Chinese Fridges 🤯

[Northdude]

How do you guys find call outs working on these? About 40% of my call outs now are to likes of polar and blizzard fridges and the millions of other generic ones which are re-badged. All the parts seem to last around the 2-3 year mark then systematically fail. All this legislation on f gas and the evaporators on these start falling to bits after 2 years yet they’re allowed to flood the market. The amount I’ve repaired and then a few weeks down the line the compressor fails or controller goes pop is starting to hit double figures!
I’m really just having a good whinge but would like to hear people’s thoughts on these 😬

[B G Scott]

When all the good European manufacturers have gone to the wall because they can not compete with ultra-low prices of the Chinese imports who is going to pick up the pieces, my guess is the service sector who will be accused of being exploitative.
This being based on a comparison with the original cost price of the appliance incorporating very low or impossibly low labour rates during the original manufacturer.
The end user will never concede that buying "online" or choosing the lowest first cost is their fault, those in the service sector of this business will always be struggling to provide a service that makes them a living, the value of which is devalued by the low production cost in the far East and marginal costing of ONLINE marketing companies taking a quick profit with no regard to the long term maintenance of the equipment.
Seeing repeated faults in the same equipment over time does not bode well for the future of the service sector of this industry.

[RANGER1]

When all the good European manufacturers have gone to the wall because they can not compete with ultra-low prices of the Chinese imports who is going to pick up the pieces, my guess is the service sector who will be accused of being exploitative.
This being based on a comparison with the original cost price of the appliance incorporating very low or impossibly low labour rates during the original manufacturer.
The end user will never concede that buying "online" or choosing the lowest first cost is their fault, those in the service sector of this business will always be struggling to provide a service that makes them a living, the value of which is devalued by the low production cost in the far East and marginal costing of ONLINE marketing companies taking a quick profit with no regard to the long term maintenance of the equipment.
Seeing repeated faults in the same equipment over time does not bode well for the future of the service sector of this industry.

I don't know your market, but
If the European stuff is so good they should back it up with a longer warranty.
Also show how energy efficient they are.
i'm sure people will gravitate to the better product if it costs more.
All the car manufacturers do it, as once one does it , the others eventually have to follow & increase reliability.
We have possibility to buy extended warranty as well on all products from a consumer point of view.

[charlie patt]

It's a nasty circle all the polar kit is garbage but due to other manfactueres trying to compete they cut there product as well the amount of foster kit now we have refrigerant leaks is silly 3 years old evaps porous frame lines porous
I personally believe all manufacturers should be liable for end of life disposal that would sort it like northdude says the bits go mad and where is the internet guys then in the answer to the question I speak to the customer first and advise them its chucking good money after bad its there choice then the best ones is finding low back pressure comps on a bottle cooler

[B G Scott]

I return to my original post, local small scale manufactures find it hard to compete with those in the far East where labour rates are a fraction of those in Europe and the US.
As the volume of imports increases, the accepted selling price of a piece of equipment reduces to the lowest common denominator.
End users search the internet for purchasing and also as bargaining leverage when negotiating with reputable supply companies with local service support, companies who provide long term assistance to these customers often lose out to ON-Line companies whose responsibility for the product seems to end the minute the goods leave their premises.
The points made in an earlier post about increasing awareness of quality and operational life-cycle cost are valid for personal lifestyle and status items, BMW badges etc. but the average customer running a catering business does not stand in front of his or her new cabinet and bask in the glory of a nameplate.

Vanity acquisitions only have value to individuals and then only if they are visible to their peer group.
I don't suggest I have an answer to this issue, just observations.

I return to my original post again, when a service company quotes a fair price to repair a piece of equipment in which the original cost price incorporates sub-economic labour costs is it fair that they should be considered exploitative or even extortionate when they are burdened with operational cost not incurred by the original manufacturer of the equipment.

It has happened with domestic appliances where they became uneconomic to repair, and this is the issue where do customers turn to when the service industry is so denuded as to not be available to solve the day to day problems in the food industry.

We as a vital part of the food chain have no voice and no influence in the halls of power, I look forward to comments and other contributors views on this topic.