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Those that "sort by price ascending" and click the first one, on the fan but not on the filters. DRM makes being the cheapest a viable business model, and peop

Those that "sort by price ascending" and click the first one, on the fan but not on the filters. DRM makes being the cheapest a viable business model, and people LOVE picking the cheapest over the best. You'll also see this in action, without DRM, whenever you buy a razor. The handles are free. But the blades will get you.

MostlyStable 3y ago
If this was restricted to the cheapest products, I'd maybe buy this, but this kind of behavior is littered across the entire price spectrum of a whole host of different products. It's less that it enables being cheap, and more that it is just an extra revenue stream that isn't visible at the time of purchase so consumers don't realize it's there and can unknowingly get locked in, but this is equally true for both $ and $$$ price levels.
- nobody9999 3y ago
  >It's less that it enables being cheap, and more that it is just an extra revenue stream that isn't visible at the time of purchase so consumers don't realize it's there and can unknowingly get locked in, but this is equally true for both $ and $$$ price levels. Absolutely. cf. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/business/bmw-subscription/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/business/bmw-subscription/ind... as just one example of dozens, if not hundreds.
- vintermann 3y ago
  Consumer tests also don't give a damn about DRM typically.
  - franga2000 3y ago
    Not to mention it's impossible to find good consumer tests these days. Search results are 90 % SEO spam with affiliate links or "integrated advertising".
- wkat4242 3y ago
  True, the Xiaomi purifiers are actually not all that cheap. I have to say though, mine doesn't obey the DRM. It warns you if there is no sticker, but it works fine.
a_gnostic 3y ago
Only if you don't attach them to the handle.
smeej 3y ago
I see the point you're trying to make, but I don't think it's accurate. I don't think even those people want the DRM. They just don't realize the tradeoff they're making until it's too late.
- wnevets 3y ago
  > They just don't realize the tradeoff they're making until it's too late. Why aren't people doing the most basic of research before buying things?
  - nerdponx 3y ago
    Lack of options? Show me a shaving razor or printer or air filter that isn't gouging me on the price of consumables. Fundamentally you can make more money by overcharging for consumables and undercharging for the product itself, than you can by "fairly" charging for both. In any product or industry with high entry costs (read: low risk of new competitor market entrant showing up), many businesses realistically are going to leave that kind of money on the table?
    - lmpdev 3y ago
      A safety razor and a Brother B&W printer?
      - BenjiWiebe 3y ago
        I seem to remember hearing that Brother has also decided to start with the DRM. Or maybe that was color only, seeing as you specified B&W??
        genewitch 3y ago
        there allegedly is some electronics in the ink assembly that may interfere with using non-brother branded refills, but it is possible to swap the electronics from an old toner cart into the off-brand and it will work fine. I didn't have to do it with mine. Be aware that at least some brother lasers you have to replace another part every 10,000 sheets, which is the duration of two to five toner replacements. I am unsure if it's the heater or the laser or what.
api 3y ago
I've seen this strategy in airline ticket pricing too. If you fly a few times you figure out that some airlines appear cheap but they're just deferring the cost to later for luggage, seats, and amenities. It's unavoidable that if customers have behavior X, such as tending to go for the cheapest thing, sellers in the market will develop clever strategies to game that behavior. Retailers go so far as to research how the colors, shapes, and surface textures of packaging affect buying behavior, so of course they are also going to intensively study customer price sensitivity behavior too. I've learned that with a lot of things such as appliances, tools, and some electronics it's actually cheaper to buy the higher-end model. It's cheaper to buy one good one than two or three pieces of junk that break easily.
- 76SlashDolphin 3y ago
  But in the case of budget airlines you don't have to pay any extra fees if you can correctly manoeuvre around the website. As someone who can easily travel in a shoebox with just a backpack 99% of the time, I appreciate the fact I can save some money by foregoing extras I won't need. The only dastardly move they pull is when they use dark patterns to get technologically inept people to pay for extra stuff they don't need.
realusername 3y ago
> on the fan but not on the filters. DRM makes being the cheapest a viable business model I'd argue that this technique is borderline fraud. It plays against the common assumptions of what the product is without advertising it.
StableAlkyne 3y ago
> You'll also see this in action, without DRM, whenever you buy a razor You can get an old school safety razor for under $20 and it will last forever. They are what double sided razor blades (the kind you normally see used in movies to split cocaine) were designed to fit into. Good razor blades can be found at a rate of about $0.05-$0.10 per, and last about 4-5 shaves - for me at least - before they start going dull and pulling. They also get me as clean of a shave as any other razor Still not sure why people pay 10x more on cartridge systems, but maybe I'm just weird
- jrockway 3y ago
  I have used every type of razor. I definitely get the smoothest shave with the least effort with the cartridge types. Safety razors are OK, I don't cut myself a lot with them, but I feel like I never get the closeness that I want. Ultimately, electric razors are my favorite. You have to do a fair amount of work to get a close shave, but you also don't have to later up and you shove it in a charging base to clean it every day. I'm not sure it saves much money (when you replace the foils as recommended), but it is convenient and does a good enough job for me.

MostlyStable 3y ago

If this was restricted to the cheapest products, I'd maybe buy this, but this kind of behavior is littered across the entire price spectrum of a whole host of different products. It's less that it enables being cheap, and more that it is just an extra revenue stream that isn't visible at the time of purchase so consumers don't realize it's there and can unknowingly get locked in, but this is equally true for both $ and $$$ price levels.

nobody9999 3y ago
>It's less that it enables being cheap, and more that it is just an extra revenue stream that isn't visible at the time of purchase so consumers don't realize it's there and can unknowingly get locked in, but this is equally true for both $ and $$$ price levels. Absolutely. cf. https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/business/bmw-subscription/index.html https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/14/business/bmw-subscription/ind... as just one example of dozens, if not hundreds.
vintermann 3y ago
Consumer tests also don't give a damn about DRM typically.
- franga2000 3y ago
  Not to mention it's impossible to find good consumer tests these days. Search results are 90 % SEO spam with affiliate links or "integrated advertising".
wkat4242 3y ago
True, the Xiaomi purifiers are actually not all that cheap. I have to say though, mine doesn't obey the DRM. It warns you if there is no sticker, but it works fine.

a_gnostic 3y ago

Only if you don't attach them to the handle.

smeej 3y ago

I see the point you're trying to make, but I don't think it's accurate. I don't think even those people want the DRM. They just don't realize the tradeoff they're making until it's too late.

wnevets 3y ago
> They just don't realize the tradeoff they're making until it's too late. Why aren't people doing the most basic of research before buying things?
- nerdponx 3y ago
  Lack of options? Show me a shaving razor or printer or air filter that isn't gouging me on the price of consumables. Fundamentally you can make more money by overcharging for consumables and undercharging for the product itself, than you can by "fairly" charging for both. In any product or industry with high entry costs (read: low risk of new competitor market entrant showing up), many businesses realistically are going to leave that kind of money on the table?
  - lmpdev 3y ago
    A safety razor and a Brother B&W printer?
    - BenjiWiebe 3y ago
      I seem to remember hearing that Brother has also decided to start with the DRM. Or maybe that was color only, seeing as you specified B&W??
      - genewitch 3y ago
        there allegedly is some electronics in the ink assembly that may interfere with using non-brother branded refills, but it is possible to swap the electronics from an old toner cart into the off-brand and it will work fine. I didn't have to do it with mine. Be aware that at least some brother lasers you have to replace another part every 10,000 sheets, which is the duration of two to five toner replacements. I am unsure if it's the heater or the laser or what.

api 3y ago

I've seen this strategy in airline ticket pricing too. If you fly a few times you figure out that some airlines appear cheap but they're just deferring the cost to later for luggage, seats, and amenities. It's unavoidable that if customers have behavior X, such as tending to go for the cheapest thing, sellers in the market will develop clever strategies to game that behavior. Retailers go so far as to research how the colors, shapes, and surface textures of packaging affect buying behavior, so of course they are also going to intensively study customer price sensitivity behavior too. I've learned that with a lot of things such as appliances, tools, and some electronics it's actually cheaper to buy the higher-end model. It's cheaper to buy one good one than two or three pieces of junk that break easily.

76SlashDolphin 3y ago
But in the case of budget airlines you don't have to pay any extra fees if you can correctly manoeuvre around the website. As someone who can easily travel in a shoebox with just a backpack 99% of the time, I appreciate the fact I can save some money by foregoing extras I won't need. The only dastardly move they pull is when they use dark patterns to get technologically inept people to pay for extra stuff they don't need.

realusername 3y ago

> on the fan but not on the filters. DRM makes being the cheapest a viable business model I'd argue that this technique is borderline fraud. It plays against the common assumptions of what the product is without advertising it.

StableAlkyne 3y ago

> You'll also see this in action, without DRM, whenever you buy a razor You can get an old school safety razor for under $20 and it will last forever. They are what double sided razor blades (the kind you normally see used in movies to split cocaine) were designed to fit into. Good razor blades can be found at a rate of about $0.05-$0.10 per, and last about 4-5 shaves - for me at least - before they start going dull and pulling. They also get me as clean of a shave as any other razor Still not sure why people pay 10x more on cartridge systems, but maybe I'm just weird

jrockway 3y ago
I have used every type of razor. I definitely get the smoothest shave with the least effort with the cartridge types. Safety razors are OK, I don't cut myself a lot with them, but I feel like I never get the closeness that I want. Ultimately, electric razors are my favorite. You have to do a fair amount of work to get a close shave, but you also don't have to later up and you shove it in a charging base to clean it every day. I'm not sure it saves much money (when you replace the foils as recommended), but it is convenient and does a good enough job for me.