Goods and services are intimately linked in all societies and are an essential part of the economic activities. We use, consume, possess and trade them constantly, but the two concepts do not represent the same thing. At OneHowTo.com we tell you what is the difference between goods and services.
Steps to follow:
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There are several fundamental differences between goods and services, but perhaps the main and most obvious one, which also serves to categorically separate them, is the possibility or not of touching the merchandise. The good is something material and tangible, it can be touched: a house, a car, some shoes, a dress, a dental implant … The service is immaterial, you can’t touch it: a math class, a play, a medical diagnosis, home insurance …
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Another quality that differentiates goods and services is the possibility that the product in question can be divisible. While a aptly named “cake” can be divided into portions, the “phone call” service cannot cut it in half. The inseparability of the service is a characteristic that goods do not have.
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The ephemeral condition of the service is also opposed to the essence of the goods, since the former they are fleeting and perishable in time, as it is something that is consumed at the same moment in which it is produced and that cannot be used again if not through the provision of a new service. However, you can hit again with the same hammer, which would be a good thing, after a day of rest.
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Finally and within the most notorious peculiarities between goods and services, we must highlight the heterogeneity. While the same customer can buy several pairs of shoes of the same model at the same time, that same person cannot receive the same service in the same way and constantly.
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Despite the many differences, goods and services share things in common in a world that moves according to the supply and demand of individuals, groups and entities.
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