[salt4034]

Why lower quality? The money doesn't go to authors, editors or peer-reviewers.

[PopePompus]

You're certainly right about authors and peer-reviewers, but are you sure that editors don't get paid with some of that money?

[dsr_]

Yes. The "editors" for most such publications do not edit, they make publishing decisions.

Copy-editors are expensive, and paid for by the researchers, not the journals.

[giantg2]

Lower system quality? I saw job postings from Elsevier a couple years ago and considered applying. I assume there are other paid staff who contribute to quality of the articles or their delivery as well.