M*****e
发帖数: 1827 | 1 【 以下文字转载自 SanFrancisco 讨论区 】
发信人: jajabin (龘), 信区: SanFrancisco
标 题: 5 gifts you don't really want
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Mon Dec 7 20:19:47 2009, 美东)
看看你有哪件
Sony PlayStation 3
It's all fun and games until the battery dies. Unlike its competitors, which
use replaceable AA batteries, the PS3's remote control is glued shut. When
the battery goes, Sony customers have to blow $55 on a new controller. Sony
says there's an "environmental benefit" since gamers don't have to toss
their batteries on a regular | M*****e
发帖数: 1827 | 2 【 以下文字转载自 SanFrancisco 讨论区 】
发信人: jajabin (龘), 信区: SanFrancisco
标 题: 5 gifts you don't really want
发信站: BBS 未名空间站 (Mon Dec 7 20:19:47 2009, 美东)
看看你有哪件
Sony PlayStation 3
It's all fun and games until the battery dies. Unlike its competitors, which
use replaceable AA batteries, the PS3's remote control is glued shut. When
the battery goes, Sony customers have to blow $55 on a new controller. Sony
says there's an "environmental benefit" since gamers don't have to toss
their batteries on a regular basis, but Isidor Buchmann, president of
battery-equipment maker Cadex Electronics, says captive batteries are
becoming common because it's cheaper for companies to eliminate the battery
housing and hatch.
Whirlpool WED5100VQ Electric Dryer
This $350 dryer is a fine value, but wait till it's time for repairs: You'll
pay $40 for a buzzer, $21 for the plastic control knob and $5.13 for a 1-
inch screw. In fact, if you buy each available dryer part separately on
SearsPartsDirect.com, the total adds up to a whopping $2,304.49. Whirlpool
declined to comment on part prices, but experts say there's some
justification for the high cost. Although parts and accessories constitute
an $80 billion business, logistics and storage eat most of the profit, since
there are more than 11 million unique parts on the market. Still, $80 for a
timer? Ron Sawyer, director of repairman's trade group the Professional
Services Association, says high prices mainly discourage customers from
making repairs.
VillaWare Appliances
Customers writing online reviews of the company's blenders and waffle irons
say the gadgets make yummy treats. Their complaint? Parts just aren't
available -- at any price. A VillaWare spokesperson says when parts aren't
available, it grants discounts on a replacement product. At the same time,
it's not unheard of for some manufacturers to ignore the parts business,
says Gary Kazmer of Partsearch Technologies -- especially on items priced
under $25.
Meanwhile, even mainstream makers are cutting corners on their parts
inventory. They use sophisticated software modeling to weigh the expense of
offering parts against the customer ire provoked by pulling product support
too early, says Wisconsin School of Business marketing professor Tom O'Guinn
. The sweet spot on what "too early" means: three to five years for
appliances, two years for electronics.
Panasonic Lumix Cameras
Thanks to the magic of capitalism, there's a solution to these parts
quandaries: off-brand substitutes. Whether it's batteries, ink cartridges or
the rubber doodad your dog just ate, there's often a cheap knockoff
available on sites like PartStore.com. But not if Panasonic has a say. The
company's new digital cameras automatically reject other makers' batteries.
The kicker? Customers complain that Panasonic's own $50 batteries have been
unavailable most of the year. Whoops! A company spokesperson says off-brand
batteries aren't safe, and their branded ones were recently restocked.
Vizio Flat-Panel TVs
Customers who need warranty repairs have to ship busted sets under 30 inches
to Vizio's service centers -- in Southern California. A spokesperson says
the arrangement helps Vizio offer "the best value in the business." Until
your TV breaks! |
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