This is why we're screwed...

... so, I have a set of headphones of brand X. They work well and last. Hooray! Unfortunately, the foam pads wear. They wear so much that they fall apart.

Aha, think I, I will go to the specialty which sell brand X headphones and just buy some more foam pads. "Foam pads" they say, "we don't sell those". They are, I should note, quite helpful.

"You could go to the supplier, but that would be expensive and a waste of time" they state.

"Oh" I comment.

"Instead, you need to go big-barn retailer and buy $cheapo headphones and use the foampads from those for your expensive ones".

So, I need to consume another whole good with all the costs implicit in that decision, to get one part of it to fix the working consumer good that I already have?????

This is why we're doomed.

Thanks.

Mac