It seems to me, all these appliances they build are no longer built to last. They used to be. Look at those old fridges in people garage. They still work. My Grandma left me a waffle iron and blender from the 1950's and they still work.
But it seems like in my fifteen years of adult life, every time I turn around I am replacing something I bought--washing machines, TV's, vacuums (I have had 3). THe list is long.
It's frustrating. Not only from an economic stand point but environmentally as well. I hate to think of the portion of land fills that our not working stuff is in.
Thoughts, gripes, suggestions?
2006-08-10 02:59:39 · 6 answers · asked by adieu 6 in Consumer Electronics ➔ Other - Electronics
Monitor did you ever think of selling them door to door? I would probably be sucked into buying one!
2006-08-11 02:25:51 · update #1
The consumer has been trained to select products for lowest price. That's what you see in most advertising today. "Lowest prices here! Save here!" People no longer look at the long term cost, just the initial outlay. To make the initial cost low, corners are cut. Plastic parts glued together. No way to service the item if you wanted to.
Labor costs have increased this problem. Take something into a service shop to get it fixed and it will probably be close to a $100 minimum charge. When the product doesn't cost much more than that and the new ones have more features people will buy a new one.
There are a lot of costs that are hidden in this process. You don't see the "true" cost of doing business this way, both environmental and societal.
I don't like it, but it would take a lot of time and effort to change the system. It didn't get this way overnight and won't be fixed overnight.
2006-08-10 05:13:01 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is much cheaper to make disposables so they are more profitable (glue togeher plastic pieces instead of bolting together metal ones). The manufacturers assume that most consumers have short attention spans and will tire of their product long before it is broken. That could be true for faddish junk but it is a real disservice to people who buy big appliances. I have a nice Kenmore refrigerator and one of the crappy plastic supports for the shelves snapped after the first year and prevented me from using that shelf. It made me wonder what other more-hidden skimping on quality was going to show up next and killed me as a customer for Sears. Piss off enough customers like that and you will get a reputation for junk that you will never live down. In the race to get a cheap price, big ticket items are going that way and the market is branching into goods for average people (who must live with disposable appliances) and goods for the well-to-do (who are paying premiums for the quality level everyone used to expect).
2006-08-10 10:28:07 · answer #2 · answered by Rich Z 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
We no longer have the pride in craftsmenship anymore it is all about the bottom line. Make it cheap and fast people will buy and it will break and then people will have to buy again. It is about making the buck not the product. You have to figure back in the 40's & 50's $5.00 was a big wage buying a house for 4000.00 dollars that was a huge investment for people. And the workers well they had pride in what they did for 5.oo per hour today it is how much money can I make I much time off can I have when Am I getting another raise. Not much room left for pride in what you do is there.
2006-08-10 10:48:38 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I like "wires" answer best. And if you think about it, it's not all bad.
Labor cost will continue to go up over time, relatively speaking, because manufacturing costs go down in response to increasing production efficiencies.
If that 25 year old machine breaks, are you going to take it apart & fix it? A few folks will, but 95% will not. If you take it to a repair shop you will incur labor costs. The repair guy has to diagnose the problem which takes time & is cost ineffective.
Finally, that 25 year old refrigerator is horribly energy inefficient compared to most new ones. Please don't run it in the garage and waste all that power. New really IS much better here.
2006-08-10 15:28:17 · answer #4 · answered by Tom H 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lot's of great answers before me...but let me just say...buy a Dyson, you'll be in vacuuming heaven. They are built well, work better than any vacuum I've ever had, and they look cool.
2006-08-10 16:09:01 · answer #5 · answered by gotalife 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree with your thoughts completely............like an old car......made to last! Not plastic and garbage
2006-08-10 10:03:10 · answer #6 · answered by shizzlechit 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋