I bought a really lousy Sony Walkman once

[1gobluedem]

It got horrible reception and went through batteries like there was no tomorrow.

Therefore, based on this one purchase, I will now write off the entire Japanese electronics industry forever.

[MilesColtrane]

1. Did your Walkman cost over twenty thousand dollars in purchase price and repairs?

And did it leave you stranded on the side of a freeway in rush hour in one hundred degree weather, making you late, and getting you fired from your job?

[1gobluedem]

2. Of course not

But it was too expensive for me to purchase at the time that I did and I went with the name brand because it was supposed to be so great. It did cost me money I didn't have and I continued to put money into it, even though it was clear it was never going to work properly.

All industries make clunkers occasionally. Yes, some are more expensive than others and I'm sorry that happened to you. My point, though, is you can't write off an industry entirely based on one bad experience. I bought another Sony product after awhile and had no problems.

What kind of company fires someone whose car broke down?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

3. Was your walkman made intentionally bad?

With the idea that patriotic brand loyalty would convince you to buy another?

[1gobluedem]

4. Maybe it was

Maybe they thought the name Sony was all they needed for people to buy their product?

Who makes 'intentionally bad' products?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. U.S. car manufacturers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence