False assumptions. Faster production is only profitable if it reduces waste (spoilage) or costs (labor). Neither was true in the episode.

Somewhat unrelated, but while many people saw this episode is about how small business can triumph over corporate predation, but when you look at it, Flim and Flam are the small business owners. The Apple Family has a whole ranch, and has apple growing relatives all over the country. In contrast, Flim and Flam are just two guys and a single machine. Now, they’re still assholes, but they are also the small business in this equation.
 
As for the Cutie Mark, I’m gonna guess a golden apple.

just remember, show often use episode stupidity in characters to get the ball rolling  
we’ve seen Applejack as a good business woman before. this time however, they needed dumb mistakes so they can tell a story.  
remember all the time Twilight could have solved a problem with magic but didn’t because that would have ended the episode early?

@nyxabuse:  

@sarge: I’m not saying I want them to have a five-minute explanation of supply and demand, but most of the episodes do make sense.
 
More importantly, they tend to play on the characters’ flaws, so the conflict emerges naturally (with a few exceptions like the diamond dogs - but flim&flam are not really like the diamond dogs, since AJ could have told them to fuck off at any time)
 
them not making a stockpile of cider is just another sign of the apple family’s lack of business sense
 
@Vree: apple bloom has always been pretty open-minded, compared to her sister. Look at Bridle Gossip…
 
hah, apple bloom saving sweet apple acres from chronic fiscal mismanagement could be a decent premise for a fanfic

Applebloom is a little and walked right in to the brothers tricks. the rest of her family saw the potential of the cider maker as well, but she was the only one buy in to the bullshit. she’s not a good business woman at all, at least right now.  
so if she got a mark out of this, it would be bad.  
there, happy?

Guys. Guys. Answer the question.
 
I would enjoy business savvy Applebloom.
 
Actually since her special talent is connected to building things, wouldn’t her being the most progressive thinking and agricultural technology friendly would make a perfect story? It is actually the best possible cutie mark story for her that I have heard so far.

@nyxabuse:  
first of all, this a kids cartoon. most of the time an episode depends on the characters acting like idiots to get the story and plots moving  
second, the brother were shown to be crooks. whether the Apples would have a agreed to better terms is up for debate, but the show was telling that Flim and Flam are disingenuous and out to screw over the Apples no matter what.  
third. why didn’t the Apples just spend a couple days makes a stockpile supply of cider instead of making every day?

@ClownDicks  
We don’t need to, the question is so fucking stupid that it answers itself. Somehow.

what?  
the whole episode hinged on everypony acting like an idiot  
I mean it was worth it for the letter at the end, but the conflict felt incredibly contrived

@ClownDicks: I think it would look like a crocked apple with worms in it. What do you think, ClownDicks?
 
Like that?

@nyxabuse:  

I love how none of you are discussing the actual question.

^^^they didn’t really try  
they just went ‘so how much do you want?’  
‘75% (or whatever it was)’  
‘oh, nevermind then’
 
whereas AJ should have tried to beat down their price to something reasonable
 
of course, flim & flam should have tried negotiating while AJ was walking away, but instead they tried their ridiculous plan (which should really have ended with AJ saying ‘no, you can’t touch any of our apples, now please leave our farm’)

If the deal was 75:25, and the SSCS6K made cider more than 4 times faster than the apples, it’s a profit. So, how much faster was it?

yes, this pic seems to ignore that the brothers were deliberately screwing the Apples over with a very bad deal.

V They tried. They knew Flim and Flam were too greedy to listen.

The flim flam brothers were so fucking stupid  
though, so was applejack in that episode
 
apparently none of them had heard of the concept of negotiating a price

Did everyone forget that Flim and Flam are scamers and simply wanted the Apples to get out of town?

Yesss, but the Flim-Flam brothers are not good businesscolts at all, it’s in their names for crying out loud! Ergo, they probably wouldn’t be trustworthy, especially since their uneven division of the profits would have pulled Sweet Apple Acres under.
 
You sir, are an idiot.