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Assuming both that it works and that one wants to do a prodigious amount of enterprise sales, this is probably something which is actually easier to sell to com
by patio11 12y ago
Assuming both that it works and that one wants to do a prodigious amount of enterprise sales, this is probably something which is actually easier to sell to comparatively rich countries rather than comparatively non-rich countries. Illinois and much of the Midwest has substantial annual expenditures on mosquito abatement, partially through habitat destruction and partly through periodically spraying after e.g. substantial rainfall or when residents get particularly bothered. A single truck roll to e.g. a park pond costs them several hundred dollars. They might repeat that several times in the season. 1,000 of these devices at $10 apiece and $25 per deployment (I know that sounds high, but government work, what can I say) costs "rounding error."
Potential problems: There is the perpetual issue with all government work, which is that one can't ever propose doing it too efficiently, lest one discover that there exists a margin at which the government is happy to inflict more mosquito bites as long as it allows it to continue awarding easy, well-paying jobs to favored constituents.
Anyhow, I assume that after you start ordering these in lots of 100k you can get it closer to the pennies-per-household-protected figure that it has to reach to be achievable for the largest fraction of folks worrying about malaria.
- sambeau 12y agoI would buy one for my neighbours pond so I could once again sleep with the window open and I live in rural England.
- cma 12y ago$5 of screen or netting and you are good to go...
- atmosx 12y ago> [..] this is probably something which is actually easier to sell to comparatively rich countries rather than comparatively non-rich countries. If you compare Switzerland (rich country) to Ethiopia (poor country) that's true for anything I can think of.
- rahimnathwani 12y agoThe economics term 'inferior good' refers to one which has negative income elasticity of demand, i.e. a good for which an individual's demand falls as their income rises. Of course, which goods are inferior will vary depending on where you are on the scale. Someone may consume more margarine as they become more affluent, but at some point they may switch to butter or an olive-based spread. At this point in the scale, margarine has a negative income elasticity of demand.
- BrandonMarc 12y agoWhile it's true poor countries might not buy this, that's where were I selling it I'd make it a BOGO (buy-one-give-one) setup, such that for every unit sold I'd send one to Panama (i.e. to a charity fighting malaria in a malaria-ridden country). As a benefit, working through a charity should reduce the likelihood of corruption getting in the way. (should ...) As I recall the solar-flashlight outfit had a similar plan - for each one sold, they'd send one to rural Africa. http://inhabitat.com/bogolight-solar-powered-flashlight/ http://inhabitat.com/bogolight-solar-powered-flashlight/ NOTE - I don't know if the bogo-light organization is still around, but the overall concept seems reasonable enough.