This article is about small purchases where one prefers to buy obviously bad quality over a little more expensive but seemingly more durable alternative.
I suggest that this contributes to making people poorer over a lifetime because these things are more likely to deteriorate in a way that they loose their functionality completely. Whereas well made things have a higher probability that they will last or will lose functionality only partially – ideally it can be repaired by oneself.
A couple of years ago, I bought a set of pens which had a brand mechanical pencil made of plastic in it.
The pen’s surface is very slippery and over time the tip which holds the lead has become wobbly, the paint has chipped and its lost its eraser lid; on its own it would have cost 6 €. Before that I had one mechanical pencil for 10 € that broke down. When I would have bought a mechanical pen of better quality it would have cost me at least 16 €. Selling the plastic one in its present condition would be too much effort compared to the possible gain. Had I bought a decent mechanical pencil in the beginning I would have paid the same amount of 16 € but it would be most likely still functioning. Not counted the loss because of loosing things in itself.
The pain of parting money to invest in higher quality items may seem hard, but being frustrated consistently by occurrences of bad quality over a lifetime may be the worse deal. As they say: Constant dripping wears away the stone.
I know that a higher price does not indicate a better quality in itself. Also, one has to have a surplus of money to be able to buy a more expensive item if the cheaper one can function just as well. I also know that the price for the end customer contains all the costs and proper profit compared to its manufacturing, shipping and selling costs.
To put it concisely: How many of the things that are in ones current possession could last a lifetime and would be suitable as heirlooms? This would shield heirs from buying them – many pennies make a dollar, more so over a lifetime. Sadly, the cheap stuff will most likely end up in the landfill. Buying things is a bet on their perseverance.
Anything you buy will need some kind of attention and maintenance. When it is designed well in terms of functionality and durability, life can flow more easily.