getfunky wrote:
Hi Jim,

I am a technical writer, and publish a daily free newsletter on the
telecom industry.

I fully support your claims that the average life of consumer
electronics is declining. I am an electronics gizmo freak and have
repaired quite a few things on my own.

Remember a TV/Audio/Radio/Fridge bought 10 or 20 years ago may still be
running allright with minor glitches. However, the average life of a TV
has been reduced to not more than 7-8 years today. Same is the case
with other equipment. I think the worst decline in quality has come in
case of AUDIO players with CD/DVDs. They normally develop a defect or
problem within a year itself.

Another problem with these sophisticated devices is that they are very
costly to repair. So, the companies earn profits on two counts. 1)
Initial Sale and 2) Spare parts.

The following factors can be attributed to falling quality levels:

1) Global competition
2) Sustaining profit margins
3) Curbing a fall in sales ( A TV built for 20 yrs life will ultimately
affect the future sales/profits of a company)
4) Procuring supllies/spare parts from low cost countries, which do not
adhere to strict quality standards or are not technologically well
equipped
5) Meeting huge demand in less time
6) Launching new models without much prior testing

Just to give you an example. My TV set has got a damaged IF block,
according to a company authorised service center. Also, the switch set
is not working. If I total up their estimate, it comes to $170, at
which I can buy a brand new TV set. This clearly shows that these
companies work on a strategy where the customer would either get a
product repaired at huge cost, or buy a brand new TV, boosting their
sales.

Thanks


Hi...

Please excuse me butting in; you're discussing something
that concerns me greatly (I'm old and long retired, but
very much worried about the young people's future)

If I recall correctly - not too long ago virtually anything
coming out of Japan had a three year warranty. When Korea
began to compete almost all that they produced had a five
year warranty. I mean real warranty, no spin-doctoring.
No pro-rated, or it's your fault, or any of that stuff,
just repair it at no cost.

Makes me wonder. Is there *no* way that we could all, each
and every one of us, for the common good get together and
boycott anything with less than 5 years of assured life?

If so:

We'd stop exporting our money, or as the Americans say,
exporting jobs. This would almost certainly re-create
the local service shop, who would do factory authorized and
paid for warranty work. Jobs for our young folks!

We'd stop wasting the earth's resources. We worry now about
oil, about water, etc., but *none* of earth's bounty is
infinite. Why waste it? The energy consumed to mine, ship,
and melt metal for new products can't possibly compare with
heating my soldering iron, eh? And I didn't even yet mention
the enormous waste in shipping - by sea, by train, by truck -
all be saved.

A side effect is that the USA - being under attack; or
thinking they are (a whole different subject) would have a
much much simpler job of inspecting imports.

We'd stop filling and over-filling our waste dump space.

I suspect that if all of us - ALL of us - went to the retailer
and said I want a 5 year warranty or nothing at all it wouldn't
be too long before many of our youngsters would be working
again.

Sorry for the rant. Pet peeve. Putting on my asbestos
suit now

Take care.

Ken