- #36
master_coda
- 591
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Originally posted by phatmonky
Actually, this practice is illegal against under the sherman antitrust law.
Yes, but these laws are rarely applied. The anti-trust laws are like speeding laws. They're selectively applied, nothing more than a slap on the wrist, and they don't really stop people from breaking the law.
The idea that "good enough" is "the best product" is absurd. In a society where everyone was completely informed that might be true, but in life things are quite the opposite.
Most of the time, people purchase products they know little about. Look at the computer industry. Almost all the money spent on computers come from people who know practically nothing about how computers actually work. So why should manufacturers make high-quality parts for people who can't tell the difference?
Besides, people mostly think short-term when they make purchases. If you can reduce the price of a product 20% by reducing the expected lifetime by 80%, it would be a good move. The majority will buy the cheaper product.