On Prices

I found this on the back of a local photographer's brochure. It was written in the late 1800's. It could have been written pretty much anytime.

Prices

By John Ruskin 1819-1900


It is unwise to pay too much. But it is worse to pay too little.

When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything because the product you bought is incapable of doing what it was bought to do.

The common law of business prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. It can't be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run. And if you do that, you would have enough to pay for something better.

There is hardly anything in this world that someone can't make a little worse and sell a little cheaper-and people who consider price alone are this man's lawful prey.


Translation: You get what you pay for. That's just the way it is, boys.