"you get what you pay for"

[hamchan]

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Or does it depend on what you are paying for?

[disneysteve]

I think it depends. I also think it can be a matter of degree.

Sometimes, you are definitely paying for name brand reputation. Other times, paying more truly gets you a better product. You just have to decide on a case by case basis if the higher cost is worth it to you. Sometimes it is. Sometimes it isn't.

There are times when I'm happy to pay more. There are other times when the cheap version meets my needs just fine.

[kork13]

For a general one-size-fits-all answer, yes. In most cases (to a certain extent), you get higher quality for a higher price, and those benefits of quality, durability, or whatever generally cannot be found in cheaper products.

In reality, it totally depends on the product... Cookware (pots/pans), for example, you really do get what you pay for. For many food/drink products, however, there's not much improvement in quality for a significantly higher price (bottled water anyone?).

Further, for each item where that phrase *IS* valid, there's a sort of limiting point to where it ceases to be true. Electronics is a prime example. If you buy a $200 laptop, it's going to be made of cheap materials, poor components, and will probably be woefully underpowered. If you more up to a $800 laptop, you will likely get much more solid construction, far superior performance, and it will likely last you at least twice as long as the cheap alternative. However, if you start to look at $2k-$3k (or higher) laptops, the relative cost for improvement in quality or performance is significantly higher. Sure, there's still a somewhat higher quality for the dramatically higher price, but to 99% of users, the extra cost really doesn't get you a noticeable benefit.

[disneysteve]

Further, for each item where that phrase *IS* valid, there's a sort of limiting point to where it ceases to be true.

Very true. Clothing is like that too. I could spend $10 or $20 or $30 or $50 or $100 or $200 or more for a shirt. The $10 one probably won't fit great or last long. The $20 shirt is probably all I need, maybe the $30 shirt but that's about it. No way am I buying the $50 shirt or anything beyond that as it simply doesn't make a difference. I have $20 shirts that I've had for 20 years. How much longer could the $200 shirt possibly last, and why would I care at that point?

[moneymaker1008]

I agree about there being a limit. Above that, the quality is usually pretty much the same. Living in NYC, I find people will pay much more than they need to on everything from food to cocktails more for the prestige than anything else.

Personally, I only buy generic home goods and prescription meds and they're almost exactly the same as the non-generic (but definitely not worse).

[disneysteve]

generic home goods and prescription meds

Generic meds are a great example of where "you get what you pay for" isn't true. The generics are perfectly fine. They aren't cheaper because they are inferior. They are cheaper because they don't have the huge R&D and marketing costs to recoup like the original brand manufacturer.

[coffee]

Depends for what. I like taking short vacations and have found out in many countries, 3 star hotels are perfectly fine. For groceries, there is some truth up to a point. Beers: yes, that applies. Clothes: Nope, 80 percent of my clothes are wal mart or target: I am not paying for a symbol

[QuarterMillionMan]

Mid-wifery or home delivery! (Never, LOL)! Also, crossing the border for cheaper Rx drugs, I mean like Mexico, no thank you.

[moneymaker1008]

Oh and I do think you get what you pay for when it comes to whiskey. One night I had cheap stuff and it burned my throat so bad going down! But I think most people that say they can tell the difference between vodkas (ie: Svedka vs Grey Goose) are lying.

[kork13]

Oh and I do think you get what you pay for when it comes to whiskey. One night I had cheap stuff and it burned my throat so bad going down! But I think most people that say they can tell the difference between vodkas (ie: Svedka vs Grey Goose) are lying.

That's arguable as well... I don't have a link for the studies immediately available, but in multiple blind trials, people who considered themselves "wine connoisseurs" could not reliably tell the difference between a $20 bottle of wine and a $200 bottle. I don't drink alcohol myself, so I can't comment personally, but I'll just comment that I don't think it's really quite that plain to say.

[Jerry91]

The phrase "you get what you pay for" may not hold true always. Sometimes, you may pay a higher amount for a branded product or service but the product or service of the same quality may be available at a cheaper price in a local store.

[marvholly]

For me it is also an it depends:

Aldi canned tomatoes are as good as the name brands as are MANY Aldi products

Cover Girl, Revlon or Maybeline nail polish & cosmetics (bought on sale w/a coupon)are good enough for me rather than the MUCH more expensive OPI or Physicians formula

In clothes it is also a depends as in VERY fashionable stuff is ok from WalMart or Target but staples I wear for YEARS (blazers, ooats......) I generally go better stuff

For shoes I am VERY particular. Only New Balance or Reebok for my everyday/walking shoes.

[disneysteve]

Oh and I do think you get what you pay for when it comes to whiskey. One night I had cheap stuff and it burned my throat so bad going down! But I think most people that say they can tell the difference between vodkas (ie: Svedka vs Grey Goose) are lying.

That's arguable as well... I don't have a link for the studies immediately available, but in multiple blind trials, people who considered themselves "wine connoisseurs" could not reliably tell the difference between a $20 bottle of wine and a $200 bottle. I don't drink alcohol myself, so I can't comment personally, but I'll just comment that I don't think it's really quite that plain to say.

This is another area where it is a matter of degree. There is a big difference between cheap whiskey and good whiskey but very little difference between good and premium.

I can absolutely tell the difference between Fleishman's Vodka and Skyy Vodka but probably not between Skyy and some more costly brand. That said, I have had Grey Goose and didn't like it as much as Skyy, which is just fine with me because Skyy is cheaper.

[bjl584]

It definitely depends on what you are buying.

Some products are worth the money because they are built better, have better warranties, and look better.

Other things don't matter so much.

It's definitely a case by case call.

[JoeP]

With almost everything, there is a point of diminishing returns.

I do a lot of work on my house, vehicles, property, lawnmower, snowblower, etc. and am willing to pay more for good tools and equipment. I made the mistake of buying a few very cheap tools and learned that they either break or don't work the way they were advertised. On the other end of the spectrum, I am certainly not going to buy Snap-on on Matco tools...they are simply way too expensive and will not give me any benefit based upon my current usage.

Other times, I will intentionally buy something that doesn't work well, but can be fixed. For example, I bought a boat for cheap, and it was in rough shape and got worse over the past couple years. I ended up putting a few hundred into it along with about 60 hours of labor. Now it is in great shape, I learned a new skill (upholstering), and I know more about how my boat is put together. So for me, I got what I paid for and made it better, and benefited from the experience.