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What is a product that you won’t accept a generic alternative for? (self.asklemmy)

submitted 1 year ago by jeffw to c/[email protected]

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For example, if you insist on buying Advil instead of store brand ibuprofen. I mean, you’d be wasting your money in that example, but you do you

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think it's more likely that the consistent quality is a side bonus from most of 3M's customers being other corporations, not individual consumers

If 3M only sold painter's tape to the public, most of the public will buy it whether it's crap or not because most of the public only needs to put up with painter's tape occasionally

However if a large commercial real estate company who goes through palettes of painters tape suddenly has to start ordering 1.5x as many palettes because some of the tape is defective, they'll threaten 3M with cancelling a multi-million-dollar contract that will hurt 3M's quarterly spreadsheets.

That is until inevitably someone at 3M gets the idea to start producing a cheaper "consumer grade" painters tape and then everyone who doesn't have a relative in building maintenance who can swipe a pro grade roll for you is SOL

[–] shalafi 3 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

until inevitably someone at 3M gets the idea to start producing a cheaper "consumer grade"

But they haven't and they're a mature company, could have done that at any point. I think that backs my point that they're focused on quality vs. quarters.

I know everyone here is rightfully cynical of corporate America, but 3M seems to get it, be in for the long haul. I've seen plenty of other brands go cheap over the decades. Black & Decker anyone? Craftsman?

OTOH, some brands stick to their guns. Victorinox and Zippo come to mind.