Community Chat

[Citrine1]

I agree that greeting cards are outragously expensive, but I tend to think everything is overpriced these days.  Gas, bread, meat, produce, cable, electricity, hotel rooms -- you name it, it costs too much.

[willdob3]

@gellen

EVERYTHING costs more than it should. Even at the dollar stores. It is about making a profit. 

[Havarti]

I totally agree about the price of greeting cards.  I have a large rush of birthdays every fall and was shocked to see the cards were $7.99 - even at Target.  We all decided this year that it was a complete waste of money since cards just get tossed, so we agreed going forward no more cards for special days, just a personal call will mean more.  I stopped sending Christmas cards years ago so that is no longer a factor.  I would imagine a sympathy card would still be in order, but hope I won't need any of those for a long time.

[Krimpette]

I make my own greeting cards, so I haven't shopped for them in a long time.  However, given what I pay for kits/supplies, I'm not surprised to hear of some of the prices!  But I love sending (and receiving) greeting cards!  No matter the cost.

[Warrior2022]

Toliet paper is just money flushed away.

[ScrapHappy]

I get my cards from Dollar Tree.  They used to have them for 50 cents and then others at a $1,  But not they are $1 and $2 . 

[cherry]

To quote a famous actress, I am an old broad, and in my entire life, people never shouted ,whoopie we are so lucky  to be alive now, because, everything is so cheap. Everything has always been expensive, and it is always going to be

[Sooner]

I think things cost what they cost.  How do you judge "should?"  Isn't that something everyone decides for themselves?

How can you possibly say what something is worth to someone else?  Maybe it is the design, the quality of the paper, the pleasure of buying the card at a real stationery store?

Maybe it is a car you love, the way it drives, looks, or the safety rating.  Maybe you like buying from the dealer and money is not the motivating factory.

Maybe you like the coffee, or the look of the machine, or it was a pleasurable experience where you bought it and the demo of what it would they would.  Or they gift wrapped it beautifully.

What "should" anything cost, or how "should" we make buying decisions?  Is there a rule for everyone?  I really doubt any two of us buy something for exactly the same value, economic situation, reason, need, or want.  

[MorningLover]

Cosmetics

Bottled Water

Lattés

Furniture

Razor Blade Refills

Anything to Eat or Drink at an Amusement Park,

Cinemas/Theaters ..popcorn

etc..etc..

[Porcelain]

Any time they can catch you when you're in a rush or a captive audience, they will charge you out the wazoo!

So with cards, generally people are in a bit of a rush to get the card in the mail on time. (Though I at least like to imagine myself casually being in a boutique and happening to see the perfect card for someone well in advance of a special date--doesn't ususally happen that way.) So they charge a premium because they know you won't price comparison shop.

Printer ink, razor cartridges, mini bars, movie and sport event and theme park snacks...captive audience. They know you have no alternatives if you want something to drink or whatever so they charge as much as they can. Right up to the point where they start losing customers. Then they reduce it by a few cents and see if they still lose an unacceptable number of customers.

Which is why disruptors who figure out a way to charge a lot less eventually make those companies obsolete. We all break out of the 'captivity' as soon as we see a better and cheaper option. Cash grabs breed serious brand disloyalty. Unfortunately some of those behemoth companies that can't compete with disruptors try to buy them out to get rid of the competition. And if that doesn't work, they lobby for specious regulations to prevent competition. This is one reason the economic principles we learned in college don't always play out the way we were taught.