Beyond a Reasonable Cost

By Edgardo Hernandez  Jr.
Blog Content Contributor

Over the years, we have witnessed companies rise and advance their production from all areas. Whether it be technology or clothing, there has been a constant wave of new products going out to the public. As per usual, new products bring higher prices; is that necessarily a bad thing? Yes, it is! Spending more money that you don’t have is just what anybody needs. However, does this mean cheaper products are worth investing in? No, it doesn’t. Spending money you don’t have on things that hardly last is just as bad.

Unfortunately, we have all fallen victim to this process of deciding which way to lean towards: the cheaper option or the more expensive option. Many people think that the more expensive a product is, the better the quality and the longer it will last. For the most part, this is true, though not everyone has the money to buy these products and settle for a cheaper solution. Now, how did we get in this situation where we either buy a good item or buy several bad items?

Story Time.

Around the 1950s-1960s, the year of firsts were arriving and all types of technological advances were being announced. TVs, washers, refrigerators, and cars all sprang out and captivated audiences into buying one of their own, even if it meant setting aside rent. I don’t blame them, those were cool inventions!

In those times, a family only needed to buy a product once since manufacturers made their product practically indestructible. These features were great for us; but for the company, that meant less products sold and less money coming in.

Therefore, many companies had manufacturers downgrade their products to have a shorter lifespan and get the public to buy more often. They believed audiences were so fascinated by new products, that sacrificing quality would still turn a profit. It was a crazy idea, but just as companies wanted, their products failed and people raced to get another one. Soon, there only existed two options: either buy something expensive and of good quality or cheap and of bad quality.

This method of production soon sprouted over the year into other areas, such as clothing. Just as fashion started getting popular, and people cared about the things they wore, products lost their durability. Some companies sell products where you wear twice and they are worn out, but people continuously shop there since it is cheap, such as: Forever 21, A’Gaci, Papaya.

Even in today’s world, companies sacrifice a little and rise their prices more than ever. Products are made to eventually wear out and keep the public buying more. This goes for clothes, cars, laptops, and (most importance to our current generation) our phones. Apple has become the master of this technique since the iPhone costs so much and only last until their next version is announced or less.

What can fix this? Unfortunately, regarding Apple, they currently have everyone under their umbrella and it is difficult to get out. With clothing stores, all options considered, it would be best to sacrifice a little and get the product of better quality, if possible. It might cost a bit more, but you will save yourself of extra expenses in the long run.

Featured illustration by Asia Daggs.