Damn, my washing machine broke the other day. Nevermind I thought, they are so cheap these days, I can easily buy another one without breaking the bank. Now as it happens my now broken washing machine was generously given to me so I at the time didn’t have the luxury of choosing it.
Upon shopping around on the net I started to look more closely at the different brands and models and all the myriad of features they offered. What made one better than another and why were some up to 6 or even 7 times the cost of others? The simple answer, features and quality. This is the point where you feel completely overwhelmed trying to choose a product that both suits your needs, will last, and one that won’t make you feel like you have been ripped off in the process.
Ok let’s backtrack a bit here, why are things like washing machines, vacuum cleaners, microwaves and laptops so much cheaper these days? I remember when a laptop was the preserve of yuppies with flash cars. I originally thought it was because of a greater demand. I guess that is somewhat true, but my conclusion is it has more to do with giving the customer what they want at the price they want (or can afford) to pay.
So is there a negative cost to buying a vacuum cleaner for £30 and a laptop for £350? Definitely, and I think we have got so used to paying lower prices we forget why they are so low and expect the cheap product to last the lifetime of a quality product. Something like a washing machine used to last for years and families would have to stump up quite a fortune to own one, it was a big deal. Ok I’m not saying it still isn’t a chunk of money to buy something like a washing machine or laptop but they are a lot more accessible these days.
Ok, obviously what I am really getting at here is our perception of the cost of a quality product. We have been tricked into thinking that cheap is good and we will still get a good product. With our wallets we have affected production processes and services, which have forced corners to be cut to fit what we can afford or the price we want to pay rather than have to pay.
In the present financial climate it’s difficult to choose what seems expensive over something that is low priced. However, buy cheap, buy twice or even thrice. Unfortunately this cannot apply to something like wedding photography as you only have one chance at it. At least with a product you can replace it, with a one off service it could be a long term regret. Rather than this end sounding like I am trying to scare you, just consider carefully what a cheap price will give you. If you are offered the earth, be suspicious. A higher price is usually a sign of quality and assurance. Like the Stella Artois adverts used to say: “Reassuringly Expensive.”
By the way I bought a good quality and more expensive German branded washing machine in the end.
They don’t make them like they used to
