Warby Parker, an eyewear brand renowned for its direct-to-consumer (D2C) business model, and Allbirds, an eco-friendly shoe brand that went public on NASDAQ in 2021, exemplify innovation in connecting manufacturers directly with consumers without intermediaries. This model promotes a positive image by endorsing an eco-friendly business approach. However, the disclosure of the companies’ financial statements revealed that both had accumulated losses greater than anticipated. While it would have been ideal for manufacturers to supply products directly to consumers, the burden of inventory increased along with rising administrative and marketing costs. Distributors in the middle shared profits, but they also shouldered the financial burden. Choosing eco-friendly options often incurs higher costs due to the search for alternatives, which can lead to accumulating losses. Pollution negatively impacts both consumers and suppliers, and business deficits further inflict additional damage that c...
Value in Kind (VIK). Refers to the spot value . We pay money to buy the goods we need, which represents an exchange of goods for currency. However, since money is also a kind of good, it has a relative value that constantly changes. That’s the price. When the price of goods rises, it indicates that the value of money in relation to goods declines. This phenomenon is called INFLATION . If other goods exchanged for goods experience a greater value increase than currency, the seller finds it more advantageous to transact using those other goods rather than currency. We prefer to exchange currency in transactions because it is a government-guaranteed compulsory means of exchange . The right to exchange anything constitutes compulsory circulation power . However, this is the only value of money. If the price of gold is rising significantly, and you can exchange gold for goods, it becomes a better option for producers of goods to trade in gold instead of money. Originally, the pre-currency...