“Planned Obsolescence” is making the quality of products inferior so that you can sell more.
If you’ve wondered why “old stuff” seems to last longer, this is why.
I talked to a guy who was wearing a t-shirt he was already wearing in the 1980s. Wow!
A computer guy told me that laptops are made to last around two years. “They used to be built to last 5 years. If they do that, the company goes out of Business”.
Is this true? If you make high quality items, you go out of Business?
Not necessarily.
When I coach people, we usually get done ahead of time. 4 weeks of coaching were booked, we’re already done after 1. 1 day of coaching was booked, the problem is fixed and the student needn’t return. I tell people “I don’t plan on a follow-up coaching, I want it fixed on the first day”.
I’ve been told by “marketers” that solving a problem this quickly won’t allow me to make money with my Business. So, just like planned obsolescence, I’m advised to reduce the quality of my work so that I get more return.
I say creation of fake scarcity is one of the major problems in the world. A mental virus. Like pretending diamonds are scarce. Or claiming oil is scarce.
Firstly, if I coach someone quickly, they’ll recommend me to others. If you make a fridge that lasts for a decade, it will be recommended to others.
Secondly, no longer making money off of one product means I’ll have to get creative and make other products. If you sold a laptop that lasts 5 years you can’t sell another to the same person. So how about selling a printer to them? If you’re laptop is awesome, I’d assume your printer will be.
Intentionally lowering the quality of an item then, is something done by people who lack creative power and business skills.
Planned low-quality is unfortunate low-consciousness, cheap mentality. If you want to make the world a better place, provide the best quality you can.
