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slowmo on 23 January 2010
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Icyedge said:
slowmo said:
Well I've just arranged for a repair today on my parents 37" LG HDTV. In the last few years we've had a Toshiba DVD player fail (2 years old), Xbox 360 Premium (Xenon) RROD, Kettle, Iron, Vaccuum. There have been some other lesser items failed too but generally speaking we've had more items fail in the last few years than 10 years prior to that I believe.

The move to lead free solder combined with manufacturing for electrical goods moving more to China imo as meant worse and worse build quality. If somebody doesn't step in soon then we'll have serious issues long term. Electrical goods becoming throw away prices is not good for the environment or consumer confidence and something must change imo.

Actually by working in that field and having study consumer beavior, the problem is not with companies or government regulation. The problem is the mentality of people, always wanting to pay as cheap as possible. A refridgerator 30 years ago was 600$, and you can still purchase a fridge for 600$ today. Does anyone in their right mind really think it should last as long? But still, they purchase it instead of purchasing the one that is 1500$, and complains 3 years after that they have problems with it. The situation is really bad at the moment, because  even companies that offered reliable products in the past are starting to lower the quality so they can rival the price point of korean brand like samsung. They dont have much choice because if they dont do it, they will not sale their products. If the whole consumer mentality doesnt shift the earth and then us is in serious problems.

A real life example: you have the choice between 2 cars, its either the X brand or the Y brand. The 2 cars offers exactly the same features and looks as good, car X is said to last about 8 years/cost 30 K while car Y is said to last about 12 years/cost 40K. Well about 90% of the person in america will takes the X brand. This is why more and more companies lowers their quality. Usually, and its the case here, the demand comes before the offer. In this case theres demand for shitty products that offer lots of features and looks good while being cheap so companies are offering those.

Your right in what you said, but its everyone (all consumers and even more north american consumers) that need to step in soon.

Indeed, I'm starting to become concerned with the trend for high street retailers that have been dropping quality brands in favour of cheaper models.  I understand there is a market for budget brand electrical goods but all too often customers are not fully advised.  Its not been helped by some of the bigger companies cutting on costs yet still charging premium prices or old premium sets being rebranded and sold at a cut throat price driving prices even further down.