In the short term, companies that know how to market will do better than those that only focus on production. In the long term, this trend might persist, making those who only know production and not marketing increasingly burdened, eventually turning them into mere contract manufacturers or outsourcing factories for marketing companies. Is this really the only direction we’re heading? If making money through marketing is that easy, wouldn’t production companies shift their focus to marketing instead of concentrating on production? Wouldn’t this just be another classic case of bad money driving out good? But let’s not think that way; after all, professionals should stick to what they do best. Take us, for example; as long as we excel in our specialized production and earn reasonable profits within acceptable price limits—even if we’re just doing contract work or outsourcing for others—we’re good as long as that keeps our factory running smoothly. If customers choose to pay a premium for products from marketing experts, that’s their decision. Customers can more easily find what they need and save time in the process. As long as the marketing company has a solid grasp and control over product quality, that’s enough. However, if they only know how to market and lack understanding of production and product quality, customers paying high prices might end up disappointed because they pay more for uncertain product quality. This could lead to a classic case where bad products drive out good ones, as everyone realizes the market can accept high prices for inferior goods. What if customers later want lower prices? Production needs profits; where will they come from? One way is to cut costs on raw materials, or to skimp on labor, like substituting lower quality materials for the ones specified—like using a 50-degree foam instead of the required 60-degree foam, or using B or even C materials instead of A. If it’s not obvious and you’re not an expert, you often won’t be able to tell. Of course, the reality is probably not as simple as the text suggests; it’s a long, complicated evolution. Just like the current tariff situation in the U.S., we’ve found that American customers are still willing to pay, which shows they have a significant profit margin or can accept higher prices. If we can maintain the same quality, shouldn’t we consider raising prices? If they’re unwilling to do so, might that mean lower quality? Markets can be really interesting sometimes.