2nd hand electronics sales will soon be illegal in Japan

[djspazz]

The customer is not always... well, rarely, right in Japan, and manufacturers don't really care about them. The second hand marker flourishes over here, and most people take good care of their equipment, so used goods are usually in a very good condition and are sold easily to be replaced by new goods. It's easy to strike a good deal when buying these second hand goods. But that's exactly the big problem for manufacturers, because this grey market is not generating them any profit, and they would like to get rid of this phenomenon. The first ones to talk to the government about this were the car manufacturers, and they convinced the government to enforce a rule that used cars have to go to the technical inspection after 3 years, and this is a costly matter since a check costs between 1500 and 3500 EUR. Once you're in the system, you have to get your car checked every 2 years, and once your car is 10 years old, you need to go there every year. This is a reson why the Japanese change cars quite fast, usually before the car is 3 years old. Important aspect is that you have no control whatsoever on the cost of possible repairs, because after the technical check, the car is driven to the garage and they do the repairs that the technical check asked them to do, you just get the bill with your car. A very nice rip-off... and this system is being envied by a lot of other domains, like the electronics domain at this moment. So from April 1st 2006, ALL electronic products sold in Japan before 2001 will be prohibited from the 2nd hand market! This means that for example a PC like the Vaio U1 (PCG-U1) will be soon not vailable on the Japanese market anymore, since it was sold in April 2002... and you still have about a month to get a Vaio C1! It also seems that a 5 yeas old product (made after 2001) will Face the same problem in the futur.

Needless to say that like any law, it can and will be circumvented, but this is a disaster for the small shops in Akihabara. The excuse of the Japanese government are security reasons on anything electronical.

Source http://www.akihabaranews.com/news-11230-X.html

 

[imported_wizard]

well, i don't belive that 2nd handed computer stuff will not be selled on internet auctions like ebay or any other, even in japan

 

[Dragoon]

That's nosense.

 

[chapas]

I'll gladly accept all their trash. Damn, Japanese trash is top technology here in my country...and in the world!

 

[wrhex04]

can't say i'm too suprised, they made the sale of used videogames illegal back in the mid90s.

 

[imaginos]

lol, i think its like the blackmarket in the world. its never going to be totally stopped.. there will always be a population of people doing it and definitely some smart businessman profiting from this incident.

 

[7Trex]

So they sell it on ebay.

 

[MacDude2008]

I can't say I agree with what the Japanese gov't have decided about the sales of used electronics, but I can see where they're coming form. I've purchased faulty electronic equipment more than once from shifty eBay sellers. Alas....

The truth is, who knows what happened to the original owner(s) of that piece of electronics? You know, not everyone takes care their gadgets like we do. ;-)

 

[rolas8520]

mhm... i am not really surprised about this.. but it is interesting..

 

[jazzy85]

yeah i mean thats crap i know heaps of people who sell their old stuff when they upgrade equipment i do it myself i mean what ebay for if not that but just selling to friends they will never be able to stop people selling their old stuff to friends

 

[yoshx]

wierd

thats so wierd , i can not understand this japanes guys anyway if thy starting sellin on ebay , i gona be happy