Exactly. People like this troublemaker don't understand the marketplace. Competition! You can't complain about the competition. You have to treat the competition with respect. And if someone is doing better than you, or pricing differently, or taking market share you hoped to get, you have to use your smarts to change what you're doing to be more competitive. The one thing you can never do is expect the winner of the game to accomodate your losses!
That's not how it works.
And yes, I have found myself in a very similar situation - with a raw newbie who had no concept, apparently, that this is how a free market works. She was really ticked off that I had no sympathy for her. Too bad, this is reality. Go to the marketplace and there you will find competition!
And I've also been on the flip side, where a similar competing product at a low price grabbed the best part of the market share. Several times. It's not pleasant to lose out, but you suck it up, smile, and do what you can to do better next time. You have to stay creative to stay competitive in the marketplace. And think about, what is the competition doing right? that made it more profitable for them this time. And another thing, if someone seriously undersells you when you're charging a reasonable price, they either don't have the quality or they aren't making much of a return. In both cases it's a flash in the pan, you may have a bad day but it's not going to change market realities for the long term. Grin and bear it.
two and a half cents.
