Are you a brand victim?

[Drewster]

I don't know what's sadder, buying top of the range designer labels or knowing the birthday's of all your electrical appliances.

Easy - Option 2, without a doubt............

[snaw]

Yes, because all products are created equal and brands are completely meaningless :-/

[gingerjedi]

Congratulations, your anti-consumerism is helping in f**king up the economy.

If the economy had more emphasis on what people need rather than what people think they need the world would be a much nicer place.

Most people realise it was all a big con when they hit their 30's and start having kids.

[DimPrawn]

Most people realise it was all a big con when they hit their 30's and start having kids.

£15 for six small plastic "In the Night Garden figures".

That hurt more than buying two BMW's.

[Amiga500]

They stole the first one from Nintendo.

They were developing what became the PlayStation FOR Nintendo actually, as a CD add-on for the Super NES, but Nintendo decided not to go ahead with the project.

[Mich the Tester]

Are you one of the mugs who gets influenced by the marketing and advertising industries ("You're worth it"!) or do you base your purchasing decisions on a sound analysis of the merits of a product.
Is it important for you to keep up with the Jones's?
Or could you not give a toss?
Which are you a shallow tosser or a real person?

Have you not created a false dichotomy here?

People might feel that for some purchases the brand doesn't matter, but for other purposes they've had experience with a particular company and stick with it because they feel they can rely on its products. There could also be genuine reasons to choose one brand over another, for example sports shoes; different brands have a different 'fit' and one brand might tend to fit your feet well where another doesn't.

One purpose of advertising is to inform; that means even the most rational people will be influenced by advertising simply because they'll look at and compare specifications.

[Moscow Mule]

Most people realise it was all a big con when they hit their 30's and start having kids.

The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory

[Paraphrase = some old lady]I'm too poor buy cheap clothes that won't last [/Paraphrase]

[Churchill]

[Paraphrase = some old lady]I'm too poor buy cheap clothes that won't last [/Paraphrase]

Always buy the best you can afford!

[swamp]

Many brands are worth paying for. Others aren't, and in other cases the difference is too small to care about. Some examples:

Sainsbury's Yeast Extract vs Marmte? Marmite.
Hugo Boss vs Gap? Usually Hugo Boss for me, but mainly as their clothes will fit properly.
Cheapo dishwasher vs Bosch? My cheapo dishwasher has now broken; buy cheap and you'll buy twice.
BMW vs Ford? Very complex discussion, but I like a nice motor.
Budget fleece or The North Face technical expedition layer? Budget.
Ibuprofen vs Neurofen? Neurofen Scientists have proved the placebo effect can be 'worth' paying for!

[suityou01]

My car is ten years old from new, my washer and my tumble drier are both 15 years old, my fridge is 10 years old, my oven is my mother's old gas oven which is 41 this year, and my TV is a 4 year old portable, and I make a point of never keeping up with the Jones's.
If something works I keep it until it doesn't any more. Only sad, shallow individuals get satisfaction out of material competition IMO, as it is simply a waste of money and the world's precious resources.

How old is your boiler?