If you've ever wandered through a medieval castle, you know that people were shorter in "the olden days." The beds were tiny and the clothing was petite. Few kids over twelve today could fit into a suit of armor.
And we haven't stopped evolving. Each generation seems to grow taller. Children are often taller than their parents. Part of that growth is genetic and part is due to increased nutrition and other health factors that we enjoy today.
Still - most modern products are manufactured for people of average height and that leaves people at either end of the height spectrum - with fewer choices.
Why is that ? if you want anything adapted to a tall person you need to shop in specialty stores. But almost everyone is taller now. Average height for a man is now 6 feet, average for woman is 5'9. Why aren't the manufacturers adapting to this. Dont they realise their sales are dropping?
2007-08-31 05:07:32 · 6 answers · asked by Carla 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
good point i never really thought about it.
2007-08-31 05:13:00 · answer #1 · answered by steaua 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Manufacturers create product for the "sweet spot" - that is, the minimum amount of time, money and effort to produce a product that will generate the most revenue by being usable by the most people.
That is, they aim to the average. The net effect is that people at the extremes of anything (height, weight) end up paying more. Its also why drug manufacturers spending their effort developing drugs that will effect the most people. Consider the amount of money that has been spent on erectile disfunction vs. ALS. One is not fatal but effects a large percentile of the American population - and so gets all kinds of money. The other is both fatal and extremely painful and gets comparitively little.
As with everything else in the American economy, the question "why" is always answered with the word "profit".
By the way, Americans (on average) are no longer getting taller.
2007-08-31 12:14:42 · answer #2 · answered by Elana 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Are they really dropping??? Very tall and very small people are a minority. They have to buy in special stores and pay special prices. I don't think the manufacturers are suffering. Only those, who have to pay a lot of money for special sizes.
2007-08-31 12:16:22 · answer #3 · answered by Majuka 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm nearly 6 feet tall. I thought it was hilarious when "highwater" pants became popular in the last couple of years. And of course we have the huge shirts.... Keep comin,' Mama!
2007-08-31 12:23:13 · answer #4 · answered by shirleykins 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
sorry but we are getting shorter. It is true the just discovered that instead of us getting taller we are becoming shorter again. It is due to all the processed food we eat that is killing our growth.
2007-08-31 12:12:52 · answer #5 · answered by Hidden Track 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's because they need to use more material to build those things, and if you notice they offer larger things, but the price increases.
So they display smaller articles.
Catologes are famous for it.
2007-08-31 12:15:26 · answer #6 · answered by Amy Beware 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋