Everyone puts forward the amount they're willing to pay for something, the specifications for what that thing should have, and the units of that thig to prebuy. The when a company puts that thig on the market the payment goes through and everyone automatically prebuys the amount of the thing.
This would encourage companies to lower prices because they would compete to reach the prices and specifications demanded by customers.
This can also be done to pay things like insurance and utilities.-- flireferret, Jun 19 2025 100 of these for five bucks? I'm in! https://www.amazon....-2281435178058&th=1 [doctorremulac3, Jun 19 2025] For some reason, the State of Victoria seems to be ahead of the curve again. https://www.buyingf...-and-services-guide... and I don't even live in Victoria [pertinax, Jun 21 2025] This is too interesting to not have been done. Could basically do this on Kickstarter no? Say there's an item you want, you contact the factory, say "How much to get ten million squeeze rubber honking chickens?" The factory says "Bulk order of 10 million gets them down to ten cents each." Put it on Kickstarter and get ten thousand people to commit to 100 rubber honking squeeze chickens for ten bucks and boom, capitalism's finest moment.
When it catches on, other rubber chicken factories can bid for the contract. 100 rubber chickens for five bucks? I'm not sure there's a person on Earth that would turn that down.
I like it. [+] (But somebody has to have thought of this.)-- doctorremulac3, Jun 19 2025 Look, the contract doesn't specify no rat meat in the burger. I don't know what to tell you. Next time make your specs more precise.-- Voice, Jun 20 2025 ^ (+)-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, Jun 20 2025 Well, yeah…-- minoradjustments, Jun 20 2025 Part of this already exists, in the form of the "demand aggregation" business model.
Also, the "ratburger" problem is addressed in commodities markets by having a detailed standard spec. for things which are likely to be traded in large volumes (such as "Chicago May Wheat"). The volumes are important, because they make it worthwhile for people to spend time and money on making the contracts rat-exclusionary.
If you purchase an option to buy a commodity on a commodities exchange at a certain price, then you're basically participating in this idea, except the price you pay for that option (including any fees for access to the market) is instead of your union dues.
So, the question is whether those parts could be glued together effectively.
<edit> Oh, wait; see link. </edit>-- pertinax, Jun 21 2025 And after membership dues, subscription fees, etc nobody would actually save any money, and you'd put out of business all the smaller companies that already keep prices in check through competition. I saw too much corruption in the union I was a member in to believe this would actually protect my interests in a meaningful way.-- 21 Quest, Jun 21 2025 random, halfbakery