Fast-forward a handful of decades, and now several generations of people are conditioned to buy the new thing and to keep replacing it.
Source: From clothes to tech, why is everything so poorly made? – Vox
The above is one of the best pieces of journalism I have seen in years. Seriously. Read the entire article.
Business has long relied on a growing population.
Now that the younger cohorts are shrinking, what to do?
Planned obsolescence via:
- difficult to repair products (Apple is famous for using proprietary screws that require purchase of special tools – or glue and hard to take apart – as one example)
- products made in such a way they fail sooner
- use of plastic and glue instead of hard materials and screws, leading to quicker product failure and inability to repair
- persuading customers they need “the latest” model. Social media and influencers play a key role in this.