Superior Goods
Categories: Econ
See: Inferior Goods.
In casual conversation, you might say that Reese’s is a superior candy to Baby Ruth, or that broccoli is an inferior vegetable. In economics, superior and inferior goods aren’t yin and yang.
Superior goods, also known as luxury goods, are actually a sub-set of “normal goods.” Normal goods are goods whose demand goes up when incomes go up. Normal goods in L.A. include A/C, kombucha, and designer clothes. Normal goods in New York City include flannel button-ups, noise-canceling headphones, and pizza. The more money people make, they more they’ll be spending on these goods.
If we’re getting technical, normal goods have a positive income elasticity of demand. Elasticity measures how sensitive we are to goods when they change in price, or when our buying-power changes. The more elastic something this, the more sensitive we are to it. The more inelastic something is, the less sensitive we are to it. Normal goods have a positive elasticity of demand, meaning we’ll want more normal goods as our buying-power rises.
Superior goods are a type of normal good. Superior goods, like normal goods, have an income elasticity of demand that’s greater than zero. So what makes a superior good a superior good? A superior good has an income elasticity of demand that’s not only greater than zero...it’s greater than one. Superior goods are just extreme versions of normal goods. The increase in demand for superior goods is greater than for normal goods given a certain percent increase in income. When people are rolling in dough, they have more money to play with, making their demand more elastic. They have so much money that the basics are covered, so they can spend a higher proportion of their income on luxurious things. Superior goods are things like fancy TVs, fancy cars, fancy clothes...basically, anything fancy.
Okay, so we have normal goods, which have a positive income elasticity of demand, and superior goods, which are extreme normal goods, with an income elasticity over one. We also have inferior goods. While normal goods have a positive income elasticity of demand, inferior goods have a negative income elasticity of demand.
Inferior goods are things people want less of as their incomes rise. As people’s buying-power increases, they’ll usually start substituting inferior goods for normal goods. As you start making more money, you’ll probably swap your inferior McDonald’s coffee for Starbucks, a normal good. You might switch from riding the bus to driving a car, another substitution of an inferior good for a normal good. The more money you make, the less you’ll demand inferior goods. As you climb the corporate ladder, you’ll forget inferior goods altogether...like they were never a part of your life.
But don’t worry...there’s a horseshoe theory for inferior and superior goods. For instance, if you find yourself in your corner office overlooking the city, missing the good old days when you had duct-taped shoes (an inferior good), there’s a superior good for that. You can buy a Superstar Taped Sneaker, a superior good at $530, and then reminisce about the old inferior-good days.
Yeah...there’s a luxury market for everything nowadays.
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All right Well in casual conversation you might say that
Reese is is a superior candy bar Teo the Baby
Ruth Or that broccoli is an inferior vegetable Teo pretty
much every other one in economic superior and inferior goods
aren't union yang Superior goods also known as luxury goods
are actually a subtype of normal goods Well normal goods
or goods whose demand goes up when incomes go up
Yeah like normal normal goods in L A include air
conditioners and kombucha and designer clothes Normal goods in New
York City include flannel button ups noise cancelling headphones and
of course pizza The more money people make the more
they'LL be spending on these goods if they're getting technical
while normal goods have a positive income Elasticity of demand
elasticity measures how sensitive we are two goods when they
change in price or when our buying power changes The
more elastic something is the more sensitive we are to
it The more any elastic something is the less sensitive
we are to it Well normal goods have a positive
elasticity of demand meaning will want more normal goods as
our buying power rises Superior goods or luxury goods are
a type of normal Good superior goods like normal goods
have an incoming elasticity of demand that's greater than zero
So what makes a superior good a superior good Well
a superior good has an income elasticity of demand That's
not on ly greater than zero It's greater than one
Superior goods are just extreme versions of normal goods The
increase in demand for superior goods is greater than for
normal goods given a certain percent increase in income When
people are rolling in dough they have more money to
play with making their demand more any elastic They have
so much money that the basics are covered so they
can spend a higher proportion of their income on luxurious
things Superior goods are things like fancy TVs fancy cars
fancy clothes basically anything fancy Okay so we have the
normal goods Remember which have a positive income elasticity of
demand and superior goods also known as luxury goods which
are extreme normal goods with an incoming last the city
over one We also have inferior goods which is the
gin in the yang of normal goods while normal goods
have a positive income Elasticity of demand in cheerier goods
have a negative income Elasticity of demand will What is
all this means means inferior goods are things people want
less of as their income arises as people's buying power
increases well they'LL usually start substituting inferior goods for normal
ones As you start making more money while you'LL probably
swap your inferior McDonald's coffee for Starbucks a normal good
you might switch from riding the boss to driving a
car Another substitution of an inferior good for a normal
good The more money you make the last you'LL demand
inferior goods As you climb the corporate ladder you'LL forget
inferior goods all together like they were never a part
of your life But don't worry There's a horseshoe theory
for inferior and superior goods For instance if you find
yourself in your corner office overlooking the city missing the
good old days when you had duct tape shoes and
inferior good very inferior Good There's a superior good for
that right Like you Khun by this superstar taped sneaker
a superior good at five hundred thirty dollars and then
reminisce about well the old inferior good days Yeah there's
a luxury market for everything nowadays Yeah you've seen it