Sign Of The Times - Part Two

[jetheelsfan]

Seems Payless is planing on keeping the Karman line going.  When I first saw the Karman pump, the price was a veritable bargain at $19.99.  Some time ago, the price increased to $24.99.  I was just looking for the first tim in a couple of week and saw they are now $27.99.  With so many positive reviews, I guess they can justify the increased price and keep them around longer.  I wonder what year they were introduced?  I know they were available in the Fall of 2012.  They are a classic timeless basic style.

 

 

[Histiletto]

I can't blame Payless for wanting to make a better profit on items that sell better than others, but sometimes businesses raise their prices for more selfish reasons. Some people might call it: milking the system for their piece of the wealth. In the girl's section, they have a thread about the quality of Chinese footwear available on the market. Some styles are tempting, but the quality is has been questionable. E-bay seems to be flooded with new heeled footwear from China.

[Dr. Shoe]

milking the system for their piece of the wealth.

 

Actually no. As others have already intimated most of the "budget" footwear is made in China. The Chinese are experiencing labour challenges at the moment. The first one is the fact that the government has passed a law effectively doubling the salaries of most people primarily those employed in factories. Secondly, there is nothing to stop rival factories recruiting staff from right outside the factory gates tempting them with pay rises if they defect to them. This means that someone could go to lunch and not come back because they've gone to work for someone else, you do not have to give your employer a period of notice. Thirdly, many workers come in from the country to work for a while in a factory for what is for them a good wage. They then save up and then when they have enough they go back to the family farm, usually for good. Factory owners need to offer incentives to induce them to come back after the New Year holiday.

 

All of this means that salaries and therefore manufacturing costs are spiralling and that coupled to increasing energy costs add up to rising prices of Chinese made goods.

[JeffB]

Seems Payless is planing on keeping the Karman line going. When I first saw the Karman pump, the price was a veritable bargain at $19.99. Some time ago, the price increased to $24.99. I was just looking for the first tim in a couple of week and saw they are now $27.99. With so many positive reviews, I guess they can justify the increased price and keep them around longer. I wonder what year they were introduced? I know they were available in the Fall of 2012. They are a classic timeless basic style.

With little over 300 reviews and counting (I just checked), the Karmens might well be Payless' most popular shoe ever. So, from a pure business viewpoint, it's no wonder the company wants to keep the line going for as long as they can because they know people (of both genders) are buying the shoes. I have six pairs myself, and they are pretty darn good for the money.

[ilikekicks]

With little over 300 reviews and counting (I just checked), the Karmens might well be Payless' most popular shoe ever. So, from a pure business viewpoint, it's no wonder the company wants to keep the line going for as long as they can because they know people (of both genders) are buying the shoes. I have six pairs myself, and they are pretty darn good for the money.

 

I have 2 from about 3 or 4 years ago before they became popular. They are the only ' under 50$ ' footware I wear outside or in travels. I dont have any of their newer stuff, but if the quality of the older items was carried over, I would say they are still a good value for what they are. ' Cheaply priced shoes '.

[kikepa]

Actually no. As others have already intimated most of the "budget" footwear is made in China. The Chinese are experiencing labour challenges at the moment. The first one is the fact that the government has passed a law effectively doubling the salaries of most people primarily those employed in factories.

 

From around US $1 to a whopping $2 per hour.  Apparently, the government has been listening to their workers, much like in Seattle, but like the govt in Seattle, their grasp of graduate-level economics isn't stellar.  They haven't a clue that the trickle-down effects of raising minimum wage will eventually, and will always lead to eradication of all short-term increases in buying power as a result of the min wage hike, and often erode into long-term buying power.  When left alone, however, the normal market economy grows opportunity every time some company gets too greedy.  

 

Secondly, there is nothing to stop rival factories recruiting staff from right outside the factory gates tempting them with pay rises if they defect to them.

 

Bingo.

 

This means that someone could go to lunch and not come back because they've gone to work for someone else, you do not have to give your employer a period of notice.

 

I suspect the hike was designed to minimize this, as wages will be capped at $2 an hour by economic forces for some time to come.

 

Thirdly, many workers come in from the country to work for a while in a factory for what is for them a good wage. They then save up and then when they have enough they go back to the family farm, usually for good.

 

The increased wages will only accelerate this process.

 

Factory owners need to offer incentives to induce them to come back after the New Year holiday.

 

All of this means that salaries and therefore manufacturing costs are spiralling and that coupled to increasing energy costs add up to rising prices of Chinese made goods.

 

All of which, from the macroeconomic perspective, indicates capitalism throughout world markets is alive and well.