You don’t think losing money is a contributing factor?
Hero pay would accelerate this process. They could have been operating at a loss to squeeze out competition, but don't have cash reserves to continue operations for the amount of time it would take to drive competitors out of business with hero pay in place.
Oh ok, because the competitors would be exempt from hero pay
Supermarket A operates 5% profit.
Supermarket B operates 5% loss.
Consumers save 10% across the board and migrate from A to B at a rate determined by many factors.
Maybe after 12 months enough A customers become B customers to put A out of business. This is tolerable because bridge loans and cash can be recouperated once A customer's only can use B. Also with larger orders and total market control, suppliers will offer better prices.
Hero pay adds another 5% off bottom line in labor expense. Supermarket A is now breaking even.
Supermarket B is losing money twice as fast but acquiring customers at the same rate. They need to take out more money, at interest that compounds more due to higher principal and CoH is depleted faster. Compounding expense means a doubling of loss makes the survivability of the market war 5 months rather than 12.
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