The consumer viewpoint : $b covering vital phases of manufacturing and selling household devicesBentley, Mildred Maddocks
General
The consumer viewpoint : $b covering vital phases of manufacturing and selling household devices
Bentley, Mildred Maddocks
Home economics -- Equipment and supplies
It was only a short time ago that in one of the trade papers dealing
with household equipment there appeared an editorial endorsement, and
an exceedingly strong one at that, of a certain dealer display which
had attracted great crowds on both sidewalk and street before the
dealer's window. The crowd had been drawn by the display of a number of
different washing machines grouped around a central machine which was
absorbing the "limelight." It had a swinging wringer and the wringer
was revolving at so rapid a rate it became plain that any woman who
stepped in the way of that particular type of wringer was doomed to a
severe blow if not a fall. The idea of the dealer in using such a
display was of the "stop-look-listen" variety, and he obtained all he
could desire of this variety of interest. But he had not safeguarded
the interest of _any_ washing machine in his window. For women
have a certain reluctance toward machinery in motion and he failed to
reckon with them as the purchasers of his washing machines. Would she
buy one in order to use the swinging wringer as an obvious menace to
herself and to her household? No.
In selecting an Iron, the woman looks for:
1. A weight of household iron that is around six pounds.
2. A general design that is easy to handle, of good balance and with
comfortable large handle grip.
3. A thin sheet metal hood; weight in hood decreases ironing efficiency.
4. A correct relation between the weight of the storage heat mass above
the heating element, and the weight of the sole plate beneath the
heating element. Upon this relation depends good ironing results.
(_If heating element should be inset in sole plate with
one-fourth inch margin, a direct heat connection between the
two masses of metal could be secured at a consequent
reduction of heat loss._)
5. Cord connections to slip in and out easily.
6. Switch in plug connection or on cord.
7. Plug connection so heat insulated as to prevent conduction of heat,
and overheating of cord at connections.
Undoubtedly if there was a prospective woman purchaser in that group in
front of the window she left to become one of the hundreds of women who
still are asking themselves the question "is a washing machine safe?"
It is not difficult to see how quickly this particular kind of
demonstration becomes a boomerang to the manufacturer. It is as true of
every type of spectacular appeal. The time has surely come to
discontinue all such practices and to sell appliances: because they
will do the work more quickly, more easily, or more cheaply, because
they are so built that they will prove durable, and therefore, a
satisfactory investment; and finally, because they are the only logical
solution of comfortable, well-ordered present day family life.
WHAT THE PURCHASER LOOKS FOR
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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