Being filmed like a criminal.

unrecordings

Knowing a smidgeon about product design, here's a couple of random thoughts based on my experience. In general a brand doesn't necessarily want their product to fail so you have to buy a new one, they want you to upgrade before the product fails. The deliberate part is specifying cheaper components to keep manufacturing costs to the bare minimum. Last time I needed to cost something I think the failure rate of the average piece of consumer electronics was in the region of 20% in the first year

Mr_Singleton

euronorris wrote: »

As for the suggestion by singleton of possible strip searches in the future. Come on. There's a world of difference between someone capturing a bit of video surveillance of you, and getting naked.

Yes, I'm being somewhat tongue in cheek but the point I'm making is that if you'd told somebody 20 or 30 years ago what a modern supermarket was up to they'd be just as horrified as a modern day shopper being strip searched would be today. It would seem entirely reasonable as people shove things down trousers, in bras and up skirts.

Mr_Singleton

unrecordings wrote: »

Last time I needed to cost something I think the failure rate of the average piece of consumer electronics was in the region of 20% in the first year

I know that a lot of people want to blame manufacturers when things break down after a such a short time BUT it's hard not to see this as manufacturers NEEDING to make things as cheap as possible so people actually buy them.

As has been pointed out I like to buy good quality things as such have never had any problems with things breaking down unduly. There is going to be a world of difference between my £1600? Miele washing machine and a £250 Beko one. To keep costs down plastic is used rather than the more expensive metal thus effecting reliably.

Good quality, reliable and long lasting products ARE available but people choose not to buy them. They prefer to buy dirt cheap and then complain when it breaks down 2 weeks after the guarantee ends.

VfM4meplse

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Good quality, reliable and long lasting products ARE available but people choose not to buy them. They prefer to buy dirt cheap and then complain when it breaks down 2 weeks after the guarantee ends.

Its very much a question of affordability, and economy of scale allows this. I would suggest the difference between the premium priced product and Beko (which I personally see as being a downright dangerous brand, to be avoided) is highly unlikely to have 6 and a half times the life span of the latter.

You cannot expect NMW earners with young families to save up £1600 for a Miele appliance when stacks of washing is piling up now.

GreyQueen

When I buy appliances, I visit the public library first where the reference section typically hosts the Which? magazines. I look for reviews of whatever it is and go for the best energy efficieny/ performance/durability for value for money. Not the cheapest but not the dearest - am hosting a B0sch washer atm and had change from £400.

Having bought a Miele brand larder fridge in 2012, I am unimpressed with its several defects and will not be purchasing this brand again, once renewal comes around. Its predecessor was a Beko and perfectly satisfactory. (I only ever buy appliances when the present incumbent has broken beyond economic repair).

As V4 points out, an appliance which costs 6.5 x some of its rivals is unlikely to deliver 6.5 x longevity/ quality etc, therefore the purchaser is being conned somewhat.

Quality and price often but not always do go hand-in-hand, but any manufactured item could be a Friday afternoon special/ total lemon and manufacturers tend to trade on their names while sneakily cutting quality.


Domestic fridges routinely used to last 30 years in constant use. Try telling that to anyone under 40 and watch their eyebrows raise in disbelief!

Pollycat

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

Yes, I'm being somewhat tongue in cheek but the point I'm making is that if you'd told somebody 20 or 30 years ago what a modern supermarket was up to they'd be just as horrified as a modern day shopper being strip searched would be today. It would seem entirely reasonable as people shove things down trousers, in bras and up skirts.

If you'd told somebody 20 or 30 years ago what this world was up to - terrorist attacks - less than 20 years since 9/11, regular fatal knife attacks, flooding etc they'd have been horrified.

Shops are arming themselves against crime.

To quote yourself:
"It would seem entirely reasonable as people shove things down trousers, in bras and up skirts."
I just can't understand why you are so surprised.

Norman_Castle

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

I like to buy good quality things as such have never had any problems with things breaking down unduly. There is going to be a world of difference between my £1600? Miele washing machine and a £250 Beko one. To keep costs down plastic is used rather than the more expensive metal thus effecting reliably.

I've got a mix of expensive and cheaper items and have never had any problems with things breaking down unduly. There will be a perception that cheaper items will fail sooner and if they do its accepted as they were cheaper and considered as having worked as expected. If expensive items fail early its viewed differently as you've got less than you've paid for. How much of a Miele's £1600 price is to fund the 10 year guarantee? If Beko started selling £1600 machines with long warranties would you see it as a quality machine or a calculated risk by the manufacturer?

Mistral001

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

I know that a lot of people want to blame manufacturers when things break down after a such a short time BUT it's hard not to see this as manufacturers NEEDING to make things as cheap as possible so people actually buy them.

As has been pointed out I like to buy good quality things as such have never had any problems with things breaking down unduly. There is going to be a world of difference between my £1600? Miele washing machine and a £250 Beko one. To keep costs down plastic is used rather than the more expensive metal thus effecting reliably.

Good quality, reliable and long lasting products ARE available but people choose not to buy them. They prefer to buy dirt cheap and then complain when it breaks down 2 weeks after the guarantee ends.

Often "quality" products fail, but because they cost so much, people will pay to fix them. £200 washing machine has a problem costing £150 to fix, you buy a new machine. A £1000 washing machine fails and it costs £150 to fix, you get it fixed.

I actually fix my washing machines when they break down no matter what it costs me. A couple of months ago I fixed a washing machine which cost me £75 second hand. It was actually a quite inexpensive simple machine with no fancy features and it was thus quite simple to fix. All the parts were easy to access and replace.

PS. I should have added that the £75 machine ran for 4 years before breaking down so that was £19 per year. It cost me £30 for a reconditioned motor to repair it. If I get another four years of use out of it - you do the maths.

Undervalued

Mr_Singleton wrote: »

As has been pointed out I like to buy good quality things as such have never had any problems with things breaking down unduly. There is going to be a world of difference between my £1600? Miele washing machine and a £250 Beko one. To keep costs down plastic is used rather than the more expensive metal thus effecting reliably.

Good quality, reliable and long lasting products ARE available but people choose not to buy them. They prefer to buy dirt cheap and then complain when it breaks down 2 weeks after the guarantee ends.

Depends on your definition of "a world of difference".

If it actually washes the clothes better and / or uses significantly less energy to do so then that is a relevant factor.

Without those benefits it would have to last over six times as long without repair to be economic.

I have to say my experience of certain "top" brands (including Miele) has been disappointing. Availability of spare parts after a few years was almost non-existent.

maryb

My larder fridge is 34 years old. We keep being urged to replace old fridges with newer more energy efficient ones. I plugged in a usage meter to check consumption. It's fairly marginal. Plus I like to look at the whole life carbon cost of appliance purchases. Disposing of the old fridge (which was made in the days of CFCs but they are currently safely contained) and the carbon cost of manufacture of a new one outweighs that of keeping my old fridge which suits me very well - I can't actually find a new one I like as much even at the Miele end of the market

It wasn't a hugely expensive make - Husqvarna which is part of Electrolux.

I have had two washing machines in the last 35 years. Occasionally the motor needs new brushes. Not expensive or difficult for my husband who is good at fixing things. (Messy - yes! greasy black soot everywhere if you're not careful!) And we've replaced a door seal once. Again, not top of the range Miele though not mega expensive.