Make product worse, get money
11 hours ago
- The theory that dating apps intentionally avoid matching people to keep them paying is not unique; it reflects a general incentive to make products worse for profit.
- Similar patterns exist across industries, such as pizza restaurants using cheap ingredients, automakers cutting safety costs, and manufacturers reducing product durability.
- Products are often bad because consumers prefer cheaper options, not just because producers are greedy; this is a normal market function.
- Information asymmetries allow bad products to persist when consumers cannot easily judge quality, like in longevity advice or food safety.
- Bad taste among consumers can lead to poor-quality products, though this is subjective and overlaps with information issues.
- Pricing power from moats (e.g., brand, patents) lets companies degrade products or raise prices without competition, as seen in venues with expensive food.
- The key question is why dating apps can get away with poor matching, likely due to lack of viable competition or consumer demand for alternatives.