Proposal to have retailers post statistics on durability of purchased goods

9 min readAug 19, 2019

This proposal aims to have retailers (Amazon, FNAC, Mediamarkt, Coolblue), collect and publish statistics to better inform consumers about the durability of the durable goods, such as appliances, before their purchase. Collecting statistics on returns and repairs on a per device, category and manufacturer basis gives consumers insight into what they can expect from this appliance. Doing this would steer consumers to more durable versions and break the collusion between retailers and manufacturers. This would save the consumer money and deliver on a more sustainable and circular economy. (In the medical sector this is known as the mortality rate and data are collected for surgeries and devices)

What caused me to think about this proposal

My Samsung washing machine broke down on Thursday. It was only 4 years old, but doesn’t do the spin cycle anymore. It was the second Samsung appliance that broke down in a year. It got me thinking about reliability and how badly consumers are informed about reliability. That is how this proposal came to be.

What helped my thought process were the dark patterns/nudging around the process to get the machine repaired under guarantee. You see, Dutch law says you’re entitled to free repair or replacement if the machine breaks down through no fault of you before the end a reasonable period. Firms, both retailer Bol.com and Samsung, appear to dislike that and so I noticed I was steered towards solutions that might not be best for me. But that is for another post. (there is a follow-up of my exploits to get my money back) This post is about better informing consumers about the quality of the appliances they purchase.

Why aren’t online reviews good enough?

My proposal is aimed to better inform the consumer on the durable goods the purchase. The difficulty with these goods is that we have very little good information on the lifespan of the boring appliance type durable goods. We don’t know how well a washing machine/dryer/vacuum etc performs over time. We expect these goods to function for about 10 years, but really we don’t know. We can’t rely on online reviews:

These are generally written in the first weeks of use.

Mostly focus on functionality, user interface, ease of installation and use
To some extent are written either by those who are really happy or unhappy with the device
Often go only up to two years as the appliance is replaced by a newer model after that.
Generally don’t talk about catastrophic breakdowns, repair under guarantee or after guarantee

We don’t learn whether it breaks down in the first few years. So it is impossible to know whether the appliance will have the longevity that a consumer expects of it.

Aren’t manufacturers competing on durability already?

I suspect that at this moment there may be no strong incentives for neither manufacturer nor retailer to look at the durability of goods. For both parties sales is the most important metric. After-sales is only important in as far as it affects returns and repairs under guarantee → costs. In many EU-countries consumers have no strong rights after two years, so anything that breaks down after that is a possible sale. Manufacturers may not want to have too bad of a reputation, but appliances that last 6 years are way better for them and the retailers than appliances that survive 10 years. Sell them a €500 that survives only 6 years instead of a 700 euro one that lasts 10 years. That’s 19% more sales over the longer term. So there is an incentive to push consumers towards devices that are more likely to break down.

Some may say that I should’ve just bought a German washing machine. It doesn’t get any better. Well, that may be my next choice, but I had a similar experience with a Swedish AEG dryer that died after 5 years with an error on the circuit board, impossible to see and 200 euro in repairs. This was handled quite well by the retailer and was filed under just one of those things that can happen. Furthermore I chose the Samsung because it gave a larger fill opening, could handle a bit more weight and had some programmes that looked innovative. I could get it for roughly the same price as a Bosch. A sticker on the machine said it had 10 years of guarantee on the engine, so I figured the rest of the washing machine would function that long too. Simply put it’s the difference between a German car and a Japanese of Korean car, equal quality but more features on the latter. Yeah for competition!

Being happy with my washing machine, in 2018 I opted for a Samsung dishwasher as well, which I found on one website severely discounted to any other site. This one died twice within six months and Samsung couldn’t find the parts to repair it, so it was replaced under warranty for a German competitor. (And it appears Samsung discontinued the model quietly in under a year) However, a recent report by the Dutch Consumer Association (Consumentenbond) shows that Samsung washing machines have to replaced after 6 years on average whereas AEG takes 12 years and Miele lasts 16 years! And yet Samsung is the brand most pushed in ads and in shops. It has the most floor space in stores and is most visible on sites.

Why require retailers to collect and publish?

Retailers (Amazon, FNAC, Coolblue, Mediamarkt, Carrefour) do have the necessary data to better inform customers. Certainly in the Netherlands with its law that states that consumers have a right to free repair and replacement even after two years, if the appliance doesn’t conform to what could be reasonably expected from it. It is retailer that is responsible in the Netherlands, not the manufacturer, which means that they will see more requests for repair and for a longer term than the manufacturer. In addition increasingly the retailers deliver the new appliance and replace the old appliance at home. So they know what model is coming back, how old it is and since they have to responsibly dispose of them, will also know whether it still functions, is repairable or is beyond repair.

The reliability of the data increases if multiple retailers publish statistics on the same manufacturers. Manufacturers will want the data to reflect the world as they see it and not be burdened by unfortunate mistakes that long since have been fixed (ie they want to cheat). Retailers may be pressured by manufacturers, but it’s harder to convince every retailer to this in the same way, so the data would diverge and this could tip off regulators.

What kind of data?

The statistics should be shown on the pages where people purchase the goods. Some practical statistics are:

x% of the purchasers return this model within 30 days.
Y% of purchasers have the device repaired or returned under warranty within 3, 6, 13, 18 and 24 month.
Z% of purchasers of this category of appliance from this manufacture need a repair after 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 years.
Average cost of the repairs necessary
Type of issue faced; engine, heat pump, pump, electronics.

It would be really nice if there could also be cumulative statistics, such as:

After 3 years 2% of appliances of this manufacturer need a repair, after 4yr, it’s 5%, after 5 yr, it’s 7% , after 6 yrs it’s 20%, after 7 yrs it’s 30% and after 8 yrs, its 50%.
If this then can be compared to industry means and medians and the stats of other manufacturers, it can become clear if the appliance delivers what a consumer expects. Do I really want an €600 appliance that has a 50% chance of breaking down within 8 years if I can purchase another €600 appliance, with maybe less features, from a manufacturer where only 20% of devices are reported as needing a repair within 8 years.

What this would do is that it would stimulate consumers, manufacturers and retailers to take the durability of goods more serious.

Does anyone else collect this data?

There are some sites and organisations that have data on reliability. The Dutch Consumer Association and the US Consumer Reports do a survey of the reliability of machines. Their results are certainly interesting and usable for consumers. They are limited in their sample size and not everyone agrees with their results. There are some sites and forums that discuss appliances, however the data on there is mostly anecdotal and not statistically relevant.

In the Netherlands the association of appliance manufacturers, installers and sellers Techniek Nederland (formerly UnetoVNI) has published a table on the economic lifespan of appliances. It’s data is often used in the settlement of consumer complaints. I however fail to understand why. It appears the table was formulated after on a napkin after a particular boozy barbecue. It just says that for each 100 euro you spend on an appliance you can expect another year lifespan. So in my case I paid €599, because it was on sale and therefore I get 6 years. They don’t use the manufacturer recommended price, but the retail price the consumer paid. According to their site the seller only needs to repay (6–4)/6 of the costs of repair. This is of course against the law, that says a consumer is entitled to a free repair in case of non-conformity.

It gets more funny when you think about it deeper. The difference between different appliances of a manufacturer is generally in the features. You have the same washing machine, but the more expensive one comes with a few more features. According to this table it will also be more reliable. I’ve never heard a salesperson or website say: “that Siemens which costs €704 is two years more reliable than the same model with two features less for €599. Or you know what ask for less discount in the clearance sale, because it will become more reliable” Consumers expect a washing machine to work roughly 10 years, regardless of the features. Manufacturers do as well by the way, see Siemens offering 7 years guarantee on washing machines that range in price from €879 to €1499, but retail for less than €700!

Just for laughs, look at the table for TVs. TV’s over €1000 will only last 1 year more than TVs of €501. Consumers of course would expect either TV to last around 10 years.

What benefits would this give?

The benefits that would be achieved by doing this are:

It would give consumers insight in whether the trade-off in cost and durability is worth it
It would stimulate manufacturers to make products that are durable in line with consumer expectations. There would be less of a push to make goods that work for only 6 years.
It would make it easier for consumers to get goods repaired under guarantee. The consumer can show a retailer/judge that a large percentage suffer from the same issues and it is therefore defective by design.
It would stimulate manufacturers to issue recalls for defective products and redesign parts. Better to fix something before it seriously breaks stuff and they’re on the hook for the full price.
Showing the cost and frequency of repair will stimulate the development of devices that are easier to repair.

Who should implement this?

The best way to implement this would be to have an EU-wide regulation, however that might take years. Some possibilities to move quicker are:

Have a retailer put this data online. Returns and repairs cost money too. Nudging the consumer in the right direction might save money in the long run (also on bonuses for the sales department 😉)
Have the Dutch government change it’s consumer laws, so that firms with over €X in sales are obliged to publish these data.
The Benelux is working on the durability of consumer goods, these countries could work together to look to implement that retailers publish this data.
Ask the OECD committee on Consumer Policy to look at it and work on a Recommendation.

I would love to hear your thoughts on how this idea could be moved forward and send this to anyone you know who works on consumer policy. Also if you have ideas on what data to collect or a more catchy name for this, please tell me!

What’s next

I’m going to start a lobby. If you can, help me!

Next blog will be on how hard it is to get a washing machine repaired. (teaser, today (Monday 19) I was called by Servilux, explaining that they didn’t have the necessary parts for our appointment on Tuesday, so they would come Thursday. Servilux did this multiple times with my Samsung dishwasher as well)