What happens when People do not know or understand what quality is?

Match Quality to Expectations

The lack of understanding of quality among consumers may create market opportunities for businesses to offer lower-quality products or services at competitive prices. Why should we offer heavy aluminum bowls if no one never cooks anymore?

The problem is the match to expectations when there are no explicit expectations but just the demand for any sufficient, even arbitrary outcome. The demand that is placed on us to make countless decisions every day leads to decision fatigue.

Simplified decision-making

Simplified decision-making can be a positive for hat most decision do not need to be as overly complex as we make it. Relying on simpler decision-making criteria than quality, such as price or brand reputation, reduces our cognitive efforts required to make purchase decisions.

When oversimplified though, it leads to poor decision-making. The lack of understanding of quality can lead to people making suboptimal choices, which may not meet their needs or expectations.

Lower Standards

Another negative consequence of people not knowing or understanding quality is that it leads to lower standards; consider organic produce. If consumers cannot discern quality, businesses may have less incentive to produce high-quality products. Potentially leading to an overall decline in quality across various industries. This is why being public about the highest quality food production is much more important than education. Because with education the decision lies ultimately again at the consumer, which as we just learned is overwhelmed and cannot 100% of the time make the right decision. Because this is not a question of free decision making but protectin of exploitation when it comes to our greatest good that is our health.

Exploitation

Businesses may take advantage of consumers' lack of understanding of quality to sell substandard products or services, which could be harmful or ineffective.

Undervaluing Expertise

Professionals who invest time and resources in maintaining high-quality standards in their work may feel undervalued if their efforts are not recognized or appreciated by the public. Well, sell yourself better one might say and I must agree to that. Because it does not help neither the professional nor the consumer if the consumer buys the wrong stuff. If you as a professional really cared about the consumer you would make it your duty to show what quality is to those you want to serve (See Godin).