maybe some hobby projects. I can't name a product that failed due to too much polishing. It's almost always due to overscoping or underfunding or political reasons. Sometimes first to market is important, but it's not the difference between success or failure simply due to timing.
>you've seen the survivors of the process which have ugly backs of the cabinets because the developers started on the actual drawers
And I've also seen "survivors" that died because the drawers weren't actually bolted on but got plenty of funding on the show floor with "no touching allowed" signs. Absolutes, sith, etc.
> if I have to delay the building of my kitchen because the cabinets are late, and I call the shop and they cheerfully tell me that they were ready yesterday but they haven't finished polishing the backs, oh man
And that's a classic miscommunication. Some managers see unnecesary polish when in reality they were still bolting the drawer in but they think "it's good enough".