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Thread ID: 38270	2003-10-02 03:54:00	OT kinda - Risk Factor	Kame (312)	Press F1

Post ID	Timestamp	Content	User
179755	2003-10-02 03:54:00	Can someone explain the pros and cons of publishing statistical information on computer goods that have been returned back because it's been faulty or not doing what it's suppose to do? Publishing, I mean making public by any means, probably more likely on a website. Let's put it this way, I'm selling computer goods, that I've bought from suppliers and then sold them off to customers. The customer then brings back the goods because they are faulty, so I return them back to the supplier for replacement etc. If I keep stats on this and publish them, is this going to be any good at a customers point of view, seeing that it's possibly that this brand/product could be received faulty. Calling this the Risk Factor, by letting them know the possibility of the item being faulty. Especially if it's displaying more of the one item had been returned because of faults. I know if that was the case I would not stock that brand and if customers knew that they would probably not buy that brand either? The data would relate to the exact product by Brand/Model/Version etc, whatever eliminates it from the other types of products.	Kame (312)
179756	2003-10-02 04:03:00	You would need cooperation with other sellers around NZ/the world, so you end up with reliable information, and not just possible chance-results. For instance, if worldwide a particular brand and model of a particular device is prone to be faulty, and you have significant statistics to prove it, then yes it would be useful. If it's 3-4 out of 20 of your customers which have had bad experiences with one particular product, then it may not be a reliable result - they could simply have had bad luck, or the product was somehow damaged in transit.	somebody (208)
179757	2003-10-02 04:30:00	If it was just out of my customers then that information can explain which is consider a good product or not? I know faulty products is like luck of the draw really. I was considering sourcing information from other sellers around NZ too. I'm just wondering if this information is useful or not? When I was working in Engineering/Hardware Sales, if the product wasn't suitable for our larger companies, we'd replace all stock because if it doesn't meet their standards then it isn't considered suitable. Quality was upmost important especially in their line of work. I know it's like comparing apples to oranges, and you can't really judge computer products like engineering equipment and I'm just wondering is it because there's no means of testing for quality apart from end use. The idea was more like a reliability test, as if more of the same item was return then it's probably wiser to go for a different item.	Kame (312)
179758	2003-10-02 05:22:00	If say every single sale you make of a particular product is returned because it is faulty, an you have a substantial number of returns, then it would be safe to assume that it could be a widespread problem. An internet search sometimes also comes up with information, especially on international forums, of other people who may have had bad experiences with that particular product. Most customers would buy products based on their brand, but mostly the specifications and the price the product is being sold at. If a particular product has had a LOT of faulty returns, not just from your firm but throughout NZ, then it might be worth informing your clients of what other people have experienced. It might be worth pulling the product off the shelf, so you don't end up selling hardware which is likely to end up being returned due to faults. In my personal opinion, I would like a firm to inform me if other people who bought the same product found that it was faulty, especially if it was a high value item, and lots of people had found faults with it. I would then choose an alternative product, to save me the future hassle in the event that it is faulty. You might be able to get information from your suppliers or other firms about products which have had a lot of returns in the past 6 months or so.	somebody (208)
179759	2003-10-02 07:09:00	In my experience I find that most retailers seem to stop selling the products that seem to have high failure rates. Not sure what your main customer base is like but I know that generally I have a pretty good idea of how reliable something is before I buy it, because I talk to people which have bought the goods before and also talk to a few retailers. Another thing to mention is that Ascent give their suppliers a rating so that customers can see if there is likely to be problems in the future or not.	-=JM=- (16)
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