Transparency on the longevity of goods by clemens
Pitch
Create shopping transparency on the longevity of goods to foster long-lasting goods and ban planned obsolescence
Description
Summary
Modern market places such as eBay or Rakuten have data about who bought what goods and when. They could enable and motivate these customers to leave structured product reviews at the end of a product's life creating transparency on the longevity of goods. If these marketplaces would allow their customers to search for long-lasting products they could unleash the power of the collective intelligence of the shopping community. This could lead to a strategic advantage for long-lasting goods and a punishment of the wasteful planned obsolescence of goods.
Category of the action
Reducing consumption
What actions do you propose?
Online marketplaces should enable their customers to report the end of life of their products. They should also use this data to create transparency for shoppers on the longevity of goods.
Who will take these actions?
Online marketplaces would need to implement it but universities could come up with a detailed recommendation and support data exchange to leverage effects of scale and help these companies / promote this concept as a reputation and brand building initiative.
Where will these actions be taken?
Many online marketplaces and shopping sites already provide product review functionalities. The eBay GreenTeam has proposed to pilot this concept on the eBay marketplace. So a start has been made. But it will only change shopping behavior if it becomes a common practice on all major shopping sites.
Scientists at universities would now be asked to create and promote as standard for longevity data gathering, calculation and indication at the product listings and search results.
How much will emissions be reduced or sequestered vs. business as usual levels?
What are other key benefits?
The main benefit would be a reduction of waste. An intended side benefit would be cost savings for consumers.
What are the proposal’s costs?
Time line
Related proposals
References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planned_obsolescence
By:
clemens
