It would go out of business if they bank on infinite growth like most capitalists. If they plan to spend the first 5 years focusing 90% on manufacturing, the next 5 years are 40% manufacturing and 60% on servicing and parts, then 20% on manufacturing and 80% on servicing and parts, you can get over the startup hump and and settle into a sustainable business model. It’s just not going to churn out endless profit to undeserving capitalists, year after year. But what it will do is provide stable, predictable income for a medium sized workforce while adapting to demand by reducing output. Sure the Labor component can be undercut by competitors at lower prices, but if done right, the parts market can still be yours. Anybody who is savvy enough to buy one of these products would also be savvy enough to pay full price for an OEM replacement sprocket instead of half that price for a dodgy chinesium sprocket.
If I knew I could get a washing machine that was garunteed to last 15 years and be repairable, I wouldn’t mind spending a couple hundred bucks on parts and/or labor every few years.
If you want a washer that will last for decades, look for an old wringer-washer. Super simple and basic. Easily repairable. They are known for lasting 30+ years.
Just be wary of the rollers in the wringer as you feed those wet heavy clothes. Many, many a housewife got their fingers broken or mangled washing underwear. And for heaven’s sake, don’t get your tit in the wringer…
Why You Need a Wringer Washer (and How to Use it) - Lehman’s
Has returned 403 — Forbidden. I guess, I will never
Learn the benefits and methods of using a wringer washer, a vintage laundry appliance that saves water and detergent. Find out how to separate, wash, rinse and wring clothes with a wringer washer and why you should have one.
Accidental damage, from water leaks or flooding, power surges, lightning strikes, falling off a moving truck, overloaded, washing something harmful by accident, whatever.
If it’s something that lasts 20 years, how are you going to sell people parts?
It’s like the John Pinette bit: If it’s gonna break I don’t want it. It’s not gonna break. If it’s not gonna break why do I need the service plan? In case it breaks…
That’s only if it had investors that they had to appease. If it was just one person putting up their money or a small group of being funding what they believed in, then it would work great. You only gonna make enough money to pay your expenses and provide your crew with a proper living at that point.
The company would need to start differently, to settle the rules on how it would run it’s activities.
First thing would be to set itself as a non-profit and a co-op.
Even machinery purpose built to last requires maintenance, repair and parts to do so. A company focusing itself on producing quality appliances, with proper warranty (3 years minimal), repairable, upgradeable and with plenty of optional accessories, could be viable.
Resorting to 3D printing to make parts in small scale/on order would remove a big part of the inventory management problem.
Upgrades and accessories might work. I don’t see how maintenance does, especially if you’re providing a warranty. You’re now paying for the parts and repair… hopefully you banked that into your selling price.
It would go out of business if it made as many widgets as it could as fast as it could. Instead make a limited amount a year, keeping demand high. Just have to be willing to accept regular returns on investment instead of chasing perpetual growth.
Spoken like a true American… Yet the rest of the world doesn’t give 2 cents about what you do over there. This kind of long lasting appliances would be a huge hit.
It seems you’re having a misconception that long lasting appliances means they are invincible or something like that. In the real world it means they don’t go bad by time and usage.
Think of it like an old car. You can use your old car for a very long time given that you do your maintenance properly. They are also repairable. Yet these new modern cars can become unusable because some microchip burned, or battery life ended or there was a shortcircuit etc… Same goes for the appliances.
Making a product to last long with proper maintenance and a making a product to fail after certain years of usage are very different ways go about business.
Lastly, one company cannot satisfy the whole market. No matter what there will be people buying their products because of their long lasting legacy.
If you can get the whole world to buy a new fridge at the same time you would be so insanely rich anyone would fund that. Instead of the reality where people buy it on a year to year basis and then eventually need to be replaced on a staggered schedule?
Would go out of business in two years.
Capitalism isn’t suited towards quality, only towards selling
It would go out of business if they bank on infinite growth like most capitalists. If they plan to spend the first 5 years focusing 90% on manufacturing, the next 5 years are 40% manufacturing and 60% on servicing and parts, then 20% on manufacturing and 80% on servicing and parts, you can get over the startup hump and and settle into a sustainable business model. It’s just not going to churn out endless profit to undeserving capitalists, year after year. But what it will do is provide stable, predictable income for a medium sized workforce while adapting to demand by reducing output. Sure the Labor component can be undercut by competitors at lower prices, but if done right, the parts market can still be yours. Anybody who is savvy enough to buy one of these products would also be savvy enough to pay full price for an OEM replacement sprocket instead of half that price for a dodgy chinesium sprocket.
If I knew I could get a washing machine that was garunteed to last 15 years and be repairable, I wouldn’t mind spending a couple hundred bucks on parts and/or labor every few years.
If you want a washer that will last for decades, look for an old wringer-washer. Super simple and basic. Easily repairable. They are known for lasting 30+ years.
Just be wary of the rollers in the wringer as you feed those wet heavy clothes. Many, many a housewife got their fingers broken or mangled washing underwear. And for heaven’s sake, don’t get your tit in the wringer…
I like that a site with the title
Has returned 403 — Forbidden. I guess, I will never
Lehman’s is still in business and has an online store. They sell a brand new hand operated washing machine.
Why would you need repair parts every year on a machine that’s guaranteed to last 15 years?
Accidental damage, from water leaks or flooding, power surges, lightning strikes, falling off a moving truck, overloaded, washing something harmful by accident, whatever.
If it’s something that lasts 20 years, how are you going to sell people parts?
It’s like the John Pinette bit: If it’s gonna break I don’t want it. It’s not gonna break. If it’s not gonna break why do I need the service plan? In case it breaks…
That’s only if it had investors that they had to appease. If it was just one person putting up their money or a small group of being funding what they believed in, then it would work great. You only gonna make enough money to pay your expenses and provide your crew with a proper living at that point.
I disagree.
The company would need to start differently, to settle the rules on how it would run it’s activities.
First thing would be to set itself as a non-profit and a co-op.
Even machinery purpose built to last requires maintenance, repair and parts to do so. A company focusing itself on producing quality appliances, with proper warranty (3 years minimal), repairable, upgradeable and with plenty of optional accessories, could be viable.
Resorting to 3D printing to make parts in small scale/on order would remove a big part of the inventory management problem.
Upgrades and accessories might work. I don’t see how maintenance does, especially if you’re providing a warranty. You’re now paying for the parts and repair… hopefully you banked that into your selling price.
(Did nobody here see Kinky Boots?)
It would go out of business if it made as many widgets as it could as fast as it could. Instead make a limited amount a year, keeping demand high. Just have to be willing to accept regular returns on investment instead of chasing perpetual growth.
It can just be a dividend company like the other 1000 NYSE companies trading at a P/E of 7 no one cares about.
Spoken like a true American… Yet the rest of the world doesn’t give 2 cents about what you do over there. This kind of long lasting appliances would be a huge hit.
Once everyone buys one what do they then sell? That’s the point.
It seems you’re having a misconception that long lasting appliances means they are invincible or something like that. In the real world it means they don’t go bad by time and usage.
Think of it like an old car. You can use your old car for a very long time given that you do your maintenance properly. They are also repairable. Yet these new modern cars can become unusable because some microchip burned, or battery life ended or there was a shortcircuit etc… Same goes for the appliances.
Making a product to last long with proper maintenance and a making a product to fail after certain years of usage are very different ways go about business.
Lastly, one company cannot satisfy the whole market. No matter what there will be people buying their products because of their long lasting legacy.
If you can get the whole world to buy a new fridge at the same time you would be so insanely rich anyone would fund that. Instead of the reality where people buy it on a year to year basis and then eventually need to be replaced on a staggered schedule?