" Cosmetics are the classic case . They were teach in my undergraduate economic science class as the example of a Cartesian product that does n’t obey the usual provision / demand curve — they can sell better when the price is increase because the percept of timber is hard tied to monetary value . "
Recently, Reddit useru/MysteryMan999asked,“What’s something that is sold for $100 or more but the $50 or $20 version would do just as fine?”
Here are some of the top-voted answers:
1.“Corkscrews. There are tons of variations from electric to machined metals, but a basic corkscrew will open a bottle just fine in a matter of seconds.”
2.“Cast iron pans. You can come at me with all the ‘it’s lighter’ and ‘it’s smoother’ bullshit you want, but a Lodge 10-inch skillet is $25, cooks great, and will last a lifetime. There is just no way the $300 high-end pans are 10+ times better. The WHOLE POINT of cast iron is that it’s cheap and lasts forever.”
3.“For SOME medications, buy generic whenever you can!”
4.“Cosmetics are the classic case. They were taught in my undergraduate economics class as the classic example of a product that doesn’t obey the usual supply/demand curve — they can sell better when the price is increased because the perception of quality is heavily tied to cost.”
5.“A hammer. Unless you’re a professional carpenter or tradesperson who uses it constantly, a basic wood-handled hammer will do everything you need it to do for a lifetime. I still have one that was originally my grandfather’s, and it’s the first one I reach for on occasions when I need to drive a few nails.”
6.“HDMI leads. You can stick your gold-plated ones where the sun don’t shine.”
7.“Gym weights. Brand new ROGUE vs. rusted used. Still getting those summer biceps.”
8.“ANYTHING from a cellphone store (aka accessories). A few years ago, back when batteries were replaceable, I needed a new one and Verizon wanted $60+ for the replacement. I looked up the part number online and Walmart was selling the EXACT same battery for $11.”
9.“Sunglasses. I keep losing ‘em anyway.”
10.“Wine. It’s pretty easy to find a great bottle of wine for $100, without much effort or skill. However, if you know your stuff and put in some effort, you can absolutely get some great wine for $50 or even $20.”
11.“Drawing tablets. There are great options below $100 — Wacom isn’t the only option anymore.”
12.“I know it’s not sold for $100…but Vodka. The price point of vodka is set by popularity. My local liquor store had professional taste testers compare cheap to expensive vodka. They said there was no discernible difference between any of the triple distilled vodkas. When I was told this, I bought an expensive vodka and a cheap one. When I had a party I did a blind taste test with multiple people. It was literally half and half. The guy who swore he could tell the difference between Phillips and Grey Goose…picked the Phillips. Now when he goes to parties, he pours Phillips into his Grey Goose bottles. He said no one has ever noticed the difference and they think he’s generous for sharing his expensive vodka.”
13.“Not necessarily expensive, per se, but ‘Magic Erasers.’ You can get 100 melamine sponges for the price of 4 Magic Erasers on Amazon and they are the same thing.”
14.“Shower heads and tub spouts. Splurge on the shower body valve and go Moen or Delta, but any shower head and tub faucet is fine.”
And finally…
15.“I’ll go with anything you’re not actively betting your life on (like safety equipment, etc). Otherwise, you can get away with the bargain brand. But if you are betting your life on it, pay for quality since it’s cheaper than medical bills.”
Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity .
