consumers hold on to products longer - personal care appliances

Matt RICHTELFEB.
2011 throw away the phone two years later? Not so fast. Ditch the flat-
A thinner flat-screen TV?
Maybe next year.
Change the shirt to a hole? Darn it!
Consumer spending has increased, but for some Americans the recession has left something behind: greater interest in keeping goods going.
For some products-
Cars, mobile phones, computers, even shampoo and toothpaste
Data show a slowdown in product life cycle and consumption.
In many cases, the difference is only for a few months, but economists and consumers say this approach may exceed the return of full recovery and easy credit due to the strong consumer impression of the economic downturn.
It's hardly something of the past few generations, those who have been stung by the Great Depression, holding old tableware and storing cans until they rust on the lid.
But for now, in an abandoned society, many citizens are seeing fewer visits to trash cans and recycling bins.
In the Patti Hauseman case in Brooklyn, it means sticking to fiveyear-
The old Apple computer, until it starts to make a strange spin noise, occasionally fails.
She and her boyfriend bought a new computer on Christmas Day.
It was actually renovated.
"A week later, the old one died.
We have a good schedule . "
Howsman said with a smile.
Her cautious attitude applies to other products: she insists on upgrading-year-old tube-
The type of TV and has been taken to mend the clothes instead of replacing them. Ms.
The 41-year-old, general manager of an independent record company, said the mentality was a product of several factors, including bills that grew faster than revenue.
She says she can't afford to buy new things, but the economic turmoil of the past few years has made her feel that she may be able to throw away still valuable goods and profit from her future.
"I started upgrading out of necessity, not vanity," she said . " Otherwise, she added, "it's just a waste.
Whether it's extensive, long term-
The shift in terms of consumer habits is underway, and this is an issue that economists and analysts are interested in.
Some insist that, like the Great Depression, the recent recession has left a lingering impression
Put the phone in the desk drawer and change it to a new model.
But other experts and historians believe that with the return of consumption and credit, people will also be eager to favor brands, fashion and novelty rather than practicality.
The upgrade cycle is actually accelerating for some products.
According to market research firm NPD, consumers spent more on upgrading major kitchen appliances such as refrigerators in 2010 than in 2008, down 2009.
The company has found similar trends in smaller kitchens and personal care equipment.
As far as television is concerned, the upgrade has slowed down, but this is only because so many people are snapping up flat-screen TVs.
Panel settings in recent years.
Now, the product cycle is stagnant, but consumer demand is not necessarily stagnant.
Taylor Cowen, an economist at George Mason University, said it is too early to judge whether the economic recovery will bring about a more disposable society.
"There has been not enough statistics to let us know since the crash," he said . ".
But in some important categories, there are signs of a slowdown in the pace of upgrades.
Consumer Holdings of new cars reached a record 63. 9 months, up 4.
According to Polk, a research firm, it was five months a year ago and 14% months since the end of 2008.
In fact, the company said that the average time to own cars, including used cars, was 52.
There are also records for 2 months.
Industry analysts also reported that people upgrade their phones every 18 months on average, compared with an average of 16 months a few years ago.
They hold laptops on average for 4 years and 4 months, a month more than a year ago, although the figure has been climbing since 2000.
Ali dibaji, an analyst at Sanford C, said consumers are making sure they get the last drop from their home products.
Bernstein covering big companies like Colgate
Palmolevey and ClOx
"People are squeezing the last point out of the shampoo.
They seem to be adding more water to really squeeze out the last bit ,"
According to Dibadj, financial reports from major companies show that products such as razor blades, laundry detergent and toothpaste are frugal.
"Consumers are doing their best to protect --
We see it again and again.
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Koehn, a Harvard Business School professor and consumer behavior historian, said she would bet that the change is at least lasting, if not permanent.
Not only does this come from an unstable economy, but it also comes from great institutions, she said --
Like governments and big companies.
It may not be a reliable savior in a crisis.
"We won't go back to our grandmother's story, what they saved and how they used things so carefully.
But we will see a sustained slow or Trek, "said Professor Koehn.
"This is the first light of it, it's flashing.
Ore Truelson is a management consultant in Portland, Oregon.
This means that his love for cars has changed throughout his life, especially the Jaguar.
He usually buys a new or slightly used car every year or two, but his current car has been four years, a 1999 dark green car.
"As long as it runs, it will stay in my hands," he said . ". Mr.
Truelson declined to disclose his age because he said his behavior was much younger than him, and 18 months ago he also changed to pay for the phone minute fee when using the phone, instead of subscribing to expensive monthly plans.
He said that these changes reflect to some extent the fact that his business has declined with the development of the economy, but he is talking about a reassessment of the need to constantly have new things: "This is a question of changing values.
"In some cases, consumers who tend to reduce discard are getting some positive reinforcement from an unlikely corner: companies that profit from the upgrade.
Levi Strauss is telling customers to take practical action to reduce the number of jeans purchased.
Levi's sustainability campaign urged customers to wash their jeans in cold water less, a move that the company said reduced water use.
"They will definitely last longer," said Michael Kobori, vice president of social and environmental sustainability at Levi's . ".
This information is part of building trust with consumers and emphasizing the durability of the company's products, he said.
When it comes to clothing, 28-year-old Genevieve Dong doesn't need any movement to motivate her.
She recently patched torn socks and pants, sewn buttons on her jacket, and went out of her way to save a peach shirt stained with soy sauce.
"I tried several home remedies, including dishwashing detergent and baking soda, to get it dry --
"It was cleaned twice," she said.
"I bought the fabric dye and I will cook on the stove in the hope that the dark dye will fit into it. ”Ms.
Dong Jianhua, who lives in Brooklyn, recently resigned from a company law job and returned to school, reducing her income.
Given how unreliable the pension may seem, she is also concerned about long-term reliance on the pension of her husband, a New York City caregiver.
There are other motivations, she said: "Personally, avoiding waste and using things until they are used up seems like a common motivation --
Feel the way of life.
"A version of this article was printed on page B1 of the New York edition on February 26, 2011 with the title: run out and put it on.
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