Is this legal?

[paulw1283]

Let's say you sell a product, but the product need a replacement part that needs to be purchased as the product get used. For example, let's say you sell razor blades. After customers buy your blade, they need to keep on buying your cartridges as time goes on.

But let's say in its natural manufactured form, the cartridge lasts waaaay too long (pretend there is this new material used for knifes and blades that lasts for 3 years before becoming dull). You want to make more profit so you do a modification to it so that its life is significantly reduced, although still acceptable (say, 3 month).

Can you get sued for this? Is that considered bad business practice? so bad that you can get sued and lose...?

Thanks

[Gaulkin]

Light bulbs could last for forever but they design them to burn out for a reason, so in short the answer is no its not illegal.

[JLeezer]

While it isn't illegal, is there some reason that you wouldn't want to capitalize on the fact that these "blades" last hundreds of shaves longer than an ordinary razor? I figure I get maybe around 5 shaves out of a Mach3 blade. At $10 per 5 pack, that ends up being $0.40 per shave (I'm guessing at the cost per package, but I think that is close). If you could sell me a $50 razor that is guaranteed to last me 200 shaves, I'd definitely consider buying it ($0.25 per shave, btw).

[Nigami Enterprise]

Its called built in obsolesence, and so many products do this. No its not illegal, its up to you wether you think its ethical or not.

Its like the whole cd vcr dvd. They have a map pathed out of what products will be realeased 10-20 years from now. Look at mobile phones they could easily put 8mp cameras on them but they won't.