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Comment by ASalazarMX | Hacker News Reader

Consumers are actually the problem, just as voters are the main cause of bad politicians. Most people will say they want one thing, but actually want another. They want robust appliances, but they will buy the 199.99 ones, which forces even the most honest manufacturer into a race to the bottom, unless they target the luxury segment.

An airline which I can't recall, found the same: people say the want more leg room or other comfort, but when it's the time to pay, most end up choosing the cheapest ticket.

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> They want robust appliances, but they will buy the 199.99 ones

That's unfair for many people. Not only do robust appliances cost significantly more, you also need to figure out which significantly more expensive model is also robust. You can't easily sample and replace a fridge when it's not the ideal one.

> found the same: people say the want more leg room or other comfort, but when it's the time to pay, most end up choosing the cheapest ticket.

There's nothing weird about it. Premium economy on the flight to my family is 2-3x the price on an already expensive flight. For my parents that's effectively equivalent to choosing: "visit once a year, or every 3 years".

This view of customers are the problem, they don't spend enough feels really bad - a disconnect of what people can realistically spend money on. There's many who need to consciously save for a few months to buy the $199 appliance.

Can't speak for others, but I rarely buy the cheapest option for any kind of appliance... some, sure, when there are not any truly better options. I mean, I don't necessarily want to go all the way up to commercial models, but there's got to be some room for in-between.

I remember buying a washer-dryer a while back and the sales person was like, "this is kind of the Cadillac model." To which I responded, "what do you have in a Buick?"

It just sucks pretty much knowing that the "X-year" warranty won't actually cover the control board that changes every model year that is the most likely thing to break just outside of warranty anyway, or even if sooner, you won't be able to get replaced.

The main burner went out in my range (top cracked) and I'm pulling my hair out on picking a replacement oven/range... There are too many options, and quality is all over the map, even in the same brand/model from year to year. These things should have lifetimes measured in decades.

if consumers are the problem. Where can I buy one of those fridge that works for 50 years? Seems like the market is missing quality good.... could this be the problem?

You're not going to find that in the consumer segment at all, the pressures are too great - even if you're going more upscale like Miele or Bosch.

If you want a fridge that lasts 50 years, go to the commercial segment instead. It'll cost a lot and likely isn't great for day-to-day use, but that's the best you'll get.

> Consumers are actually the problem, just as voters are the main cause of bad politicians

Voters do not know that politician X worked for company Y before getting into politics and do not know that politician X will work again for Y or for Z after his mandate is over.

Consumers can only buy what is available. And quality is gone for good in military industrially capitalism.

One can be happy if the product lives the live it was designed to.

Part of why it's important to be more involved at the local level... You may not know your senator, but you can definitely know your city/local govt, your local party reps, etc... and they will often know the candidates better than most.

There's a lot of effort in the grassroots of both major parties, and in third parties to displace the establishment. It takes effort and local involvement. Most simply aren't and don't care.

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