In Japan, not long ago ( I don't know about today) the Japanese consumer of
electronic home equipment was motivated to purchase new items. But what to do
with what they had? Well, what they would do is carefully place the perfectly
functional but now not wanted (because they were going to get something new) out
on the curb where it was expected (and correct to do based on their culture)
those who wanted to have this equipment or upgrade what they had but did not
have the ready cash to buy new, would come by and pick what they wanted.
Thus, in Japan, something new every 6 months was expected. And the Japanese, who
have one of the highest savings rates in the world (the avg. family might have
20-60 thousand dollars saved) could well afford the new equipment. So, Japanese
manufactures sell to their market needs. What they sell to outside of Japan is a
bonus, but they still make a new rig every 6 months.
Note that the Japanese have three major ham equipment manufactures selling a
more or less full line of equipment AND they don't compete with each other on
price. That might give one of them more market share and in Japan, one respects
the cultural rules before the bottom line.
Bill Ames
KB1LG
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