Rant 140 19/5/12 Subject: Playing with demand

Rant number 140


The tricks that people play in the high street really do grind my gears. I think though though that the worse one of all is playing with demand.

I was going to buy a game today from a shop in town - only to find that they have all sold out - alongside all of the other retail outlets.

I mean, did they not expect people to want to buy the product?

Of course they did, but they are playing games with demand.

This kind of trick gets played all of the time by people who release their new products - trying to increase demand and keep it high by holding back stock.

Now that would work well for me, except - I'm not really that impatient. I'll just hang on until I can get it - or my enthusiasm to purchase it runs out.

You can't tell me though, that the companies who manufacture popular products like games cannot produce enough to satisfy demand: that's just bull.

Games are sold on DVD's - which are one of the cheapest commodities in the Western world, there is no shortage of these available now are there? Even we as the general public are able to buy blank DVD's for pence these days.

No - the reason they do it, is to try and keep the price up and to create a 'hype,' so that people will purchase through their expensive online store. They did the same thing with the Nintendo Wii - and milked the marketing strategy for bloody ages - like years. This served a double purpose of increasing demand and of helping to mask the shortcomings in the game lineups and hardware.

Its really not that bloody hard to ascertain that you need to make more of a product that is popular and use the chuff loads of money you have made to make more, but they won't until they feel that the strategy is at the end of its run.

I hate being played for a mug by anyone, and just think these silly games are stupid. I have no plans to stop attending the high street - but this kind of thing is just more likely to send me towards using online services exclusively.

Then there is the fact that it panders into the hands of the unscrupulous bastards on eBay, the fraudsters and those who break copy protection. Short sighted strategies do damage in the long run every time.

It really annoys me.

Rant over.

Rant 65 - 05/3/12 Subject: eBay

Rant number 65


There is a scourge among us boys and girls. It's big - in fact: huge, its multifaceted and its full of crap.
I refer of course, to eBay.

Like many of you, I find it hard to remember a time before it was possible to buy from the worldwide jumble sale - which eBay is - but I do like to.

At its very best, eBay is a great way of getting things second hand at a great price.
At its worst, it is a wonderland of delusional bollocks.

You see, people in general do not occupy the place that I like to call 'reality.' As such, they are sure that things they should buy should cost nothing, and the things they sell should be worth their weight in gold.

But it just doesn't work like that.

eBay is also so incredibly flooded with shite - that it takes almost endless sortation - just to get close to the things you actually want. Put ipod in for instance, and you will see just about every possible accessory you can think of - for pence from china, before you ever get anywhere near the actual products. When you then get there, it will probably not actually be any cheaper than buying it - without the hassle.

The reason for this is generally beyond me. I just don't get it. People will pay more for an item they have bid on - than if they had used a buy it now listing - which involves less effort and takes less time.

Then there are the snipers of course. People wait until seconds before the listing ends before putting in their bid in order to obscure the correct amounts they wish to bid. There is even specialist software made to do this these days.

Finally, there is the expectation that anything listed on eBay is of value - when generally it isn't. Spend 20 minutes on eBay and you will find some right old shit that some fool will pay for.

The whole thing is an addictive mess!

Rant over.