They keep raising prices, stating that it’s due to inflation, but then they keep having record profits.

Meanwhile, the average American can barely afford rent or food nowadays.

What are we to do? Vote? I have been but that doesn’t seem to do much since I’m just voting for a representative that makes the actual decisions.

  • mechoman444@lemmy.world
    152·
    10 months ago

    What we should do is collectively stop paying what the corporations are asking and start negotiating the price of absolutely everything.

    For example when we’re at the car dealership instead of saying “oh my God I want that car so bad I’ll pay anything you want” you say " I’ll give you $10,000 less than you’re asking for or I’m not going to buy anything from you"

    Somehow the corporate elite of not just America but of all other major countries in the world have convinced the populace that you must pay what they’re asking when you actually don’t have to.

    As the consumer you hold all the power you are not required to buy anything you are doing a favor by purchasing products from these corporations.

    • Lyrl@lemm.eeEnglish
      3·
      10 months ago

      To an extent, this is already happening. I work in manufacturing, and the last couple of years there was more demand for our product than our factories were physically capable of producing, and prices were raised to weed out the number of customer orders to what we could handle. Projections for this year are for softened demand, and sales expects to have to offer significant price cuts to keep enough orders for our manufacturing lines to stay busy.

      Collective “we have enough stuff and will buy less” at work.

    • Blue_Morpho@lemmy.world
      3·
      10 months ago

      oh my God I want that car so bad I’ll pay anything you want” you say " I’ll give you $10,000 less than you’re asking for or I’m not going to buy anything from you"

      That’s only works if there is a surplus. Manufacturers have gotten really good at only producing exactly what is needed and no more to keep their products in demand.

      At some point you will need a new car. My 15 year old Sienna was having more and more expensive problems. Technically I could have kept going but I wanted a car I could trust to make long trips with my family. If it was just me, being stranded for a day wouldn’t be a problem.

      So I waited 2years for the supply chain to get better before giving up and buying a new Sienna. It was the only one on the lot. I could pay full price or not buy it at all. The dealer didn’t have to negotiate because someone else would buy it immediately.