2008 Woodie Awards
Where Prices are Cheaper, So are Customers: Why is Consumerism Dying in America?
Brian O’Connor
Issue date: 2/9/05 Section: Perspectives
As Nixon opened the doors to American trade with Communist China in the mid-Seventies, a flood of American businesses moved their production to the nation. Once able to make their products in China, businesses saved billions by paying their foreign customers less than half of what their American counterparts once made. Production for companies such as Sony, Toshiba, and retailers Gap and Old Navy, to name a few, moved their factories to China, Southeast Asia, and India. In 2004 alone, the Wal-Mart Company made over $18 Billion from goods made in China. Goods became increasingly flimsy, and the craftsmanship wrought from sweatshops overseas made American consumers increasingly wary of the durability of their products. As the economy slipped in 2000, many companies began to not only outsource their production, but their customer service lines as well. To date, Dell has a majority of their technical support staff in nations such as India and Indonesia in order to pay their employees less. While cost-cutting is an age old practice by successful companies, Dell risks losing significant patronage by irritated customers.
As we at Manhattan approach the twilight of our teen years, we stand ready to enter a world where our business no longer matters, our problems no longer concern companies, and our patronage is no longer appreciated. Everywhere we go, we become more aware that we are meaningless in the eyes of businesses: pizzerias scuttle you out of their lines, fast food restaurants are decorated in ways that compel us to leave, subway doors close on you, and goods are almost expected to break. The fact of the matter is, many businessmen lost the idea that a loyal consumer base is key to constant profits, as people are now expendable. Competition is no longer an intimidating force for businesses, as they assume that people will not be so annoyed at the disservices they encounter that they feel the need to stop going.
How exactly did this happen?
I remember hearing that the customer was always right, and that pizza places wrote "we thank you for your patronage" on their boxes. It seemed to me that since I am the consumer, my interest in buying their product should be treated graciously. In the Wal-Mart era of consumerism, we as Americans are willing to settle for less: we buy bulk in warehouses, we go to "Super Centers" and come out with $100 in assorted products, and we end up in Supermarkets. In decades long gone, general stores, butcher's shops, and grocery stores would be the standard stops for errand running. These locally-based stores cared more about their customers, since the people behind the counters were your next-door neighbors. These stores cared about the community, because they themselves were the community. As major companies infiltrated tiny towns and neighborhoods, the butcher closed, the general store went bankrupt, and the grocery store was demolished. Faceless companies came in with bigger discounts, imported employees, and ambivalence towards their customers. Chain-stores realize that customer satisfaction is unnecessary, since there is always another store in the chain a few miles away doing marginal business.
As capitalism overtook consumerism, people began to settle for less. While chain-stores often provide marginal discounts over local businesses, whatever we save in money we lose in patience. They sell discounted goods for people who do not mind being discounted - as prices become cheaper, so does the customer.
As we at Manhattan approach the twilight of our teen years, we stand ready to enter a world where our business no longer matters, our problems no longer concern companies, and our patronage is no longer appreciated. Everywhere we go, we become more aware that we are meaningless in the eyes of businesses: pizzerias scuttle you out of their lines, fast food restaurants are decorated in ways that compel us to leave, subway doors close on you, and goods are almost expected to break. The fact of the matter is, many businessmen lost the idea that a loyal consumer base is key to constant profits, as people are now expendable. Competition is no longer an intimidating force for businesses, as they assume that people will not be so annoyed at the disservices they encounter that they feel the need to stop going.
How exactly did this happen?
I remember hearing that the customer was always right, and that pizza places wrote "we thank you for your patronage" on their boxes. It seemed to me that since I am the consumer, my interest in buying their product should be treated graciously. In the Wal-Mart era of consumerism, we as Americans are willing to settle for less: we buy bulk in warehouses, we go to "Super Centers" and come out with $100 in assorted products, and we end up in Supermarkets. In decades long gone, general stores, butcher's shops, and grocery stores would be the standard stops for errand running. These locally-based stores cared more about their customers, since the people behind the counters were your next-door neighbors. These stores cared about the community, because they themselves were the community. As major companies infiltrated tiny towns and neighborhoods, the butcher closed, the general store went bankrupt, and the grocery store was demolished. Faceless companies came in with bigger discounts, imported employees, and ambivalence towards their customers. Chain-stores realize that customer satisfaction is unnecessary, since there is always another store in the chain a few miles away doing marginal business.
As capitalism overtook consumerism, people began to settle for less. While chain-stores often provide marginal discounts over local businesses, whatever we save in money we lose in patience. They sell discounted goods for people who do not mind being discounted - as prices become cheaper, so does the customer.