What vexes me are the companies that sell physical products for a hefty, upfront fee and subsequently demand more money to keep using items already in your possession. This encompasses those glorified alarm clocks, but also: computer printers, wearable wellness devices, and some features on pricey new cars.
Subscription-based business models are great for businesses because they amount to consistent revenue streams. They’re often bad for consumers for the same reason: You have to pay companies, consistently. We’re effectively being $5 per month-ed (or more) to death, and it’s only going to get worse. Industry research suggests the average customer spent $219 per month on subscriptions in 2023. In 2024, the global subscription market was an estimated $492 billion. By 2033, that figure is expected to triple.
All those products have one thing in common. It’s what we call gourmetization in my country, which is a concept I believe the people should be aware of globally. It’s basically the process of making you believe that the simple, cheap, realiable and lasting stuff you already have lacks something, and then marketing an “improved”, refined and more expensive version to you. This process goes hand-to-hand to what you call enshittification, often being a catalyst for it.