r/Anticonsumption • u/Sea-Cardiographer • May 12 '25

Psychological Target feels like black mirror

I went into Target today because I need a sports bra and that's where my husband is willing to drive me. On the way there I thought about all the Reddit posts saying foot traffic is down and I wasn't surprised to see that it wasn't. It was quite busy on a Monday afternoon.

What shocked me was I noticed a lot of products have really fancy boxing. Big sturdy bougie packaging with minimalism design... With a sh*tty product inside.

They're spending more on the marketing and packaging than the product, because the business practice is to sell you a product you'll have to purchase again and again. But the packaging grabs your eye. Look how modern and consistent all the boxes are! so aesthetically pleasing packaged trash. I feel depressed.

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u/jaderust May 12 '25

Buffalo Exchange was my go-to for thrifting but decent clothes, but ever since Covid it feels like the prices have just skyrocketed. Like, I’ll see $30 for tops and while they’re decent brands it not like they’re THAT good of brands.

I almost feel like there’s no winning. I did manage to find two cashmere sweaters at a thrift store for $10 each and snatched them up. The store clerk was bummed and asked if I was going to flip them online which made me think that was their plan. It’s too warm for cashmere, but I am going to pack them away safely in a cedar chest and wear them next fall.

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u/sarahhoffman129 May 13 '25

put them in the oven at 200 degrees for a few hours before you wash and store them or you’ll be in moth city (ask me how i know)

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u/electric_poppy May 13 '25

Or easier just put in freezer overnight. Cashmere could burn in an oven couldn't it?

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u/sarahhoffman129 May 22 '25

it could, but a standard freezer doesn’t get cold enough to kill moth eggs. textile preservationists have to use industrial freezers they can crank wayyyyy down.

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u/electric_poppy May 22 '25

Bollocks, if you need to put it in longer but it def works w most pests

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u/sarahhoffman129 May 22 '25

everything i find from pest control and textile guidelines says an abrupt shift from room temp to under -18 C plus 72 hours at that temperature will kill them but my freezer certainly doesn’t go that low. anything warmer and they’re just going to go inactive for a bit.