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Consumer Ethics Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:30 pm
Narurin
Spectrum Addict
Seriously, I wouldn't mind paying more for my clothes and shoes if it meant that the people in China and Taiwan got better conditions and pay. I'm not willing to pay more for iPods though, those things are expensive and their profit margins are huge. Actually, so are clothes manufacturers. They make the top I'm wearing for what, 50 cents? Less? I think I paid $25 for it. Even if you factor in company marketing and
admin costs, that's surely one hell of a profit margin. Hell, my work happily (well, kinda happily) sells clothes on clearance for like 45% of their original price, and the company as a whole makes enough money
to pay everybody (including the overpaid CEOs).
Sadly there isn't a whole lot we can do in the way of clothes buying - everything is made in China by underpaid people. Except for of course, the stuff from those little shops that sell happy trade stuff. I think we have one shop in the whole of Perth that is that kind of shop. It's in the CBD somewhere.
Now I think about it, I reckon that everything we sell at my work is made my underpaid people in China. Apart from the food perhaps. Certainly puts my job into perspective. We all work for minimum wages so that people can buy clothes they don't need that will go out of fashion in six months. Well, kind of. Most customers I serve buy clothes that will wear for a long time, but you get my point. Plus, some of the stuff we sell is just plain ugly. The stuff we seem to sell least of is the gym wear. We sell a hell of a lot of plus sized and teenage girl clothing though. The lingerie that sells best? Plain briefs and boylegs. In packs. But that's probably the type of shop I work in (discount department store). If I worked in Myer or some high
class expensive shop instead, no doubt the customers there will buy more stupid things they don't need.
And I haven't even started on food and wool and leather yet. No to live international transport I reckon.
admin costs, that's surely one hell of a profit margin. Hell, my work happily (well, kinda happily) sells clothes on clearance for like 45% of their original price, and the company as a whole makes enough money
to pay everybody (including the overpaid CEOs).
Sadly there isn't a whole lot we can do in the way of clothes buying - everything is made in China by underpaid people. Except for of course, the stuff from those little shops that sell happy trade stuff. I think we have one shop in the whole of Perth that is that kind of shop. It's in the CBD somewhere.
Now I think about it, I reckon that everything we sell at my work is made my underpaid people in China. Apart from the food perhaps. Certainly puts my job into perspective. We all work for minimum wages so that people can buy clothes they don't need that will go out of fashion in six months. Well, kind of. Most customers I serve buy clothes that will wear for a long time, but you get my point. Plus, some of the stuff we sell is just plain ugly. The stuff we seem to sell least of is the gym wear. We sell a hell of a lot of plus sized and teenage girl clothing though. The lingerie that sells best? Plain briefs and boylegs. In packs. But that's probably the type of shop I work in (discount department store). If I worked in Myer or some high
class expensive shop instead, no doubt the customers there will buy more stupid things they don't need.
And I haven't even started on food and wool and leather yet. No to live international transport I reckon.
