Showing posts with label consumption. Show all posts
Showing posts with label consumption. Show all posts
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Show off to buy less
Earth hour is a very interesting experiment. It turn the bandwagon effect upside down.
The standard bandwagon effect is to display consumption so peer pressure lead more people to consume similar item. It worked especially well on luxury and branded items.
But enviromental concern could also be treated as luxurious consumption item and peer pressure could be used in many ways. Slimming down and going to the gym is one example where it work to reduce consumption of high-fat substance.
The number is quite encouraging. Just in Chicago area it save 100 megawats of electricity (click here). Anyone has corresponding number for Indonesia?
Friday, December 26, 2008
Could You Purchased Knowledge?
Today I finally put aside the unfinished task to chase discounted books at Gramedia Grand Indonesia. The 35 percent discount is just too much too ignored for a bookworm like me. I arrived a bit after 10 am and finish the shopping before Friday prayers so I managed to beat the crowd.
One things that struck me is how books is a elastic goods. There are certainly more than 35 % increase in people coming (and the amount of purchase they make). More like 5 fold increase, and my friends told me yesterday and tonight is even more packed.
Elastic goods should get more revenue if they reduce price by getting larger sales volume. So why the bookstore doesnt hold sales more often?
Or maybe because this feel like a onetime only so people are more willing to splurge on it? Why there is a massive coordination failure when what is needed is to put a list of books we want to buy with friends, pooled our money and take turn reading the book? Where have all the library gone?
Even more systemic, why govenrment not following the steps of India and China by forcing major book published to print the book locally or buy the copyright (yes, some also just ignore it). Thus. reducing the price significantly.
Some people (like me) still believe that buying books will make them more knowledgable. Bad news, only reading will. So asked me what I learn after I finish the pile of books above, if ever.
One things that struck me is how books is a elastic goods. There are certainly more than 35 % increase in people coming (and the amount of purchase they make). More like 5 fold increase, and my friends told me yesterday and tonight is even more packed.
Elastic goods should get more revenue if they reduce price by getting larger sales volume. So why the bookstore doesnt hold sales more often?
Or maybe because this feel like a onetime only so people are more willing to splurge on it? Why there is a massive coordination failure when what is needed is to put a list of books we want to buy with friends, pooled our money and take turn reading the book? Where have all the library gone?
Even more systemic, why govenrment not following the steps of India and China by forcing major book published to print the book locally or buy the copyright (yes, some also just ignore it). Thus. reducing the price significantly.
Some people (like me) still believe that buying books will make them more knowledgable. Bad news, only reading will. So asked me what I learn after I finish the pile of books above, if ever.
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