Just Another Theremin Fan wrote:
jakdedert wrote:
Why would you suggest that a manufacturer keep a one to one parts
inventory for every set that went out the factory door? That suggests
that *every* part on *every set will fail and need to be replaced.

I was being pedantic. I'm famous for it!

Spare parts should not be considered a profit center.

Remember that when you write out a bill. "To supply spare parts at cost
price". I'm sure the customer will be very happy and you can tell us
all how to run a business that doesn't need to make a profit.

For the manufacturers...breaking even should do it. Repair centers are
a different story. If supplying spares becomes too lucrative, the
temptation to manufacture devices that *need* spares as a matter of
course, becomes too great.

Actually it has in some cases.
reliable, only a minimum of spares should be needed.

Perhaps you will lend manufacturers your crystal ball for the next
production run?

Ad hominem...ignores the fact that good engineering more often than not
can produce a reliable product--if that is the object--as opposed to
packing in the most features at the lowest cost with no respect to
reliability or servicability.

the company
makes more money on a replacement *device* than replacement *parts*.

Rubbish, that arugument falls over when you tell a customer that a 3
year old telly
made by XYZ can't be repaired as a £10 part can't be obtained. Would
the customer buy another XYZ set?

Depends on how much the XYZ set cost in the first place...depends on
whether the XYZ set was actually *made* by XYZ. Very possible to change
brands and 'still' get an XYZ set with a different badge. In these
times of old marks with a loyal customer base being consolidated and
sold to conglomerates, the average consumer has no idea who made what.

For the most part so far, they've voted for 'cheap'.

Or as Alan Mike Sugar puts it, "If they want to pay crap prices then
give them crap at crap prices".

Who doesn't 'want' to pay crap prices? The fact is that too few
manufacturers stress actual quality in their advertising. To our own
detriment, we've been sucked in by whiz-bang features and fancy packaging.

jak