I don't think I characterized her comment different. You can see I referred to the effort as well in what you quoted.
My objection is characterizing the level of effort as "mediocre" when it's in fact it's not atypical of books most of us read (if you read popular fiction, or the classics) and further assuming that the level of effort is somehow more important than the results achieved.
You owe them a quality product. If it's easy for you to generate that, more power to you. Honestly, I prefer that to hearing how Johnathan Franzen or George RR Martin struggle over their work. Are we really going to disparage Harlan Elison or Lawrence Block simply because their final prose is pretty much what they typed on the first try? Is that somehow a mediocre effort, somehow worse than Franzen or Martin? Do they really have to go back and do more to satisfy their readers? I can't imagine someone making that argument.
Unless it's about a self-pub author...
(But I can understand the temptation with the anonymity here, and the general stigma created by a lot of low quality self-pub content.)
Since I've already agreed that KalenO was right and by effort I meant effort applied to the process rather that the work produced, I have to wonder if you are deliberately misinterpreting the word 'effort' to support your argument.
In general, I happen to believe content is important. there is absolutely nothing wrong with a consumer wanting to believe they are getting the best they can get for their money from a person providing a service. In this case the writer.
Maybe there are some who can produce an amazing work from a first draft and at the end of that honestly feel it's the best it can be.That's different to an author telling potential customers he is out to make money and will supply them with 'good enough' in return.
For instance, if I pay a plumper to fix something in my home, I'm going to pay my money to the guy who fixes it properly, not the guy who patches it up because he thinks that's all my cash and I deserve.
Obviously being the best a writer can be is not the only way to make money, but if there are two writers side by side. I know one is trying to bring me the best product they can provide and is making a serious effort to do that, I will support that author over the one who is churning out work that is great but could be better, except they don't believe the consumer deserves that.
From a customers point of view. I don't think it's a good idea for a writer to advertise they believe the cover holds more importance than content.