[AndrewKemendo]

It’s the same problem…short term thinking. However it’s lopsided - the consumer can’t think long term because they are increasingly squeezed financially, so companies Race to the bottom for penny pinching consumers - driving wages further down or outsourcing altogether.

It’s a vicious cycle

[biomcgary]

Part of the short-term thinking is because reviews can be gamed. Why would I buy an expensive thing, if I don't have a reliable signal that it is higher quality and worth the extra cost? Price is a clear signal, reputation for quality is not.

[throwaway173738]

If you can handle the object you can also judge quality. I buy hand tools at specific stores and I pick the tool up and examine it for failure modes. I’ve broken cheap sledge hammers and framing hammers before so I try to be careful. It’s really important to look at the grain of the wood in the handle

[astrange]

Americans are increasingly higher income and more able to afford consumer products, not "increasingly squeezed financially".