100 Great Business Ideas: From Leading Companies Around the World (100 Great Ideas)

100 GREAT BUSINESS IDEAS • 137

It is possible to use this strategy to make your competitors’ products
obsolete. For example, by releasing a popular new computer chip
you can trigger the obsolescence of your competitors’ operating
systems.

Obsolescence is inevitable—use it to your advantage.

In practice

• Avoid triggering the obsolescence of products too frequently,
  as this is often an unnecessary investment and may cause a
  consumer backlash.


• Base the engineering of a product on your “obsolescence
  strategy”—a product will not need to last for ten years if it will
  be obsolete after two.


• Offer long-term warranties on products that will soon become
  obsolete—this will reassure customers and it is unlikely the
  guarantees will be claimed.


• Do not make built-in obsolescence obvious to the consumer—
  this will lead to frustration and unwillingness to purchase.