CONSUMERISM RUN AMOK?
Is more always better?
What does this say to you about the mentality that obviously drives the lower and lower-middle classes?
Do you APPROVE or DISAPPROVE?
Or Don't You Care?
Tuesday, February 24, 2015
28 comments:
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Volume discounts are smart buys. I've nothing against them, or trying to stretch a buck. I do have a complaint against allowing the CostCo's and WalMarts of the world to monopolize these sales, instead of buyers buying them directly from the source. Retailers should be forced to pay a bulk "penalty," instead of being allowed an even "greater" bulk discount.
ReplyDeleteBuying in bulk is cheaper. What's wrong with that?
ReplyDeleteIt's fine if you have a big family, and consume rapidly, but handling a 55 gallon drum of olive oil, or a ten quart jar of Mayonnaise, or a five gallon bottle of Ketchup, or a 55 gallon drum of dishwashing detergent is not only awkward, it axes the average consumer's strength to the max -- and beyond -- and THEN where the HELL do you STORE these vast quantities. No ordinary kitchen or laundry room could possibly HOLD all that.
DeleteBesides, -- as the funny cartoon whimsically indicates -- it's GROSS (i.e. coarse, vulgar, excessive, etc.) to live like that, UNLESS you're running an INSTITUTION.
Haven't been to Costco have you?
DeleteI've done much shopping at Sam's Club (Delaware and North Carolina) and Price Club (Long Island).
DeleteIs there an appreciable difference between those and Costco?
FT,
DeleteAround here, Costco used to be called Price Club.
I know zero about Sam's Club.
Nothing wrong with looking for value. It does seems more reasonable (as well as more supportive of capitalism) to look to find value at your local independent venders and retailers.
ReplyDeleteNot a supporter of huge nationals that seek to monopolize markets and shut down completion. Rationale should be obvious.
While I would never advocate government-generated "restraint of trade," for ANY reason, as a matter of principle, I agree that these gigantic corporations have in fact virtually killed Small-Town America and the Mom and Pop stores and local industries that went with it.
DeleteI grew up before all these vulgar, bullying forms of merchandising came into vogue, and I assure you life was sweeter, kinder, gentler, more intimate and FAR more pleasant on every level when most things were developed and managed on the LOCAL level.
THE biggest problem is the huge increase of CENTRALIZED POWER be it in GOVERNMENT -- OR -- INDUSTRY.
In general BIG is BAD, while SMALL is SWELL.
All of this began with Industrialization. Don't know quite what we could do about it. There's no going back, of course, and the Good Ol' days, when the streets were dirt roads full of horse turds, instead of Concrete and MacAdam choked with gasoline fumes, may not have been all that great either.
You know that COSTCO doesn't primarily engage in merchandising, right? It's a warehouse outlet. I don't know about your market but they don't even advertise here.
DeleteI think it shows a healthy mentality if the "middle and lower classes" use toilet paper to wipe their asses.
ReplyDeleteWhat do the upper class use? $100 bills or their Wall Street Journal?
Now that's funny!
DeleteI use the Wall Street Journal! LOL!
DeleteJMJ
Jersey, Wall Street Journal?
DeleteWe thought it would be more like High Times!
Excuse me?
DeleteJMJ
Johannes "Shonny" Westerveldt said
DeleteThere is no excuse for you.
JMJ,
DeleteI use the Wall Street Journal! LOL!
Does it flush -- or are you using an outhouse?
Cascara Segrada said
DeleteHe's using what he vainly imagines to be "wit."
Jersey McJones is a brutish caveman who lowers the level of discourse wherever he imposes his hulking, low-IQ presence.
DeleteIt is without doubt very comical Sum Ting Wong.
ReplyDeleteI fail to understand how you relate this to class, specifically lower to lower-middle class. The COSTCO demographic is targeted at the upper-middle class and COSTCO is the largest seller of fine wines ($600 million in sales).
ReplyDeleteYou might be surprised to know that 54% of CostCo's Wholesale Club (CWC) members are considered wealthy, or "affluent", with only 15% just "getting by" or "poor". Approximately 24% businesses, 76% individual consumers. Even though business customers drive about 60% of CostCo's revenue, about half of that is for home use, so it's about 30% business revenue and 70% individual consumer revenue. 35% of CWC members have 2 person households. 56% have three or more in their home. The average salary of a Costco member is $95,333.
Regrettably, the time has come to pass,
DeleteWhen "affluence" has naught to do with "class."
Just because one may now dine on quiche
Doesn't mean one's not just nouveau riche!
Capiche? ;-)
Well the Scullery, Still Room, and Kitchen maids don't seem to mind Costco. Just sayin ;)
DeleteI don't shop at Costco for three reasons -- although Mr. AOW and I did hold a membership there for one year (Price Club days):
ReplyDelete1. There is no location close to me.
2. The parking lot at Costco is jammed -- and filled with dangerous drivers. Madwomen and madmen, I tell ya!
3. With only two people in this household, I have found that I have no place to store those bulk purchases. Hell, we don't have a freezer here other than the fridge-top freezer. What would I do with those huge packs of meat? I do miss the deals we could get on clothing and on electronics, however.
The above said, several of the homeschool families shop at Costco; most homeschool families are big families and/or entertain a lot. I get my clients' "leftovers," however. Practical for both these families and the AOW household.
PS: Costco's chocolate cake is die for! I say this even though I've far from being a chocoholic.
About that graphic....Hang the toilet paper the other way so that the cats don't unravel the entire roll. Heh.
ReplyDeleteI should say that I do buy in bulk at PetSmart, which is located less than two miles from our house. Very handicapped-friendly, too, so Mr. AOW usually does with me.
ReplyDeleteHang the toilet paper the other way so that the cats don't unravel the entire roll.
ReplyDeleteThat's funny AOW. Wasn't it Miss Manners or Ann Landers who advocated hanging the roll of toilet paper to unroll over the top, if you were into a properly appointed bathroom?
I was a member of Costco for a number of years then stopped because of the bulk purchases that turn you home into a warehouse instead of the more modern idea of "just in time inventory". But we have rejoined again because the prices are hard to beat elsewhere.
We ive in a relatively small city with two crowded Costcos. And it's true about dangerous drivers in the parking lot. Last year some senior lady put her car in reverse and had to cross the width of the parking lot before crashing through the front doors and hitting people killing one or two and seriously injuring others.
Waylon,
DeleteMiss Manners or Ann Landers might well have said so. I myself prefer the roll to toilet paper to unroll over the top. Works better for unrolling, then tearing off.
Red Battler said
Delete"I myself prefer the roll to toilet paper to unroll over the top."
Frankly, my dear, I don't give a shit.