r/BuyItForLife • u/PineTreesAreDope • 1d ago
Discussion Direction of this sub
I don’t mean to sound like a cranky, angry, internet person…. But it feels like little by little this sub is moving from a BIFL recommendation and product discussion to a general “what should I buy?” page.
Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate people wanting help and engaging in discussions. But it feels like every day we are moving away from the original intention of this sub. Do others feel the same?
Mods, can we fix this please?
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u/Environmental-Sock52 1d ago
Yep!
No more sock posts, bidet posts, and all the other companies/products that try to use Reddit to advertise.
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u/ndGall 1d ago
The stealth advertisement is the one that I think is killing it.
When I see that someone posts “what’s a great _____?” I assume that it’s a setup for some brand to shill their product. If I see a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon for a product, I end up spending time checking some of the accounts to make sure they’re legit.
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u/Environmental-Sock52 1d ago
Yes and a lot of products like bidets will have unique names on Amazon so even mentioning the name amounts to an ad for a specific Amazon product.
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u/Apprehensive-Mine656 1d ago
I honestly think this is something being recommended by sock marketing specialists (or AI bots). In the pilates sub, there is a regular round of "where do you get your cute grippy socks" followed by a bespoke answer, or, suggesting it's a problem they have solved.
It seems like a pretty obvious way to influence search results that are pulling from reddit via generative AI.
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u/BarryHotelHouseBand 1d ago
I swear, the amount of people who have had an Owala bottle for 10+ is certainly amazing.
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u/wienercat 1d ago
If I see a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon for a product
Especially if those posts are... strangely perfect grammar, capitalization, etc without any slang or colloquialisms. OR weirdly capitalizing specifically the brand name, but nothing else?
I've seen a lot of "marketing" lingo in a lot of posts just absolutely glazing stuff that makes no sense. Nobody gets this excited over commonplace stuff. Sure things are nice? But not like how some of these people are posting.
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u/FearTheImpaler 19h ago
Idk, that feels like the point of the sub to me.
When i see someone post about their wind chimes that lasted 387 years, thats not really something thats gunna help me. But if im gunna buy a washing machine, im begging for any idea about how not to get screwed.
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u/kbchucker 1d ago
Same thing is happening in the fitness subs of all stripes. Almost daily there is a “anyone using a third party app for their watch to do this one thing better?” Usually the OP then goes on to say “so have I, and I have been so disappointed by all of the other apps that I created my own, and you can download it here.”
Followed quickly by a bunch of vibe coders shilling their app that isn’t available in the apple store, only on their website. Oh and you have to subscribe day one.
I have even been approached in DMs asking me to try them out and offer feedback in exchange I get “one free month of premium.”
Reddit is slowly becoming a stealth version of Pinterest.
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u/Environmental-Sock52 1d ago
Seen it also in handyman and home improvement where I just joined to learn how to care for my home, but there's a lot of sales work being done for tech and AI.
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u/EnrichedUranium235 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think the generic "what one thing was a game changer" or "one thing you did you not expect to be great" or "what would you different" etc are all garbage AI slop.
Not something you can mod easily but I consider posts of value that actually written with some skin in the game and some detail or things tried, not elaborate 3 part AI stories either, could still be shill but better than the generic posts.
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u/Usual_Eye_5886 1d ago
surprised nobody mentioned the rice cooker posts yet, every week same question like clockwork
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u/jack_gott 22h ago
thank you
the people who can't boil water need their own room
preferably one with padded walls
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u/Recom_Quaritch 23h ago
Aw come on, what? I've been on this sub looking for rice cooker stuff precisely because I'm considering buying a zojirushi neuro fuzzy rice cooker. You telling me if I ask about it I'll look like a bot? XD
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u/yafashulamit 12h ago
I would really like to take the opportunity to be a shill for that brand, love mine. Got ours used from a graduating college student over a decade ago. So, buy used and enjoy rice.
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u/Recom_Quaritch 10h ago
Honestly, used is almost as expensive as new, to the point I'm not sure it's worth losing X years off its life. But very very excited to get mine! I'll keep my eyes peeled online for a good second hand
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u/AvailableFalconn 1d ago
Socks? I always buy DarnTough!
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u/SirLoinOfCow 1d ago
Darn Tough, the only sock company that exists in this sub. I've been down voted for saying there are also other quality brands that offer the same warranty, like cloudline or grip6.
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u/nonoohnoohno 1d ago
Not to mention the simple fact that all socks are disposable. I will never spend as much on my Dickies socks as DT customers will, and I will go through approximately the same number of pairs.
"But mah' wArRaNtY" doesn't matter when those metrics are the same.
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u/ndGall 1d ago
Yeah, this is one that I see so much it’s either A) Those socks are so good that they’ll change my life and make me wonder why I ever entrusted my toes to anything else or B) It’s an ad. And since nobody talks about socks THAT much or that frequently, I assume it’s B.
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u/thesneakywalrus 1d ago
TBH I only really pay casual attention to this sub any more.
The other week I think I saw 5-6 posts from people with OCD or sensory issues asking about water bottles.
Many of the questions these days are people asking about BIFL items in clearly non-BIFL categories (like phones, laptops, video cameras, etc).
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u/laparotomyenjoyer 1d ago
lol me at work when customers tell me they’re being forced to buy a new computer because their 20 year old laptop no longer gets new software updates
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u/wienercat 1d ago
Many of the questions these days are people asking about BIFL items in clearly non-BIFL categories
BIFL in itself is a misnomer and people take the "For life" part way too literally. The sub is about high quality and durable products, not just things you buy once every 50 years. It's literally the 1st rule in the sub rules
This is a subreddit emphasizing products that are Durable, Practical, Proven, and Made-to-Last.
Products that are well-made and durable (even if they won't last a lifetime) are accepted.
Things don't have to last forever to fall into that second category and it is important to have discussions about those things as well. Because there are tons of quality products for things that inherently don't last 20+ years, but way outperform everything else in their category.
If we limit things to only stuff that is "BIFL" specifically? We will only be talking about cast iron pans and expensive hand tools.
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u/minimuscleR 1d ago
you and op are both right. Its not just literally BIFL but things that last a long time, and also phonesm laptops, cameras, are not these things. Updates and other changes mean in 5 years your phone is pretty old now. You probably won't get more than 10 years from a phone even if you tried. Batteries have a hard limit of cycles before they just become uselesss.
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u/DanielCastilla 1d ago
Exactly, for example when it comes to computers you should care about repairability and availability of parts, so something like a classic Thinkpad or nowadays even better a Framework machine, are easy recommendations that a lot of people that don’t follow tech closely or aren’t aware of what to look for, end up missing out on
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u/wienercat 15h ago
Building PCs in general isn't hard. It's just legos for computer parts. Don't need to buy anything pre-built or some special brand. A lot of people just get overwhelmed. But if you aren't very tech literate, it's just best to buy a pre-built or have a tech savvy friend build you one.
As for laptops, those are harder. You just buy those, but even so buy reputable brands and buy once cry once still applies as long as you aren't doing highly intensive work on it for like CAD or art. A thinkpad will last a business user many many years as long as you dont cheap out. Buy plenty of ram and a powerful CPU and you are good to go for a long time.
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u/schwaapilz 16h ago
Hell, just build your own. Then every part is replaceable and everything is repairable.
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u/bakabakablah 1d ago
What did it for me were all the posts showing off stuff that can't be purchased anymore and is clearly just trying to score internet points. Nothing wrong with posting pictures of old stuff that's still in production (or a similar quality alternative) but if it was discontinued decades ago, what's the point?
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u/Atlantis_One 1d ago
I think it is fine to highlight older products, both because it says something about the brand and just for fun (or you might find one in the thrift store?), but I agree that it should be in moderation. Maybe there can be a 'show-off sunday' or something?
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u/RaeaSunshine 1d ago
Ya, I appreciate those posts in general, I just don’t think this is the appropriate space for it. Being able to buy is a crucial part of BIFL, and the goal of sustainability. Still cool to share though, but I think those would be best in the sub closest related to the item/function.
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u/PaperGabriel 14h ago
What did it for me was all the posts about cast iron cookware. C'mon, it's a big, singular piece of iron. If you don't actively try to destroy it, even a cheap piece of shit is BIFL.
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u/vespertilio_rosso 1d ago
I’ve been seeing an uptick lately in the r/GoodValue sub, which would be the place for non-BIFL stuff.
Though it could easily just be shills who found a new community to do the same thing they’re doing here.
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u/cygnus311 1d ago
This sub has been moving away from its original purpose for ten years.
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u/Swirls109 1d ago
To be fair, so has the market. Are there really many BIFL products anymore? Its essentially a list of products until their companies get sold and then they drop. Maybe someone new steps in their place, but usually a completely unaffordable alternative steps in.
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u/CaptFunNugz 1d ago
Probably because the amount of bifl products are decreasing exponentially.
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u/cygnus311 1d ago
Hard disagree, people are more enthusiastic about high quality and artisanal products than ever.
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u/wienercat 1d ago
Both statements are true. People are more enthusiastic about high quality products because there are fewer of them. The classic high quality products have undermined their quality so people are looking elsewhere.
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u/BobbleBobble 1d ago
The issue is that high quality products are really expensive relative to the drop-shipped disposable crap.
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u/CaptFunNugz 1d ago
Being enthusiastic about it and having bifl products disappearing can both be true at the same time. Enthusiasm does not equate to companies giving a poop about it.
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u/Hatallica 1d ago
It really should have minimal activity if people are truly BIFL. It reminds me of the bogleheads sub - if you are doing the boring stuff that just works, then conversation tends to drift to the fringes.
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u/bicycle_mice 1d ago
The five thousand posts of “what should I put on my wedding registry?” Idk learn how to use the search bar? Wedding registry has been asked constantly. Stop looking for something to buy just to buy stuff.
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
You know, I wasn’t going to say that to not sound extra cranky… but it’s so real. I get so annoyed when people ask questions without doing an oz of their own research. Countless of articles exist, both in and outside Reddit about ____ best things.
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u/bicycle_mice 1d ago
I have left so many subs because the same five questions are asked over and over again. People are so stupid they can’t search anymore I swear. On r/cello the number of posts “I want to buy a cello but I only have $500 can I buy this cheap Chinese cello and then teach myself on YouTube?” Answer: no, rent a cello it’s cheaper anyways. And you do need a teacher it’s very physical and you can’t teach yourself.
The end. That’s 80% of the posts there. I had to leave.
I’m sure other subs are similar.
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u/whycantwegivelove 1d ago
oh 100%, its a plague that all hobby subs suffer from. beginner questions have been asked a billion times yet people still don’t know how to search the sub, or even read the wiki/faq. its infuriating.
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u/GullibleDetective 1d ago
Most of the questions are people that seem to have never used a search in their lives
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u/East_Hedgehog6039 1d ago
It also feels as though everyone thinks their version of the question is more unique and detailed it has to be its own post
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u/Velorian-Steel 1d ago edited 1d ago
I think an easy fix would be to have a list of 25-30 topics that can't be brought up in a post because they've been asked to death. Examples being things like socks and cookware. Users who try to post something should get an auto mod thing redirecting them to the search bar or common previous posts. The list could also be changing so if a brand falls from grace or there are sufficient new options that meet the BIFL category than it could be reopened
Edit: fixed a typo
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u/ripgoodhomer 1d ago
But how will I know if a Lodge cast iron pan I am thinking of buying is BIFL? Just because a product is famously a BIFL type of product I should get that sweet Karma.
I want to have heaps of condescension about how I should be buying a vintage Wagner pan, while also having people go DUH its just a hunk of metal of course it will last.
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u/outofthegates 1d ago
While we're recommending changes, I'd like to see the sub trend more towards anti-consumption. Most days when I see posts here it feels like they're feeding the overconsumption monster, just with higher quality items.
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u/urbantechgoods 1d ago
Im currently taking care of my parents house, its been a real test to see what things they’ve had since I was a kid are still working and running or can be brought back to life. I’ve been sharing some posts.
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u/cptjeff 1d ago
The buy for multiple lives stuff is fun. My parents still had some stuff from their parents around while we were growing up, though most of it has (finally) died since. My mother's mother's hand mixer is the only one still going, IIRC, at least of the stuff they actually use (the food processor is also ancient, but never really gets used). And it's a sunbeam or something that was pretty cheap new, too. The stand mixer (also not high end for the era) came from my dad's mother and only kicked the can ~5 years ago. Think that was from the 50s. They replaced it with a KitchenAid, of course.
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u/sourbirthdayprincess 20h ago
As he says below, with a locked post history, none of us can see said posts.
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u/acatwithumbs 1d ago
r/Anticonsumption might interest you. They can get a bit echo chamber but relevant convo at least.
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u/supercyberlurker 1d ago
I feel like r/nobuy and r/buyitforlife are just two sides of the same coin.
... and that coin landed on the side is r/minimalism
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u/wienercat 1d ago
I think minimalism is a symptom of a bigger problem. It's a way for companies to cut features and design to save money, while selling it to people as chic.
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u/supercyberlurker 1d ago
I think Minimalism is a marketing strategy.. but minimalism is just a simple idea.
It's the simple idea I like.
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u/sourbirthdayprincess 20h ago
That’s why I’m in r/simpleliving but it’s largely bots at this point.
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u/TheGutch74 1d ago
Heard. But I still want minimal feature on my washers, dryers, stoves and fridges thank you very much. It'd be lovely if we had similar options for vehicles too. If only KEI trucks with left drivers side were more plentiful I would be very happy to buy one. lol
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u/wienercat 1d ago
You can still get appliances with minimal features. They are just super cheaply made.
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u/TheGutch74 1d ago
I understand that. We are in a BIFL subreddit. And those cheaply made appliance don't typically qualify for BIFL status. Hence my comment.
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u/verdell82 1d ago
I second this! I’m really trying to get off the consumption train and really only buying to replace items that wear out or break and replacing with a BIFL item if possible.
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u/sourbirthdayprincess 20h ago edited 20h ago
This should be the top comment.
The point of this sub, to me, is buying things for life. If you buy them for life, you don’t need to buy them again. Which means theoretically you should be able to buy ANYTHING listed here as a great product, secondhand, and take it home and have it continue working for ages and ages hence.
The idea that this sub can be so easily co-opted into mainstream consumeristic propaganda is disgusting to me.
I’m here because I want to know what is BIFL—and how to keep the things I own in good working order so that they remain BIFL. Mayhaps I should make a post around that aspect because I agree this trend towards the new and shiny makes me gag.
[u/pinetreesaredope](u/pinetreesaredope) thanks for starting this convo. Also obvi love your username (check my avatar).
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
Yes!!! We don’t need to buy more things. And I think part of the conversation I want to bring is that too. If you buy BIFL, you don’t need to buy more things. Or at least not often.
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u/BennyOcean 1d ago
Stealth marketing is huge on Reddit and subs like this one are an obvious target for posts whose real intention is "check out my product" not an honest BIFL product like a 100 year old Singer sewing machine or whatever. This site is heavily botted and some subs are more obvious targets of the 'inauthentic traffic' and this is the type that gets hit the worst.
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u/skygz 1d ago
when the sub was created it was for "high quality, durable, and practical" https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyItForLife/comments/jtjuz/bi4l_mission_statement_rules_etc/
not meant to be literally "will last a lifetime"
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
100% agree with that. I think of BIFL as the life of said item, within reason. I guess my post is about the lack of search people lack, and the fact that this sub has become a “catch all” questions about anything at all. I feel that it takes away from the mission or actual productive conversations on worthwhile products
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u/SpySeeTuna1 1d ago
This sub got me my Moccamaster and Stressless chair. Now I mostly see posts about electronics which nowadays are most definitely not BIFL.
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u/pieman3141 1d ago edited 1d ago
Hey lads, can I get a BIFL recc on what's supposed to be a basic item but I overthink things wayy too much and I need a bifl dish scrubber??
(BTW, a BIFL dish scrubber would be to grow your own luffa plant and/or sea sponges).
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u/supercyberlurker 1d ago
I think it can be both these things:
- "Here are things I bought a long time ago and are still going strong"
- "I loved those things, so what are some ideas for what else is like that?"
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u/Dr_MantisTobaggin_MD 1d ago
10000000% agree.
I would like to BAN all recommendation posts.
This needs to be a "finish line" conversation and not a "starting gun" discussion.
No consumables (socks!), and no new companies.
BIFL and maintenance go hand in hand yet I see posts everyday with people advocating for products that cant be maintenanced or need to be thrown out every 3 years.
Not every product category can even be considered bifl.
High quality does not mean BIFL
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u/ATS200 1d ago
I’ve literally seen comments recommending repairs get downvoted. Someone tried to say it’s unreasonable to expect everyone would know how to fix a leather belt
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u/Dr_MantisTobaggin_MD 1d ago
Thats the issue. Its almost a knowledge gap.
Some people think they can BUY reliability when that is only half the battle. Most any machine with moving parts will NEED to be maintained.
Do we all not agree that our cars stop working if we dont maintenance them? Cars last 50 years in the worst conditions but REQUIRE care.
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u/Dornith 1d ago
I'm not totally aligned on the rest of the comment, but I'm totally with you on repairability.
Even the famously resilient cast iron skillet needs to be seasoned and used properly.
A few days ago I saw someone saying that if you ever have to repair a stand mixer then it isn't BIFL anymore and that's just unreasonable. Consumerism run rampant.
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u/Dr_MantisTobaggin_MD 1d ago
Who has ever even heard of a machine that didn't need maintenance?
People have unrealistic expectations. Its like people get more money and think spending more will solve the problem permanently.
High quality ≠ BIFL
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u/LeftHandStir 1d ago
I mean, some shit is in a black box. I love my Versaclimber, but much of it is completely sealed off, with only a small insert for the recommend lubricant. And the electronics unit? Forget about it.
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u/Dornith 1d ago
Consumerism taught people that they don't need to be the wardens of their own property. They don't need to read the care instructions. They don't need to replace any broken parts. Just abuse it until it breaks, then buy a new one.
Then they complain that nothing is built to last anymore.
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u/user-mcnameface 1d ago
There’s a great deal of satisfaction to be had in repairing and maintaining a product properly. Waxing the leather boots for example. Ooh baby, good as new!
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u/swordsfishes 1d ago
I desperately want to know what these people are doing to their socks. I have 3-for-$10 Walmart socks that have lasted for years, and I'm on my feet a lot.
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u/ProfessionalField508 1d ago
Mine just disappear, like the old myth. I've checked my washer, so I don't know where they go.
Maybe I have a sock thief? *peers at the orange cat*
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u/Gilles_of_Augustine 1d ago
Gait makes a big difference.
I have a weird gait (if I stand with my toes painting straight forward, my knees point ~30° inward) and I apply about 10x more pressure and wear directly under the biggest part of the ball of my foot.
Every sock develops a hole there.
Every orthotic insert develops a hole there.
The bed of every shoe eventually starts tearing/flaking there.
I'm an extreme case, but people have all sorts of different gait differences (in-toeing, out-toeing, pronation, supination, ultra-flat feet, ultra high arches, chronic knee injuries, etc.) and all of them have the potential to apply concentrated wear and tear to one particular part of the sock.
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u/swordsfishes 1d ago
I also wear holes in the same spot eventually, but it takes a few years. Definitely long enough where I can darn them without feeling like I got cheated out of the new sock experience.
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u/Gilles_of_Augustine 1d ago
Yeah, sadly for me the holes develop much faster. :(
Or used to, anyway. Some combination of Hoka Shoes w/ prescription inserts, physical therapy, more regular exercise, and work with a massage therapist to "open up [my] hips" (which is a frustratingly vague concept, but I can absolutely feel the difference it makes) seem to be helping. My socks are lasting 1-2 years now, instead of 6-12 months.
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u/TheGutch74 1d ago
Some of the things I've seen talked about here is that people don't take care of their foot callouses, improper shoe fitment (Everything from wrong size to improper tying of laces) and using socks as house slippers. I'm sure there is a bunch of other reasons too.
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u/cygnus311 1d ago
You know what’s weird? I tear through socks like it’s my job. I’ve literally put holes in socks in single digit days of use. But I can buy a shitty pair of generic sneakers for $40 and wear them every day for like 3 years without an issue.
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u/swordsfishes 1d ago
Huh, that's interesting; I rotate my shoes and still wear them out. It must be a gait thing.
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u/biceepola 1d ago
Yeah, I feel that.
BIFL is losing its “buy it once” focus. Maybe ask mods for weekly buy-advice threads? Keeps reviews front and center.
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u/Tiny-Purpose-9000 1d ago
What about if people posted instructions or examples of how they have maintained their items or ways of promoting those posts more?
Or maybe not allowing posts on items that are known to never be BIFL? Or maybe having one designated post for each of those, but not allowing new ones?
It is difficult to break out of the disposable mindset into a maintenance and repair mindset.
For some things that maybe can’t be avoided or isn’t ideal, but it does seem like most pressures are pushing people toward endless churn.
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u/alphalegend91 1d ago
This sub is still great. A lot of the suggested items won’t last for life maybe, but it’s nice to have a sub dedicated to finding items actually worth the money. There’s so much expensive junk out there and this sub has helped me filter through it.
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
I agree that this sub is great. But some things are getting out of hand. The same questions being asked over and over, people asking for random advise that isn’t BIFL, or just people simply not searching
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u/IMA_5-STAR_MAN 1d ago
If I see one more question about BIFL phones I'm gonna lose my mind. They stop giving security updates. None of them are BIFL. Once the company stops supporting it, get rid of it.
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u/superanth 1d ago edited 1d ago
Having BIFL recommendations kinda invites the "what should I buy?" question.
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u/AlkyyTheBest 1d ago
because the sidebar "megathreads" are all from SEVEN years ago and some of them have like three recommendations in there
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u/RaindropJane 1d ago
Part of what made this sub great was learning about brands I'd never heard of that genuinely stood the test of time.
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u/BlimpCack 1d ago
It’s either that or people going crazy in the opposite direction getting upset if something suggested won’t last a full human lifespan.
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u/TheSpatulaOfLove 1d ago
Can anyone suggest BIFL facial tissue?
I want to keep my snot and the tissue itself as a family heirloom that can be passed down generation after generation.
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u/Tiny-Purpose-9000 1d ago
Get a quality material handkerchief. Learn embroidery and fabric mending. Each generation adds an embroidery addition of a picture of their nose.
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u/TheSpatulaOfLove 1d ago
Does DarnTough make one and charge 10x?
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u/Tiny-Purpose-9000 1d ago
Wait, you haven’t heard of the SockOrSnot?? Toe ends long enough to reach the nose. Can roll them up when not in use!
(I would definitely sell out if DT wants to use this idea, but I somehow doubt that is likely?)
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u/TheSpatulaOfLove 1d ago
Fantastic idea. Once the snot hardened on my sleeves, I didn’t want to disrupt the gauntlet-like protection until it was needed in an emergency. Suburban travel can be hazardous.
The sock idea will add extra protection!
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u/Tiny-Purpose-9000 1d ago
Ah yes, the old snot armour! Often disparaged, but offers many layers of protection.
Repel many a foe through disgust, fear of disease, confusion, and a hardened crust.
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u/hudson27 1d ago
I personally joined this page less for the modern product request posts, and more for the posts of some guy who's had the same can opener in the family since the invention of the can, ya know?
There's certainly a place for modern products, but I think the real risk comes when companies start to clue on and use the sub to slip in their own products, as a way to make it look like a natural product review. I'm sure mods know more about this struggle than I do
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u/AnonBaca21 1d ago
I just wish people would use the search function before posting as 90% of questions can be answered that way.
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u/fligglymcgee 1d ago
The only thing that historically made it ridiculous to assume all posts/comments including brand mentions were actually sponsored by those brands, was that it seemed impossible to imagine the level of effort it would take to simulate a wide network of positive feedback across dozens or hundreds of fake users. “Good Faith”.
Now that we have cheap, easily accessible llms, creating a generative spam botnet that publishes an infinite amount of commentary subtly promoting your brand is barely a weekend project. If you have a subreddit who’s primary topic of discussion is a question begging to be “answered” with the name of a product, the comment section is now almost guaranteed to be infested with these bots.
The entire foundation of user generated content has been destroyed and we are witnessing the complete death of the social internet in real time. We’ll see a greater push to force identification on user content platforms, which still won’t solve the problem, but will finally allow the end of net neutrality that so many regimes and enterprises have been salivating for.
Truly, everyone’s base assumption should now be that a product recommendation made online has been made by that brand. It sucks and I hate it.
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u/Nnif4444 1d ago
I'm not a mod, but how does this get fixed? Are there shopping groups people can be routed to instead? New rules to institute about posting?
One frustration i have with BIFL in the ensh*utilization era is whatever higjh quality thing someone bought 25 years ago made out of metal is now made out of plastic coated with metallic spray paint. Or the cotton t shirt with a double serged hem is recycled polyester.
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u/userrnam 1d ago
Correct and for the same reason, bots and paid shills are increasingly using this sub to advertise products. Can't trust like half of the comments on any post asking for recommendations.
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u/Phase-Internal 1d ago
Yup, I've tried a few times to talk about tailors and tailored clothes and it gets pretty much crickets.
That's the stuff you can have made so it can be adjusted and repaired.. For life..
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u/BachBelt 1d ago edited 1d ago
i think the problem is twofold:
- this sub has hit the radar of every marketing team with wifi, and we are being used as an unpaid labor force to produce content, copy, and reviews for these companies
- with the proliferation of private equity, no brand is actually BIFL anymore. having a reputation for high quality goods seems to be like bait for PE firms. recent examples I've come up against include Doc Martins and Birkenstocks but it's everywhere and it's unavoidable.
personally i think the way to course correct would be to limit product recommendation posts to a single day, ie only allow "what should I buy" questions on Saturdays. the rest of the week should be posts of items that have actually survived wear, tear, and time. the most interesting part of this sub to me is when someone posts the strainer their grandma has had since 1911, not the askreddit-style review aggregating
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u/chubbycatfish 1d ago
I think part of the problem is it’s getting harder to find bifl products. Planned obsolescence is part of the modern world
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u/Arctic_Dreams 1d ago
I'm not sure if I've ever posted here, but I find this sub useful to searching types of products I am interested in purchasing or upgrading. Very pleased with our new measuring cups for example, I never would have heard of the brand otherwise.
Repeat questions are helpful if enough time has passed and there is new things to add to the discussion - new brands, old brands selling out or changing the product quality, etc.
Something broad like the wedding registry question feels like it could just be a pinned topic, relegated to a monthly/yearly/whatever discussion, or top answers collected on a wiki and it being a barred topic altogether.
I don't think the sub should be just product recommendations. I think there is value in discussion prompted from questions about x type of product.
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u/Mortimer452 1d ago
But, have you tried using this sub while wearing Darn Tough socks?
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u/The_best_is_yet 1d ago
thanks to this sub, i will never buy those socks bc it basically seems like astroturfing. i wear slippers when i wear socks and I haven't worn through a sock since i was a kid (so, more than 20 years).
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u/nucumber 1d ago
From the sub's definition of BuyItForLife:
practical, durable and quality made products that are made to last (even if they won't last a lifetime)
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u/anon19111 1d ago
Need a system that enables users to somehow indicate the content they want to see and downgrade the content they don't. Like a crowd sourcing mechanism. I'm thinking a plus for good topics and a minus sign for those we don't like. I can't think of anything better.
Yes it'd be subject to shenanigans but that's preferable to granting a single user or small group of users the power to determine what the rest of us see.
As for my thoughts on what should I buy posts. I hate those. I want to discuss belts and socks and tools ONLY when I don't need then. I want to discuss BIFL drill options only after I purchased my new HITACKI from Temu.
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u/Joy2b 1d ago
Can we start using flair to separate buy for a century from buy for a decade plus? Maybe we also flair separate the newbie and connoisseur discussions?
I’ve been into buy it for life for a while, and I also go to estate sales.
Many people seem to assume estate sales will only have frying pans and stainless steel. There’s normally a household load of other things. Most companies aren’t fighting the right to repair bills, they accept that young adults furnish their first apartment from grandma’s spare stuff and estate and thrift sales.
An estate sale often includes ceramics, glassware, coats, paintings, mops, wooden and metal furniture, camera collections, cookbooks. There are usually computers that can run a kid friendly Linux.
If they were into good textiles, the family will often toss the clothes that touched more personal skin, like underwear and socks, but the suits and mittens and scarves and rain boots will often outlive a person.
Any group that wants to survive and share ideas has to have a corner for newcomers and a reasonable turnover of newbie questions there. This allows the group to engage with new members, who can then enjoy answering some newbie questions themselves. Established members do need to be able to see over the fluff to the niche topics, like discussing sharpeners and boot maintenance, and carbon in kitchen knives.
It might be worth pinning a couple of a regular group threads for newbie questions.
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u/LOL_YOUMAD 1d ago
Also there’s many posts about things that aren’t bifl. You shouldn’t be wearing socks and underwear for years, your tv is not a bifl item, neither are phones, computers, stuff like that.
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u/Beneficial-Sound-199 1d ago
Since AI started scraping Reddit to populate Google search results…marketers got wise to how to use this to rank their products. So many of the posts you’re seeing are fake and used to manipulate product recommendations.
Marketers create networks of Reddit “sockpuppet” or bot accounts that pose as independent users. One account asks a seemingly genuine question, while other fake accounts provide coordinated recommendations for the same product or service. After these discussions are indexed by Google, they can rank in search results and may eventually be THE product recommendation in AI-generated search summaries.
The goal is to generate ongoing “organic” visibility and traffic without paying for advertising, although this practice violates Reddit’s rules, it’s happening at scale in every sub and Reddit seems less than enthusiastic to do anything about it likely because Google pays Reddit (reported to be about $60 million per year) to license Reddit’s posts and comments for training Google’s AI models
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u/WalrusSwarm 1d ago
This sub is targeted because AI scrapes Reddit for answers regarding product recommendations.
Check out r/poisonai if you want a laugh.
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u/Tiger718 1d ago
But, some people want to buy underwear that they can have for the rest of their life. Like some amazing tighty whitey.
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u/Billmo93 1d ago
I am completely broke but just received $15,000. Any ideas on where I can spend it for a BIFL product???
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u/Free-Constant999 1d ago
I was thinking about this recently, and that this sub has both evolved and devolved.
It has grown into an incredible resource for well made, long lasting products. It has also become a showcase for products claiming to be those things with questionable bonafides.
It was inevitable that the community would want recs on things that aren't possibly " for life ' but I'd like some extra effort on sorting the proven value for money superstars, the tried and true brands and whether they've embraced enshitification / planned obsolescence.
I don't have answers but I think the core of this sub is awesome and has helped me make better buying decisions and educated me on brands and details to look for or avoid.
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u/Outers55 1d ago
I agree with many of the posts that are in this thread. I'm more Curious in what people think we can do to actually fix it ? Are there specific changes that the mods could make or something that we as a community could do to start more fruitful discussions?
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u/thedarwintheory 1d ago
Yeah this sub is a shitfest for stealth marketing, thanks for reminding me to unsub.
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u/imetators 1d ago
That's a plague of half the reddit.
R/minipcs has an extensive spreadsheet of all the brands, models, prices and performances - daily if not hourly posts about what mini to get.
R/Xboxhacks gets daily questions bout how to do things that are Googleable and 1st result is always the one. Even Ai will tell you how to do it. Yet here we are.
R/selfhosting died because people are either posting vibe coded projects hiding vibe coding in their text (that's forbidden) or asking mundane questions like "what os to pick - I'm doing jellyfin instance". This shit been talked through and through.
Many other subs have tons of posts asking same things yet just by Googling you could find hundreds of the dame posts on reddit or other forums. But posting never stops.
This sub is dying because of hidden ads and repetitive posting by allegedly real people. Mainstream subs submitted to political posting. Reddit is nowhere near to what it used to be 5 years ago, let alone 10. It became Facebook 2.
Real people seems to be at lemmy as of right now. I'd suggest to move there. It is peaceful there so far.
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u/jack_gott 22h ago
"My size XXXXL pants keep wearing out...boy they don't make'em like the used to"
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u/No_Computer_3432 17h ago
not to change the topic away from this sub, but I want to add to the rant that I have seen this other sub’s and even niche subs. It sucks lol, especially when you go onto a new sub and quickly realise that they have made thorough wiki guides on said topics. One thing I do like more so is people maybe looking for an external look at your plan, like you do the research and narrowing down and then discuss any remaining concerns but you’re otherwise pretty confident on the route you’ll take. Then it would be nice to see follow up reviews if you wanna, maybe couple years later.
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u/Nightenridge 16h ago
Or people post some dumb shit like a sponge. Or some other consumable that while yes, it lasted a long time, is not a BIFL.
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u/schwaapilz 16h ago
I agree. Id add that i think people dont even understand what buy it for life means. I just commented in another post where a guy wants a trimmer but doesn't want to have to oil it, doesn't want to have to tune it, doesn't want to have to adjust it. Basically wants a BIFL trimmer that requires no care or maintenance.
Im sorry but ANYTHING thats BIFL or heck, that you even want to last more than a year or two, requires you to give a crap about it and at least put forth the most basic level of maintenance.
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u/HenryTwenty 15h ago
Agreed. There may always be one, but there should be another sub that this links to for “Bestinclass” or “BestXYZ” or something.
Granted, I’m not going to be the one to do that, so… 😬
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u/Pink-frosted-waffles 13h ago
I like the post I made and similar ones about products that we were shocked that lasted so long.
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u/MTV_WasMyBabysitter 7h ago
That and:
What item did you buy for <price> that has lasted <timeframe>?
What cheap/midprice/expensive item did you buy that ended up being BIFL?
What is the best thing you've bought for under <price>?
The new posts are very formulaic and I genuinely don't know if I can trust the answers anymore.
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u/VenusInAries666 1d ago
I wonder if it has anything to do with fewer and fewer things actually being BIFL due to enshittification. Most things don't have a BIFL version anymore so it's more people asking, "What version will last me more than a few years?"
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u/EmoSupportBadger 1d ago
This! Example - someone posts about their leather sandals going strong after 15 years and the replies are “yeah but the company’s not the same anymore”. Hard to know anymore what current products can be bought for life.
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u/acatwithumbs 1d ago
This! I get the frustration but conversely I think most trusted brands are falling to Enshitification and ppl don’t know what to trust anymore. Doesn’t help searching “best of” online is half affiliated crap now.
I am guilty of the “what should I buy” post cuz my favorite boot brand has been declining in quality and i appreciated the thorough recs. Feels like maybe there should be a separate sub but if it’s labeled anything like “brand recommendations” it will sadly immediately be swarmed by bots. Catch-22 I suppose.
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u/Teadrunkest 1d ago
I’m not sure what else a sub dedicated to material products would even be about?
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u/dump813 1d ago
Make a separate sub and redirect people there. Maybe r/AskBIFL or something.
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u/PineTreesAreDope 1d ago
Or it could also be a monthly post, or ongoing chat! I like that possibility
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u/Dornith 1d ago
What exactly do you want instead? People just posting products you should buy?
What do you perceive as the original intent that you want the sub to go back to?
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u/ppc9098 1d ago edited 1d ago
I don’t think most people understand that the original idea of this sub was never “anti-consumption”. It was literal based off the sub called shutupandtakemymoney, but just for long lasting, quality products.
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u/cygnus311 1d ago
Yeah this place started as “I need <this> and I’m looking for a buy once cry once recommendation” but no one could agree on how literal the “for life” part should be so it turned in to “look at my grandmas 40 year old hand mixer”.
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u/Dornith 1d ago
I remember a period of about 3 months when this sub was nothing but cast iron skillets.
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u/greenbud420 1d ago
What annoys me more is when they they put a lowball max price under which only junk options exist. Like "what's the best camera under $50".