Economic Woes

I feel as if one of the overlooked economic concerns these days is how businesses are getting away from consumer concerns.

Comcast never seems to care about customer service. Cosi (the one by Metro Center) writes on their menu that a customer can get a side soup or salad with any sandwich for $2.19. But they no longer provide that service. There is some new deal they do instead. But their menu still advertises this special! Almost every dollar menu is climbing and now costs anywhere between $1 and $1.39. In fact, McDonald's now advertises "Lots of choices for a dollar or a little more". How are these things not false advertising? These corporations are promising consumers one thing and providing another. Not only that, but McDonald's has thought of yet another way to steal money. Instead of having a double cheeseburger for a dollar, they now have a McDouble for a dollar and a double cheeseburger for $1.19. The difference? One slice of cheese. Can you really tell me that an extra slice of crappy American cheese is 20 cents? Or that there is 20 cents of extra effort involved in placing it on the burger?

All this goes to show that businesses have stopped caring. The basic principle of capitalism is that market forces will force any business to stabilize prices and to provide decent service or consumers will not go there and the business will eventually close. However, I do not see any such thing happening. Granted, market forces work on a macro level and it is hard to see them from my vantage point. But still. Companies need to be much more in tune with what consumers want. I know it seems like a small point, but I really think it will be important in the long term. All the little things are. The government can fix the big things. But the little things are up to us...and the companies. Unless we fix those, our economy will ultimately be doomed to failure.

Don't ask me why.