The title is a bit of an exaggeration.
Why do corporations change shampoo and toothbrushes so often? I’ll go through 10 different shampoos and toothbrushes, then find ones I like. I’ll probably be able to purchase them again a few times before the ones I like are no longer available.
What are the forces driving manufacturer’s to change their basic wares so often? Besides Wall St. greed, that is?
This is way too true of way too many things.
How about sneakers? I need orthodontic sneakers so it’s not even a fashion thing. I finally found a pair that doesn’t make my feet hurt … you have a customer for life. Oops, those are no longer made
too many spoons disappeared, I want to buy more. Nope, that pattern was discontinued right after you bought the set.
Or even just packaging? I pve always bought this product and you have a customer op for life but I don’t see the product I npdont see it. There’s something of the same brand: Is it the same, or do I need to search for a new thing
orthodontic sneakers
How does your footwear straighten your teeth? :D
Guhl doesn’t change its shampoos.
But toothbrushes? I’m guessing they’re just buying the cheapest ones they can find in China and sticking their brand name on them.
Sales, profits, greed. That’s the short answer. For 20 years I went down this rabbit hole and finally educated myself. One day the shampoo, works exactly like I wanted it to, then suddenly (new bottle) it’s not cleaning right, smells terrible, leaves a greasy residue… WTF?? Oh… the formula changed and they put more weird stuff in it, and all the “trendy” things people will pay for. And some of the ingredients have been replaced with cheaper chemicals, and the bottle got smaller, and the price went up, and now they “replaced” it with a new version/scent. And that’s when I began to realize that I might be allergic to some of this crap. Not only was I beginning to have allergies to many of the newer chemicals/detergents, but the scents were getting stronger, in a bad chemical way. After doing a lot of reading on cosmetic/toiletry, and household chemicals, I managed to break free and simplify my life. I use liquid castile soap (dr bronners & similar) to wash my body, face & hair. (*Just a note, castile soap needs to be diluted, with distilled water so it’s not cloudy. A quart can last you 6 months to 2 years depending on how you dilute & use it.) I no longer use hair conditioner (no need to), but if you have longer hair rinsing with a weak vinegar/water mix keeps things untangled and soft, no lingering smell. I have two deodorants I use (Arm & Hammer Essentials Rosemary, & a natural crystal stick) depending on the situation. I’m not a stinky person. I use Bronners Sal Suds to clean everything except dishes & laundry, which you can use it for (and I have, it works just fine), I just prefer two other products for that. I also use baking soda & vinegar to clean with (but not together, mixing them creates water, not a cleaner). Dental is a very inexpensive toothpaste that I am ok with the taste of, store brand mouthwash, and I bought a ton of toothbrushes I love. They are a Target store brand Dealworthy and the same in colors Smartly which I think are discontinued. I like the fit in my hand and the size of the head, plus the price was amazing. That is the bulk of it. I don’t have a ton of chemicals under the sink, or tons of tubes, bottles, dispensers of toiletries cluttering up my life and draining money I could use for food or fun. And the stress that came with a failed product or discontinued issue has gone away. My skin loves me back now and I don’t have all that itching from toiletries or laundry products. And I smell nice, like a Human. Not like powdered laundry detergent, or “meadow breeze” (what even is that, a cow patty???). Companies want you to believe that you need all these “miracle” ingredients and want so much money for them. There is no ‘miracle’ anything. We all still die, no one lives “young” forever. Simplicity is not a marketable product, it does not make profits. If you rewind back 100 years, simplicity was the norm. Men used Safety Razors, and they are back in use again, because simplicity works. Women used lightly scented soaps, not ‘mango margarita strawberry blast’ body wash. Why does everyone want to smell like food??? You have to find products that have a longevity. P&G, J&J, and Unileaver will never carry anything like that, they want ALL the money ALL the time. It can take a while to find what works for you. Read labels, often. I still do it on the products I trust, you never know when a company will be sold. Thank you for attending my TedTalk on toiletries and corporate greed.
Because a new product or new packaging sells better than the same old product in the same old packaging. The simplest answer is generally true, and when looking for an explanation for why a company does something it’s always safe to bet on ‘because money’.
Project managers want new bullet points for their cv
For creating more bullshit.
These products are actually good, and cannot be improved anymore (or maybe only a tiny little bit).
But competition is tough, and so they feel the need for strong advertising.
Advertising departments cannot do anything but lie in such a situation: They create stories that tell of constant improvement. Revolutionary change even. Ongoing research. More blades on your razor every year, and always 10 times sharper than before. Your teeth 10 times better than last year, and therefore the toothpaste needs this new color.
Exxageration because when they promise so unbelievably much, then you are going to believe just a little of it - where the truth is: there is nothing.
You really nailed it, plus it constantly creates this cloud of confusion in the consumer’s mind.
I do a lot of electronic repair, and I see people make incredibly stupid decisions because they are convinced by one small detail that the manufacturer emphasizes, which has no actual bearing on quality!
For example, I do a lot of repair for different types of salons in my city. I might repair professional hair tools that don’t have available replacement parts, or I will fix professional nail UV lights. I fix vacuums for one-woman small cleaning companies, etc.
And I see very interesting things. Every one of the small businesses I serve, also has a small second-hand market that goes along with it. They are constantly buying and selling their used devices among one another.
I will see those markets completely collapse when a manufacturer that has made a device for 15 years suddenly adds the word “xtreme” to the product. Like magic, the used salon tool that was selling for $200, is now worth $50 at best because it’s not “xtreme”. Exact same device. They are professional workhorse tools that have not changed in 40 years.
I have about the same luck with shoes. Once I finally find the perfect fitting shoes and wear them out, I’m lucky if I can find the same shoes new even once again… ☹️
I fully expected someone to chime in with some variant of “you should make your own shoes anyway, it’s trivial with a dead badger and a bottle cork and two pieces of string… kids these day don’t know anything no more!”.
buy 3 or 4 more pairs as soon as you realize the fit perfectly.
At today’s prices, I have to buy shoes by the toe. It takes 10 months just for the toes, and that’s not including the heels, soles, socks, and tariffs and shit…
This is exactly what I thought of first.
There’s also product designers and marketing that need to continually come out with new things in order to keep their jobs
I can’t remember the last time I’ve bought a toothbrush. Every time I go to the dentist for a cleaning I’m given a toothbrush for free. I’ve since switched to electric, but still have a whole bunch of toothbrushes from dentists past. I’m slowly going through them using them when I travel.
Electric are worse. You should still replace the heads regularly, but now you’re dependent on the specific company continuing to support your toothbrush
You’re supposed to use a toothbrush for no longer than 3 months. So either you use them to long, or you go to the dentist a lot more often than I do.
He’s switched to electric so doesn’t use the manuals often.
Trader Joe’s tooth brushes have been good and consistent for a decade at least now. They have a funky bend and it works great.
It’s really easy if you simply buy a ton of them all at once and just keep them in a cupboard or something.
Nice strategy, but I’m not going to buy 10 bottles of shampoo, not that I would have anywhere to store them if I did.
Might not work with electric because the batteries will degrade anyways
