🚀 go-pugleaf

Spehro Pefhany wrote:

>Guy Macon <http://www.GuyMacon.com/> wrote:
>
>>Mr.T wrote:
>>
>>>Guy Macon wrote...
>>>
>>>> There actually is a legitimate function for a small battery in a
>>>> larger shell.  When Mattel ships toys that have a "try me" feature,
>>>> we of course have to include batteries, but as usual with toys,
>>>> every penny counts (some toys are produced at rates exceeding
>>>> 100,000 per hour), so a cheaper, lower-capacity nbattery in a
>>>> larger battery compartment makes sense. Not only is the battery
>>>> cheaper, but the container ship from China charges a bit less
>>>> if the container weighs less.
>>>
>>>Still sounds like a rip off to me, IF it is not stated the batteries are not
>>>designed to last beyond testing. I can just imagine Xmas morning and the toy
>>>lasts 2 minutes! At least when it says "batteries not included" you know
>>>what to expect.
>>>
>>>Sounds a lot like the printer manufacturers only providing a "trial" amount
>>>of ink, then charging more for the ink than the printer.
>>>Yes there is a legitimate reason, FOR THEM :-(
>>
>>You don't consider being able to buy a printer/scanner/copier/fax
>>for $49 to be a reason "for you" that you might want a amnufacturer
>>to reduce production costs?
>
>Oh, for gosh sakes, it's not to "reduce production costs" by a few
>cents worth of toner- it's the "give them a razor and sell them the
>overpriced blades forever" gambit. 
>
>But it's especially greedy of them to sell it with only a partially
>full $100 cartridge (or $500 worth of color cartridges), which carry
>the full load of hardware and are "chipped" to prevent refilling.  
>
>And they do reduce production costs-- by slapping together shoddy
>product from dubious raw materials in 3rd world countries, and not
>supporting it when the inevitable failures happen (in part by using
>other 3rd world nationals to waste time and money at first world rates
>over almost-free telecommunications links). 

It doesn't matter how they do it.  If the "give them a razor and sell 
them the overpriced blades forever" gambit makes money, they can
reduce he purchace price and keep the same profitability.

>>It's a trade-off and you have a choice; there are plenty of printers 
>>with high purchase costs and low toner/ink costs if that's what you 
>>want. I personally bought a high purchase price / low toner cost
>>monochrome laser printer that I use a lot, and a low purchase price
>>/ high ink cost inkjet for the rare times I need to print in color.
>>More choices good. Fewer choices bad.
>
>Only if you don't have an oligopoly, eh? 

...which they don't.  Brother is making laser printers with separate 
drum and toner units so you don't have to replace both together each 
time you are out of toner.  This makes for cheaper toner cartridges.
The drum unit has a longer life than the toner cartridge. That's the
opposite of the "give them a razor and sell them the >overpriced 
blades forever."  The printers, of course, cost more to purchase.


-- 
Guy Macon
<http://www.GuyMacon.com/>