Why The Bernier Contract Is Still Bad

Let’s say you’re at your friend’s house sitting on her couch.  It’s a nice couch, and you’re looking to replace the one you’ve got in your living room, so you ask how much that couch cost.  She says “The list price is $600, but I got it for $500.  The salespeople at the store I bought it from have a sales quota each month, so if you go in on the last weekend of a month and act like you’re not interested they’ll knock the price down.”  You really like the couch and it’s only one week into the month but you go to the store anyway.  The salesman won’t give you a discount and you pay the full $600.

6 months later there’s a major fire at the couch factory.  Suddenly there’s a shortage of furniture available and the couch you bought is now going for $1000.  That’s $400 more than you paid for it!  You got a $1000 couch for $600, right?  What a great deal!

Nope.  You still paid $100 more than you needed to because you wouldn’t show a little patience.  You’re not up $400, you’re down $100.  And it turns out that the new couch isn’t any more comfortable than the old one anyway.