This is why we can't have nice things

PTmowerMech

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This explains a lot of the business models for todays products. Things we were bringing up in the Taryls shop closing thread. It starts out about light bulbs, but it goes into other products.
One thing particularly that really caught my attention, was the companies allowing the government to fine other companies who made a bulb that lasted longer than 1000 hours.

If company build solid, long lasting products, they'd never achieve the profit margin increases, year after year.

 

PTmowerMech

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Truth........

We always hear about things like this. And speak about it. How they deliberately make cheap stuff, just to sell more. But this guy really puts things into perspective.

If someone made a zrt that didn't start breaking down for 10 years, and the replacement parts would last 10 years, they'd sell a ton of them. Everyone would want one. But after say 5 years, their sales would drop drastically. They'd be overstocked with parts they couldn't get rid of. And in all probability, they'd go bankrupt by the 7th year.
 

bertsmobile1

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This explains a lot of the business models for todays products. Things we were bringing up in the Taryls shop closing thread. It starts out about light bulbs, but it goes into other products.
One thing particularly that really caught my attention, was the companies allowing the government to fine other companies who made a bulb that lasted longer than 1000 hours.

If company build solid, long lasting products, they'd never achieve the profit margin increases, year after year.

As I regularly state the problem with the USA is Wall St not the White House
Wall St actually runs everything
As for obsolesence yes they are correct
This is being typed on a 2012 I Mac that I will either have to find a patch for or dump because it can no longer make an SSL connection with a lot of web sites .
My I Phone 4 will end it's life after having 1 battery replacement ( not easy but quite cheap ) because the G 3 network is closing down .
Technically better , no way in fact analogue mobile phones were far technically superior than any digital one if all you wanted was a phone .
Do we need all of those phone apps , no way I have but one that did not come with the phone and that is simply to locate LPG service stations as they are closing down.
My daily ride is a 1943 motorcycle but I do go shopping on the 1972 one some times .
Climate change is happening because we buy way too much stuff and replace it way too soon, not because our mowers run on petrol .
I now have to buy the one last brand of boot with a genuine stitched on sole but new soles are $ 50 compared to the boot which costs $ 40 .
Everything else has a moulded sole that actually hold the boot together so when the sole wears thin the boot is trash .

And the government is facilitating this by allowing businesss to merge down to monopolies or duolopies.
Even a few years back when we had Murray & Noma we had a lot better mowers now there is not a single US domestic mower that I can recommend to my customers .
And the bottom end commercials are not much better
 

bertsmobile1

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Up until Australia made the last "free trade deal " with the USA we had a regulated car market which stipulated a 10 supply for all parts .
So because of this the number of models of imported cars was quite restricted
Part of the US deal was scrapping this and when this happened the 10 year parts supply went out with it and now cars that are 3 years old are getting scrapped because there are no service parts available for them
So now we can buy almost any car made anywhere on the planet but most will not be able to be used after 5 years because there are no parts or parts take 6 months to get
I have over 30 repairs in the shop at the moment, most from quality ? brands all waiting for parts from a simple plastic bush ( about to get one 3D printed ) to ignition coils .
 

PTmowerMech

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As I regularly state the problem with the USA is Wall St not the White House
Wall St actually runs everything


I get a kick out of people comparing the economy and oil production during different presidential terms. As if any president has any say over the stock market, 95% of the economy or how much or how little oil is produced during their term.

As far as your boots go, maybe there's a better cobbler down there that could replace the soles. Up here, you can still get new soles & heels. The cobbler I used to use, would redo my boots and they'd last longer than the original soles and heels.
 

PTmowerMech

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Up until Australia made the last "free trade deal " with the USA we had a regulated car market which stipulated a 10 supply for all parts .
So because of this the number of models of imported cars was quite restricted
Part of the US deal was scrapping this and when this happened the 10 year parts supply went out with it and now cars that are 3 years old are getting scrapped because there are no service parts available for them
So now we can buy almost any car made anywhere on the planet but most will not be able to be used after 5 years because there are no parts or parts take 6 months to get
I have over 30 repairs in the shop at the moment, most from quality ? brands all waiting for parts from a simple plastic bush ( about to get one 3D printed ) to ignition coils .

Cars are definitely becoming like the mower industry. Not so cheap throw-aways.
 

bertsmobile1

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I get a kick out of people comparing the economy and oil production during different presidential terms. As if any president has any say over the stock market, 95% of the economy or how much or how little oil is produced during their term.

As far as your boots go, maybe there's a better cobbler down there that could replace the soles. Up here, you can still get new soles & heels. The cobbler I used to use, would redo my boots and they'd last longer than the original soles and heels.
Only one company that wholesales replacement work boot soles
Trouble is glues now days do not stick so my cobbler puts steel tips on the toes , a inch or so of stitching on the sides and often steel cups on the edge of the heels
My motorcycling boots are no 50 years old .
I bought a pair off brand new Caterpillar ( made in the USA ) boots at a garage sale a while back which had acid / oil/ petrol proof soles and that was true they were but some diesel dissolved the glue holding the sole on . Glad I did not pay the $ 250 ( Aus ) that they retail for .
 

Tiger Small Engine

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We always hear about things like this. And speak about it. How they deliberately make cheap stuff, just to sell more. But this guy really puts things into perspective.

If someone made a zrt that didn't start breaking down for 10 years, and the replacement parts would last 10 years, they'd sell a ton of them. Everyone would want one. But after say 5 years, their sales would drop drastically. They'd be overstocked with parts they couldn't get rid of. And in all probability, they'd go bankrupt by the 7th year.
It is called planned obsolescence. The manufacturer wants the consumer to keep buying more products to keep them in business.

The President mainly affects the economy positively and negatively by individual regulations he enacts. Tightening or loosening regulations is what affects many situations in the economy.
 
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