Limited Patience
As a person, I have a pretty boring taste. I like solid, reliable, predictable, easily replaceable tools. As mentioned in previous blogposts, I bought the exact same model when my rice cooker broke down. I tried almost every pen sold in school supplies stores before finding two models of cheap pens I liked in middle school, and since then I just bought them by the dozens. I use the same brands of everyday items day in and day out, only venturing to something new when the product is significantly altered, goes down in quality, or no longer readily available to procure within its normal price range. This has nothing to do with brand loyalty whatsoever, I just like knowing something will work good enough without excessive thought put into it every single time. I'm a tinkerer at heart. In my work, my craft, I can spend so much time spinning my wheels that it's nice to reduce the mental space needed for everything else.
I can be fussy when I start, though. Purchases would be deferred and reconsidered multiple times until I feel comfortable. I would take all the time in the world if I feel like it. To be hurried by external influence, especially if said influence is largely artificial, will negatively affect my willingness to execute the transaction. Naturally, this positions me to be very much at odds with the prevailing trend of today's marketing: limited drops. If I see an item I want is being sold in such a way and I must make my decision before the window closes, I feel deeply annoyed. It doesn't give me any sense of prestige. I would just bail out and find an alternative. I buy at my own pace, thank you very much.
I hate this practice so much that I had actually stopped shopping from several local vendors because they tried to FOMO me when I asked about the availability of certain items (that weren't even limited, only highly sought after). You have someone else looking for the same item so you need my confirmation within thirty minutes? By all means, let them have it. If by the time I make my decision the item is still there, I'll take it. I have since softened my stance because I ended up befriending the vendors a bit (in unrelated events) and learned that they were trying to be fun/friendly. Other people didn't react so badly to what was meant as light teases.
There's a joke that goes along this in the local hobbysphere: "you can always look for more money, but a limited item that goes away will end up a regret". Disgusting. Despicable. I indulge in my hobbies, I splurge for my hobbies, but something that goes away is just not for me. One day I may find them again when situation suits me more and I may pull the trigger then, or not. Maybe I would never find them again, but there's so many things in this world to enjoy even if I miss several. What would I regret? Purchases beyond my means, purchases I never had time to think about, purchases that end up unused/unenjoyed because they weren't to my likings.
The FOMO marketing must have worked on many people, because what began as quirky small makers' practice (by necessity, and one I don't begrudge so much) and occasional celebratory campaigns by the big brands grew to eat the world to the point that almost everything is now some sort of limited nonsense. Gimmicky limited stuff? Not for me, but fine. Something I expect to use frequently? Well, how would I replace it when it inevitably wears/runs out? Can we even have basic stuff these days?
I do have some "limited" items: an Animal Crossing edition of Switch and a packet of perfumed eye masks, but they were all bought outside the limited window. I found them when looking for the base products, and they were sold at the same price. No plan to replace the Switch (if it reaches the end of its lifespan and it's totally irreparable, it would probably be time for another console) and the eye masks... can be replaced with the normal ones. I wouldn't have gone out on my limbs to acquire these, and had they been at higher price than the base products I would have passed on them.
I suppose limited releases can be fun in small doses, but there's nothing celebratory in it anymore as companies churn out releases after releases after releases. I'm torn what I hate more: limited releases with only cosmetic changes or limited releases with extra functionality.
I want to say cosmetic changes might be the lesser of two evils, but it feels oddly like justifying the pink tax in a larger demographics. I like blacks and browns and blues, but it feels unfair if a neighbor who loves greens and yellows would have to pay twice as much for the exact same thing. Maybe it's fine if it takes a lot for the company to introduce new colorways/patterns/whatnot and it doesn't make sense for them to do this continuously? Maaaaaaaaybe it's good that you can find almost anything with your exact aesthetics/personal preferences?
If the limited releases come with extra functionalities... well, won't you prefer the upgrades be in something you know will still exist when you come back to buy more? Maybe it's fine if the item is meant to last...?
I'm not speaking for other people. If a person makes it their quest to obtain every single item marked as Limited in some ways, I bid them good luck. If they come knocking for an advice though, when everything is trying to be special I don't think anything is, unless you designate them yourself (and then the meaning will be yours and yours alone).
Planned obsolescence is another thing I'd like to rant about, but I suppose that's a subject for another day. Basically, I just hate when I'm forced to readjust my plans by arbitrary things outside my control. Things breaking down? Fair. A meaningless window of time to act set by a company boardroom with no relevance whatsoever to the product's inherent qualities? Not for me, pass.