Paradox: As buyers we want low prices – and that’s what we’ll get when we sell

We tend to choose the lowest prices we can find. An item may be not quite so pretty or well made as we might like it to be, or it may be produced in China under nebulous conditions – but as consumers, if we can find a product that’s a bit cheaper, we will often choose it over a more expensive version, that’s made the way it ought to be.

Likewise, we like flexibility. We want to order and have goods delivered at short notice. We want be able to change our mind. As consumers we don’t need to be loyal. We can pick and choose and shop around for the best offer. 

When we sell stuff, we experience that other side of this. We may want to do a good job, we may feel that we should have a decent pay for the work we’re doing. It would bother us to produce something that was not made in a decent quality. We try to build long terms relations and understand our customers.

Yet we experience that it’s nearly impossible to compete against cheap, low quality manufacturers in developing countries, or against companies that save costs by cutting corners on salaries or working conditions for their employees.

Why? Because that’s what we choose when we are buyers.