Abstract
The author defines quality and enlarges on the necessity of both quality and reliability from the consumer's point of view. She gives examples of (a) their failure and of how this affects the consumer, (b) the experience of Which? when testing new products in the laboratory, and (c) surveys carried out by Which? on their members' experiences in this field. The paper mentions the comparatively frequent appearances on the market of new models of major consumer durables, and the manufacturers' apparent belief that customers will not pay a higher price for quality and quality control schemes. The use by some manufacturers of their unknowing customers as test engineers on new products is also discussed. The paper concludes with the reactions of the consumer organizations to sample differences and how the consumer should be protected against defective samples, both by the manufacturers and by the law.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.