Could we survive as a species without the 99¢ store?
In a city that charges three bucks the very nanosecond you hop into a cab, you have to be resourceful with your money. Stretch that dollar. But don't tear it. I'm sure someone could write volumes on the marketing psychology behind charging 99¢, instead of charging a dollar. Heck, I'd do it if I was qualified.
On the other hand, I've been hanging around 99¢ stores long enough to notice a little trend.
Used to be, you could walk into one of these classy joints and pretty much get anything for 99¢-- as long as you don't mind buying some craphole brand of whatever it is, say, toothpaste. But then, minty fresh is minty fresh, isn't it? For many products, it simply doesn't matter.
But these places have gotten smart. I don't mind that my shampoo is in Spanish. No mas lagrimas, my friends. I don't even care that I can barely cobble together two or three suds per use. I'm a guy. What bothers me is that the bottles keep getting smaller. Thinner. Slimmer. Shorter. Some even have that giant dimple underneath that carves out half the volume of the bottle. Sneaky. Nah, I won't notice that the bottle's empty after one use. Ah, but it's called a 99¢ store. That's the whole point. I admire them for staying true to the concept. No one ever walked into a 1.59¢ store.
fig. 1. Cottonus Bareminimus.
Hershey chocolate bars have shrunk over the years too. So have Slim Jims. They used to be 10 inches tall. They're half that now. Cracker Jacks. Snickers bars. Cereal boxes. You name it. Even two liter bottles of anything are no more-- Now, for the same price, you get 1.5 liters. Greed manifests itself in interesting ways.
Still, as long as pharmacies charge EIGHT BUCKS for a bottle of mouthwash, I'll embrace my off-brand, thank you very much. I'll hoard my scent-free minisoaps. My shitty, water-absorbent Chinese Band-Aids. My 3-molecule cotton swabs. My child-size hair gel. It's just my way of stickin' it to the man. Wherever he is.
On the other hand, I've been hanging around 99¢ stores long enough to notice a little trend.
Used to be, you could walk into one of these classy joints and pretty much get anything for 99¢-- as long as you don't mind buying some craphole brand of whatever it is, say, toothpaste. But then, minty fresh is minty fresh, isn't it? For many products, it simply doesn't matter.
But these places have gotten smart. I don't mind that my shampoo is in Spanish. No mas lagrimas, my friends. I don't even care that I can barely cobble together two or three suds per use. I'm a guy. What bothers me is that the bottles keep getting smaller. Thinner. Slimmer. Shorter. Some even have that giant dimple underneath that carves out half the volume of the bottle. Sneaky. Nah, I won't notice that the bottle's empty after one use. Ah, but it's called a 99¢ store. That's the whole point. I admire them for staying true to the concept. No one ever walked into a 1.59¢ store.
fig. 1. Cottonus Bareminimus.
Hershey chocolate bars have shrunk over the years too. So have Slim Jims. They used to be 10 inches tall. They're half that now. Cracker Jacks. Snickers bars. Cereal boxes. You name it. Even two liter bottles of anything are no more-- Now, for the same price, you get 1.5 liters. Greed manifests itself in interesting ways.
Still, as long as pharmacies charge EIGHT BUCKS for a bottle of mouthwash, I'll embrace my off-brand, thank you very much. I'll hoard my scent-free minisoaps. My shitty, water-absorbent Chinese Band-Aids. My 3-molecule cotton swabs. My child-size hair gel. It's just my way of stickin' it to the man. Wherever he is.
posted by Mark Feigenson at 12:52 AM
5 Comments:
Food is getting smaller yet people are getting fatter.
HOW CAN THIS BE?
Christ, good point. I never thought of that.
When I go to the 99cents store, I feel sad. But when I read your post, I felt glad!
Now I've changed my mind about the 99cents store. Where else can you watch a large woman in a too-small faux leopard fur coat price one 99 cent box of plastic spoons against another 99 cent box of plastic spoons?
It's like travelling back in time to Communist Russia. "Comrade, I have come for my weekly allotment of Worker Brand Soap Cakes."
Thanks for helping me see the 37 watt, off-brand light!
I guess it makes sense to shop at a 99cents store for all of your personal health products.
I mean one should really be devoting all those hard-earned dollars towards more important things...like a rare 1972 stainless steel spring-loaded 5 column change holder from eBay!
dan x.
Well, out here on the West Coast, we have an abundance of "dollar" stores (for instance, The Dollar Store, and for the more traditional, The Dollar Shoppe).
You guys are getting quite a deal in NY. They're bleeding us dry out here! Please send some 99cent badaids!
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