<p>I'd look into the concept of "Planned Obsolescence." It's true that products are not made to withstand the same rigour as in previous decades. </p>

<p>I'm not a fan of the cheap stuff (read: junk) so I personally vote with my dollars and stay away from it. Thus, fuelling the premium product market... but ultimately longer-lasting products. IMO. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T18:57:22.370Z
2015-04-17T18:57:22.370Z
Jastor
<h3>Is this what we're going to face?</h3>

<p>You're not forced to buy cheap low-quality products. There is still a market for high-quality but expensive products. If demand shifts in the future, we're not going to face this in the foreseeable future. Economics itself is horrible at predicting, and since this isn't mainly an Economic equation, but mostly depends on consumer preferences and politics - who knows?</p>

<h3>Is this a <em>bad</em> thing to happen?</h3>

<p>Slightly on a tangent, your wording makes this sounds like a bad thing to happen. By revealed preferences, it is not. Unless you can make a case for a reason why people are forced to buy the low-quality goods, or why the supply of these goods has a negative externality on high-quality goods, that is.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T14:05:41.430Z
I mean, look at car components, or home appliances. You are lucky if your average water heater survives for more than 4/5 years. I've got the impression that a great percentage of the market is shifting to Made in China components, and I'm not only talking about lowcost products
ed0
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T14:07:34.150Z
Well, maybe what I'm complainig about is just a side effect of our "disposable" economy
ed0
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T13:39:35.183Z
2015-04-17T13:39:35.183Z
FooBar
<p>It's true that now we can purchase a whole load of useless stuff spending less than in the past, but is it really worth it? It feels like you buy something and the next day it's already broken.
Is this what we're going to face in a foreseeable future?</p>

<p>EDIT: this IS indeed funny, so many butthurt economists randomly downvoting...
At least try to expose your thesis</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T15:17:35.143Z
Honestly, I don't really see a question here. Looks more like a rant to me. Why is stuff useless? How do you answer is it really worth it? In the end we are all dead and so the answer is: no, probably not.
The Almighty Bob
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-04-17T21:00:41.930Z
Well, I guess I could have been a bit more clear: the main point is , although the price of everyday goods has decreased, the quality has stepped down as well. Are we to expect a further reduction of quality/price ratio?
ed0
<macroeconomics>
Chinese products: are we lowering our everyday life quality?
ed0
# Chinese products: are we lowering our everyday life quality?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-04-17)

It's true that now we can purchase a whole load of useless stuff spending less than in the past, but is it really worth it? It feels like you buy something and the next day it's already broken.
Is this what we're going to face in a foreseeable future?

EDIT: this IS indeed funny, so many butthurt economists randomly downvoting...
At least try to expose your thesis

**Tags:** macroeconomics
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Honestly, I don't really see a question here. Looks more like a rant to me. Why is stuff useless? How do you answer is it really worth it? In the end we are all dead and so the answer is: no, probably not.  
> **username_0**: Well, I guess I could have been a bit more clear: the main point is , although the price of everyday goods has decreased, the quality has stepped down as well. Are we to expect a further reduction of quality/price ratio?  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2015-04-17. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

I'd look into the concept of "Planned Obsolescence." It's true that products are not made to withstand the same rigour as in previous decades.

I'm not a fan of the cheap stuff (read: junk) so I personally vote with my dollars and stay away from it. Thus, fuelling the premium product market... but ultimately longer-lasting products. IMO.


---

### Answer by username_3 on 2015-04-17. Score: 1

### Is this what we're going to face?

You're not forced to buy cheap low-quality products. There is still a market for high-quality but expensive products. If demand shifts in the future, we're not going to face this in the foreseeable future. Economics itself is horrible at predicting, and since this isn't mainly an Economic equation, but mostly depends on consumer preferences and politics - who knows?

### Is this a *bad* thing to happen?

Slightly on a tangent, your wording makes this sounds like a bad thing to happen. By revealed preferences, it is not. Unless you can make a case for a reason why people are forced to buy the low-quality goods, or why the supply of these goods has a negative externality on high-quality goods, that is.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: I mean, look at car components, or home appliances. You are lucky if your average water heater survives for more than 4/5 years. I've got the impression that a great percentage of the market is shifting to Made in China components, and I'm not only talking about lowcost products  
> **username_0**: Well, maybe what I'm complainig about is just a side effect of our "disposable" economy  

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