Date   : Mon, 12 Dec 2005 13:09:19 +0000
From   : Darren Grant <darren.grant@...>
Subject: Re: Vanishing electronics suppliers

On 12/12/05 12:28 pm, "Ian K" <BBCmail@...> wrote:

> 
> Unfortunately true. Manufactures could certainly design there products so
> there easier to service though. Photocopier manufactures are still at the
> moment pretty good at this but they are very much the exception. Trying to
> carry out the most basic servicing on say an inkjet printer; like cleaning
> paper feed rollers, means half an hour of contortions and wrestling with
> plastic clips when it would be a five minute job on most photocopiers.
> 
I guess that has a lot to do with the fact that an Inkjet printer is built
down to a price where as photocopiers are usually provided on lease or hire
agreements where the suppliers are keen to ensure their engineers can repair
it easily to avoid huge servicing costs to them. They are afterall still
responsible for it until the end of the lease. Therefore the upfront cost is
much higher as it is spread over the lease. With something like an inkjet
printer, consumers are looking for the cheapest upfront price.

Also I don't think many home users would appreciate an inkjet printer the
size of a photocopier so it could be easily repaired.

Darren