Which industry has the biggest laugh at their customers' expense?

Ubbquittious · 07-10-2022 11:01am #1

*Mobile gaming companies with pay to play / pay to win model. They can acquire some game as it's starting to become popular on and "monetize" it through selling custom skins for players, upgrades. Endless amounts of passive income to be earned from selling pixels and all they need to do is keep a couple of servers running.

*The sunglasses industry - sell cheap bits of plastic for 100s of euro and get away with it. The pieces of plastic only last a few years so plenty of return customers

*Car insurance - the vast majority of customers just shovel 100s a year into them and all they want in return is a piece of paper with a date and a green strip printed on it

*Banks - Pull 300,000 euro from a magic bankers hat and watch some eejit paying interest on it for the next 30 years. Once you are able to set yourself up as a bank there really isn't any fear of you seeing another poor day once you don't do anything ridiculously drastically stupid.

*Paid car parks - Nobody ever complains to say the boiler in their parking space is broken, no problem evicting users, pay some fella to have a look at the ticket machine once a week or two and if your car park is in a popular spot you can throw your two legs up on a sun lounger in Barbados for the rest of your days

any more to add?

ancapailldorcha · 07-10-2022 11:02am

Bile-spewing tabloids and social media.

Ubbquittious · 07-10-2022 11:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712430#Comment_119712430

Social media yes but the bile spewing tabloids are under pressure to constantly look for new sources of bile to spew and their customers are quick to flake once there's an interruption in the bile supply

ancapailldorcha · 07-10-2022 11:12am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712448#Comment_119712448

They're not though. The same drivel about single mothers, cyclists, foreigners, Muslims, the unemployed, etc always sells. They're under pressure from social media and the internet.

Addmagnet · 07-10-2022 11:16am

If you don't like the goods or the company, don't be a customer ...

McGrath5 · 07-10-2022 11:18am

The gambling industry - its insidious, ruins lives leaving people destitute all the while advertising their friendly football bantz betz everywhere.

07-10-2022 11:19am

Vitamin Supplements probably. So many millions spent in that industry and most people taking them likely either A) see no benefit whatsoever past mere placebo and B) piss most of what they take in the tablet down the toilet and C) in places like the US are probably getting pills that contain absolutely zero of the vitamin or mineral the box claims they are taking in the first place.

Ubbquittious · 07-10-2022 11:21am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712509#Comment_119712509

This is what I do. But car insurance/banks are hard to avoid as they've been elevated to a position of power by our government overlords

RobbieTheRobber · 07-10-2022 11:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058266400/which-industry-has-the-biggest-laugh-at-their-customers-expense

You are spot on with the sunglasses, one company dominates the sunglasses market.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luxottica#:~:text=Luxottica%20Group%20PIVA%20is%20an,is%20based%20in%20Milan%2C%20Italy.

And absolutely takes the piss with pricing.

Quote from the founder of a retailer the brand bought.

In 2019, LensCrafters founder E. Dean Butler spoke to the Los Angeles Times, admitting that Luxottica's dominance of the eyewear industry had resulted in price markups of nearly 1,000%. In the interview, Butler noted "You can get amazingly good frames, with a Warby Parker level of quality, for $4 to $8. For $15, you can get designer-quality frames, like what you’d get from Prada." When told that some eyeglasses cost as much as $800 in the United States, Butler remarked, "I know. It’s ridiculous. It’s a complete rip-off."

MOR316 · 07-10-2022 11:26am

All of them

timmyntc · 07-10-2022 11:26am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712485#Comment_119712485

I'd say your posts on boards give tabloids a run for their money - I see more rants about rants about foreigners, muslims, the unemployed etc from you than I do actual rants about those groups!

ancapailldorcha · 07-10-2022 11:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712509#Comment_119712509

I'm not as much as I can. Easy to not buy a newspaper. I used adblock for social media and consume as little social media as I can.

SuperBowserWorld · 07-10-2022 11:38am

Alcohol industry.

They should have to show car crashes, sucides, broken families, destroyed communities, utterly wasted human potential ... in their advertising.

BrianBoru00 · 07-10-2022 11:46am

the "Legal Profession" - in particular the cottage industry that is the district court.

Free Legal aid courtesy of the tax payer

Dodge · 07-10-2022 11:49am

Builders and assorted tradespeople. Currently in week 15 of a “4 to 6 week” job

AllForIt · 07-10-2022 12:04pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712514#Comment_119712514

Yea I would have put gambling at the top of the list.

07-10-2022 12:17pm

The clown industry.

Strumms · 07-10-2022 12:30pm

I’d agree with social media. Look at how YouTube has gone for example. Just bombarding people with advertisements now, it’s such a fûcking pain in the hole to use… you often have to watch a portion of an advertisement before they’ll allow you to watch a video… now the adds are popping up too in the middle of a video…in the middle of watching…a piss take.

some you can skip after watching xx seconds, some you can’t…

in 2021, YouTube posted revenue of 28.8 billion. 74.7 billion in revenue over 4 years from 2018-2021…if you don’t want to watch the advertising you have to pay for YouTube premium. So either way, they win..

Just went to Facebook, in my feed, 5 out of the first 11 posts are sponsored advertisements..a healthcare charity, Irish water, sword’s pavilions, 1 news sports and Disney plus… I don’t follow or have an active interest in any of them and I’m not following them on any social media portal..

it will probably get to the stage now in future where in education, in a third level college you’ll be sat down on time for a 14.00 lecture and.. a message….“The Benefits of Cereal. Packed with energy and nutrients, a bowl of Kellogg's means a great start to the day”… advertising is just everywhere…

but social media over the last couple of years, annoying ..

Larbre34 · 07-10-2022 12:33pm

Telecoms industry - mobile phone, broadband. Zero f**ks given.

Heighway61 · 07-10-2022 12:41pm

To make a profit, the profiteer must fool his neighbour into giving of himself for less than his true worth.

One Who Waits... · 07-10-2022 12:45pm

Alcohol industry and whatever showers are involved in building the new National Children's Hospital.

Strumms · 07-10-2022 12:58pm

Certain corners of the aviation industry…

Beauvais, is not IN Paris, or on the outskirts of Paris. Vatry is not IN Paris, or on the outskirts of Paris. But a certain airline markets them as.. Paris Beauvais & Paris Vatry.

be like building an airport in Dundalk and marketing it Dublin Dundalk airport…

Fr Tod Umptious · 07-10-2022 1:18pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713005#Comment_119713005

But isn't it some international body that determines what airports can call themselves, not the individual airlines making that decision.

Sleepy · 07-10-2022 1:20pm

Has to be the Fashion & Beauty industry... they make billions every year out of convincing women that they're ugly.

Strumms · 07-10-2022 1:29pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713155#Comment_119713155

Before the certain airline began flying there, Beauvais and Vatry airports were long in existence. Beauvais was called Beauvais - Tille, Vatry was Chalons Vatry…. The airline hooked up with the airports to change their name for marketing.. IATA and ICAO both have codes for airports .ie. DUB & EIDW for Dublin that don’t change but airports names can..

a second airport was built here, Dublin North could be the marketing name of the Dublin we know today.

hawley · 07-10-2022 1:33pm

The welfare industry. People paying tax at fifty percent to support people who never want to contribute anything.

lawrencesummers · 07-10-2022 1:35pm

The manufacturers of “premium” baby wipes

Ubbquittious · 07-10-2022 1:37pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713280#Comment_119713280

Don't complain too hard about those. Rural ireland would be in a lot worse state without them and they spend their money stupidly in a lot of cases. They buy a lot of booze and fags so most of that money goes straight back to the government. They keep the publicans and local shops in business in places where there's little employment available.

bullpost · 07-10-2022 1:43pm

Porn Industry - They view their customers as a bunch of w:{nkers 🤣

DavyD_83 · 07-10-2022 1:49pm

Insurance, especially the ones that are mandatory. Car, mortgage. As pratchett explained it's basically betting on bad things happening to you.

And then spending the rest of your life trying to avoid winning the bet

Eoinbmw · 07-10-2022 2:06pm

sky and Vodafone!

Quags · 07-10-2022 2:06pm

Ticketmaster and their service charge fee. Robbing people openly

maninasia · 07-10-2022 2:13pm

TV channels especially RTE. TV license and a boat load of ads all the time. At least the BBC has no ads.

Irish cafes and restaurants offering ’breakfast’ but no drink included , fairly standard in Ireland but unusual overseas.

Pubs increasing prices after a certain time when the punters are pissed.

Children's entertainment activities in Ireland. Very expensive compared to overseas, and kids and adult tickets often the same price. For instance you pay into a 'community festival ’ and then you pay AGAIN to use the bouncing castle . Of course Irish people pay up.

Car park companies that insist on using their app that is difficult to download. But then they offer you a more expensive QR code way to scan and pay quickly.

Car parking that makes you prepay in advance even though you don't know how long you will be , a handy earner in Ireland indeed. Cheeky.

The Irish government for talking about giving folks energy rebates but taking 49% of the cost of every litre of fuel in taxes.

The folks that own the national lottery now. Spoofing on about how much goes back to ’the community'.

B&B's and hotels in Ireland and their horrendously greedy pricing on weekends.

maninasia · 07-10-2022 2:19pm

Irish people. Very rarely complain or haggle or talk about prices for fear of looking cheap.

Not an industry as such but....

I agree with the comment about social welfare.

In Ireland you pay up to 50% of your taxes for somebody else to enjoy free housing and benefits that may have never worked or arrived In the country the week before or decided to have a kid and live on the state's largesse.

Meanwhile the people that pay the high taxes get basically nothing back for it. Try telling people in mostof the world about that ’deal' and their eyes would pop out of their heads

07-10-2022 2:22pm

Ticketmaster.

Like that local douchbag who was the sole source of that widget you used bag in the day only global.

07-10-2022 2:25pm

Go Ahead Dublin

07-10-2022 2:38pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713527#Comment_119713527

Ticket master and Platinum ticket... FFS!

Riddle101 · 07-10-2022 2:42pm

Airlines that overbook flights. They book with the idea that people will no-show for flights but when the people do show up someone gets bumped. But what if you have a holiday planned for months and those plans are ruined because of an overbooked flight?

Ray Palmer · 07-10-2022 2:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713590#Comment_119713590

How much do you actually pay in taxes on your income because it is unlikely you are paying 50% on it unless you get paid very well?

Irish media is really bad, it often allows people they are interviewing make false comments like above into articles reinforcing ignorance.

Sgt Hartman · 07-10-2022 2:51pm

Insurance companies, they're nothing but a shower of gougers. Getting into the insurance business has to the easiest way in the world to make money. A friend of mine in work summed it up when he told me "banks are cnuts, but insurance companies are the cnuts of cnuts!!" With the Hell I had to go through during the house buying process he was proven 100% right.

(Oh...and he went on to say that It's 4 Women.ie insurance were "the cnuts of cnuts of cnuts!!" after the experience his wife had with them)

maninasia · 07-10-2022 2:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713720#Comment_119713720

Add it all up. Income Tax and USC and PRSI. Don't forget VAT because that's a tax on everything you will buy aswell. Getting up to 50% for somebody over 120k/year.

So what if somebody is well paid? Didn't they get up and WORK FOR IT EVERY DAY?

Does it mean they have to fork over 50 % of it to others while getting almost nothing back?

Even if it's 40% its horrendously high given the expensive and **** public services. Somebody paying up to 50% tax still cant get a medical card ffs, they still have to buy private health insurance and pay for doc visits and drugs.

That's the worst deal of all....paying for somebody else's medical card!

Ray Palmer · 07-10-2022 3:30pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713745#Comment_119713745

It is a lot higher than €120k and the point is you aren't paying that much tax as you claimed. Either a lie or inaccurate which means not true either way. Somebody not getting a social service because they earn enough not to need it is fine with me. It is called a progressive tax system. The foundation of our country is based on equality and you want to live in a country that doesn't want that so should move.

Our population still hasn't returned to that before the famine. That puts out population way behind what it should be about 3 times what we have due to multiplication of populations.

You made a a common false claim which you probably have repeated a ton of times and probably even now still beleive

Swaine · 07-10-2022 3:37pm

Dublin Airport. Parking, drop offs, food prices, drink prices. Rip off at every turn. Sad that this is the first impression people get of our country.

Shower of greedy ****.

bucketybuck · 07-10-2022 3:42pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713890#Comment_119713890

His point was very clear, your anal nitpicking does nothing but make you look like a clown.

cnocbui · 07-10-2022 3:44pm

The purveyors of bottled water.

Back Home · 07-10-2022 3:45pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119712824#Comment_119712824

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/vinegar-tube-cleaner/id1591303229

veryangryman · 07-10-2022 3:48pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713926#Comment_119713926

While yes, they are a ripoff and there really is no excuse but greed for the drop-off prices, it is incorrect to say this is the first thing you see in the country.

If arriving at the airport from abroad you are not being dropped off by anyone. Chances are you won't eat there. Arrivals is generally an "out ye go" kind of business. Not many bars in arrivals either

Probably better to describe the gripes (genuine as they are) as the last impression.

Mr. teddywinkles · 07-10-2022 3:53pm

I'd say any industry that participates in the big ponzi scheme called capitalism. Did I get it right?

Andrea B. · 07-10-2022 4:06pm

Health service, with respect to going private (with or without health insurance).

My last consultant was €20 / minute, inclusive of time they spent reading my file.

Not including the GP referral of €50.

whisky_galore · 07-10-2022 4:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119713990#Comment_119713990

Hmm the alternatives work out so, so well.

Swaine · 07-10-2022 4:16pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119714034#Comment_119714034

Have an ear consultant visit booked for next week. Got the letter the other day, in huge bold letters was "Fee: €250". Fortunately my company's HI will pay for 75% of this.

This is why we have such massive waiting lists, charging huge fees so no need to get through patients with any sort of speed.

Greedy fcuks.

Which industry has the biggest laugh at their customers' expense?

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