Not really. Their business model is, let’s have the customers do the work then we can charge them less cause we’re not paying workers. Just a heads up, that’s what shadow work is.
Is the business model not attempting to offer a lower cost product by having less employees and having the customer do more labor and use their time? On a macro level, those were jobs, people’s livelihoods. Now they’re self checkout areas with cameras, soon to be AI. On an economic level, to make more money, does it not make sense to continually increase the price while providing a “lesser” (read as, lower employee time to sale) product/service?
Is that a good thing? It’s an honest question. What is the logical endpoint if consumers aren’t able to consume given that less and less work (aka trading your time/labor for currency) is available?
As the saying goes, time is money. And that’s part of the poverty trap. Sure, it’s cheaper to spend more of your time. But when you’re already poor, you need that time because it’s better spent working to survive. Paradoxically, the more money you have, the more time you have to spend planning, assembling, driving, etc to save money.
You’re missing the entire concept of what shadow work is. And why it’s being pushed further and further.
I use ikea myself. I DIY’d my grid tied solar system, battery and all. I’ve no problem performing the labor. That’s not the point here.
You’re missing the entire concept of IKEA’s business model.
Not really. Their business model is, let’s have the customers do the work then we can charge them less cause we’re not paying workers. Just a heads up, that’s what shadow work is.
Is the business model not attempting to offer a lower cost product by having less employees and having the customer do more labor and use their time? On a macro level, those were jobs, people’s livelihoods. Now they’re self checkout areas with cameras, soon to be AI. On an economic level, to make more money, does it not make sense to continually increase the price while providing a “lesser” (read as, lower employee time to sale) product/service?
Is that a good thing? It’s an honest question. What is the logical endpoint if consumers aren’t able to consume given that less and less work (aka trading your time/labor for currency) is available?
As the saying goes, time is money. And that’s part of the poverty trap. Sure, it’s cheaper to spend more of your time. But when you’re already poor, you need that time because it’s better spent working to survive. Paradoxically, the more money you have, the more time you have to spend planning, assembling, driving, etc to save money.
The paradox of plenty.
You are basically explaining to me how I spend my time to save money. My answer? Yup.