this post was submitted on 27 Oct 2023
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Too many products are easier to throw away than fix—consumers deserve a 'right to repair' (techxplore.com)
submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
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Too many products are easier to throw away than fix—consumers deserve a 'right to repair'::There was a time when the family washing machine would last decades, with each breakdown fixed by the friendly local repair person. But those days are long gone.

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't know, your #2 reason doesn't seem to stand up to reality.

I don't know where you are, but where I am (UK) you can go on any high street (in most towns there will be an area where most shops are, think strip mall in the US) and you will find at least a couple shops that fix and sell electronics - primarily smartphones, but also vacuum cleaners, TVs, computers, games consoles.

Pretty much all of them are locally-run and are, I assume, profitable in spite of every electronics manufacturer trying to run them out of business.

I say I assume because they wouldn't be everywhere if they weren't.

I've had phones fixed by them, they offer warranties, reasonable prices, only had an issue once and it was put right after a tiny bit of back and forth.

I think by "we can't afford it" you mean "capitalism hasn't yet found a way to centralise the profits and run the small business owners out of business".

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think saying it doesn't stand up to reality is a bit harsh. I'm not claiming nothing is worth repairing, just that it's cost prohibitive in the majority of cases.

To take your cellphone repair store as an example, I bet they do the majority of their work on iPhones and higher end Samsungs because the upfront cost of those phones are so high. People aren't going to pay repair costs for a cheaper $300 Motorola.

Similarly there are vacuum and appliance repair shops as well, and when your Meile or Bosch breaks then they do their magic, but compared to most people going to Walmart and buying a replacement? I'd say estimate the number of repairs are low.

So yes, without any numbers, I feel pretty confident making the claim that the overwhelming majority of things are not repaired and I don't see this legislation changing that. Like I said before, it's still an improvement I support.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I don't like to blindly speculate, but I think you're right. I don't even live in the highest cost of living area and have no idea how a repairman could pay his bills and eat and be under the cost of a new item. He would need to make $30/hour. If I needed to replace a cracked screen on my phone that would be $120 in labor, $90 in parts. So I could spend $220 something when all said and done... or I could list my phone as is on Ebay for $80, move up a couple years and only have to pay$300 addtl + the $80 for my old phone and now I am much closer to newer gen.