and stretching and bodyweight strength classes.. and meditation if you're into that. Both of us, 2 pieces of equipment, unlimited classes, on your phone, appletv, whatever. $40/mo. On the average evening we've got the treadmill and bike going at the same time and when she finishes with her run she's doing stretching and core stuff in the living room while I do more on the bike. The subscription starts to sound like a pretty good deal. But don't tell them that, because we're locked in thanks to the hardware :)