"Doug Miller" wrote in message
...
In article , "Doug Kanter"
wrote:
"Doug Miller" wrote in message
om...
In article , "Doug Kanter"
wrote:
"Edwin Pawlowski" wrote in message
y.com...

"Doug Miller" wrote in message news:5gKGe.828

Excuse me, where is the deception in selling a 1.75-quart container
that
is
clearly labelled "1.75 quarts"?


Oh, it is perfectly legal. It is just that after selling true half
gallon
for more than a half century, shrinking containers is a sleazy, but
legal,
method of increasing prices and hoping that the consumer does not
notice.
How often do you check the milk container to see if it is still a
quart
or
half gallon? Do you do it every time you go shopping? Shame on you
if
you don't.

I'll repeat a question I asked earlier, which nobody is comfortable
answering: If you were informed of the size change, would that have
satisfied you? If yes, how would you like to be informed?

No, of course not - why would I, or anyone, be satisfied with paying the
same
price, for 12.5% less product? That's a disguised price increase of over
14%.
It's sleazy, but as long as the label accurately describes the contents,
it's
hardly deceptive.

What? First, you say the change is disguised, and then you say it's
hardly
deceptive if it's labeled accurately.

Your fantasies to the contrary notwithstanding, there is no contradiction
there.

But, all along, you've been arguing
that the situation stinks. So, back to my question: Would it be better if
you saw signage in the store announcing the size decrease? Or, temporary
packaging with a large banner announcing the change?

That's silly. Why would that be better?

Because you're complaining about package size as if it were hidden from you
somehow. Something sneaky. The only to make it clear is to (ready?) make it
clear. I suggested two ways of doing so, both of which you consider silly.

By doing so, you're saying that you consider it unethical to shrink a
package. The only way for them to deal with increasing costs is to raise
their prices, as far as you're concerned.

But: I explained to you that customers have certain perceptions - certain
price levels beyond which they simply will not buy a product. Manufacturers
know what these perceptions are, based on research and product movement
data. I asked you where YOUR limit was for a half gallon of ice cream. You
refused to respond sensibly.

We've covered almost every angle that I had to deal with in a series of
business courses. Same debates YOU would be subjected to if you were the CEO
of a corporation and your board of directors called you on the carpet to
discuss profitability issues. But, you seem to think these ideas originated
in the twilight zone. Do you want to continue, or would you like to discuss
it in exactly the same way you would if you were working on your MBA from
Harvard?