I don't think people are as attracted to novelty as you think. Sure, everyone has a gadget (or garment) or three that they buy just for novelty, but the vast majority of household items and appliances are bought just to fulfill their purpose. And they won't get replaced unless they break, deteriorate, or reveal design flaws or something else that makes them unfit for the purpose.
What most people do care about is price. And what most suppliers care about is.. yeah, it's a race to the bottom.
I would assume that people would also care about quality and durability if it were something they were informed about. Like, if you're buying a toaster, one sells for $30 and the label says that will break in two years.. the other sells for $40 and the label says it will last for five years or more. I'm pretty sure most people would pick the latter, unless they're exceptionally poor or there's some other major aspect of the design or functionality that draws them to the cheaper option.
Of course, this is not the world we live in, and toasters in $25 to $100 range can last a while or not. Quality or durability is not on the label, and price is not an indication of quality. The trend seems to be that lots of "race to the bottom" companies fill their lineup with premium priced products that are made of the same crap quality as their bottom tier, but they have some silly gimmick (bluetooth in a toothbrush? goodness gracious).
> Like, if you're buying a toaster, one sells for $30 and the label says that will break in two years.. the other sells for $40 and the label says it will last for five years or more.
There's a proxy for that: the manufacturer warranty period.
My current laptop has a 5 year warranty with on-site repair. I chose it over a cheaper laptop from the same manufacturer with only a 3 year warranty with on-site repair. Part of the reason I chose the more expensive model is that the longer warranty means I won't have to replace it for another 5 years.
What most people do care about is price. And what most suppliers care about is.. yeah, it's a race to the bottom.
I would assume that people would also care about quality and durability if it were something they were informed about. Like, if you're buying a toaster, one sells for $30 and the label says that will break in two years.. the other sells for $40 and the label says it will last for five years or more. I'm pretty sure most people would pick the latter, unless they're exceptionally poor or there's some other major aspect of the design or functionality that draws them to the cheaper option.
Of course, this is not the world we live in, and toasters in $25 to $100 range can last a while or not. Quality or durability is not on the label, and price is not an indication of quality. The trend seems to be that lots of "race to the bottom" companies fill their lineup with premium priced products that are made of the same crap quality as their bottom tier, but they have some silly gimmick (bluetooth in a toothbrush? goodness gracious).