Internet Causes Deflation – Part II
eBay is not the only deflationary force on the Web. The improved availability of replacement parts has a similar effect.
My toddler son (we’ll call him Baby Godzilla, though that’s not his real name) recently tried to eat our DVD remote. Though he couldn’t bite through the plastic, B.G.’s caustic saliva immediately corroded and disabled the remote. Like most DVD players, ours can’t be used without the remote.
As late as 2002, it would have been prohibitively time-consuming to locate a replacement part for a three-year-old Toshiba product. Net of the value of our time, it was simply cheaper to junk the working player and buy a new one for $60.
Not now. In 10 minutes we found the exact replacement OEM remote for $25 including shipping. Not exactly a bargain, but much cheaper than buying new. The world economy just deflated by $35. Do you hear it hissing?
—
