The designated price of something seems to be purely notional to me, derived from the markets best guess of what the punters can be conned into paying. This is particularly true of the fashion trade & high end labels & stores selling to people with far more money than taste or sense. The wealthy will seemingly pay anything if they think something is a one off bespoke article - e.g. the Art trade. It's all about having something no one else has.
It has always baffled me why people can't see the "Emperor's New Clothes" aspect to this. Expensive, glossy magazines are full of what I can only describe as dreadful "fashion" items where form triumphs over function to the point of absurdity. (I've recently spent a lot of time in an orthodontists waiting room, so I know). Just how many watches, handbags, jewellery items, shoes, make up items etc does any one person really need. Do they really need bling to make them feel important & valued. If so their money would be better spent on a good analyst because they need to value themselves for what they are not what they can spend or ostentatiously wear.
Canny shoppers have realised that they don't need to pay the RRP for anything now. But are they really getting bargains, or were the goods overpriced in the first place? Will items hold their value or plummet the moment you use them - cars for example? Todays mantra seems to be "if you've got it flaunt it". What a sad form of "one upmanship".
The dichotomy between the "Have's" & the Have not's" in the world today has become offensive. I'm sure the Have's would read this & come up with all sorts of reasons why they are generating wealth & increasing trade, providing jobs & ensuring their money trickles down to the poor & disadvantaged. It's complete B......s. I might believe it if they gave away as much as they spend on themselves & really showed that they valued people as much as themselves.
Rolex Lady Perlmaster £39.280.00
Really?????It's a watch - It's function is to tell the time.
I would imagine that there are plenty of people reading this and recalling products which seemed so important to own at the time of purchase but which later fell out of favour or use and then wondered why they ever bought it in the first place.
ReplyDeleteSometimes, we get whipped-up into a frenzy of 'must-have' buying but the ones who seem to have 'plenty of money' are often the ones who buy needlessly or thoughtlessly. If one is of limited means, where every coin has to buy something of real value or necessity, the frivolities are rarely bought.
If one is in the business of selling a product made personally and is the only income, then it has to be in sufficient volumes & margin to provide a living-wage but unfortunately, greed plays it's part atop of all other national requirements ... and then there is competition! Very few British manufacturers can compete in selling goods at an appropriate margin, against far eastern manufacture!
Tough call.