Availability of Owner's Manuals for ‘Second-Hand’ Consumer Products

Abstract

This research concerns the availability of owner's manuals for second-hand (used or resold) consumer products. One-hundred people were approached in a shopping center mall and asked various consumer-oriented questions including: (a) whether they have ever purchased new and/or used 20 common consumer products (e.g., car, computer, power lawn mower, bicycle, etc.), and if so, whether those products came with an owner's manual or an instruction sheet when purchased; (b) whether they had personally sold any of the products, and if so, whether they transferred the owner's manual to the new owner; and (c) how much they would pay for the owner's manuals for each product assuming they had to purchase it separately. Also, they gave 9–point ratings on the products' familiarity, hazard level, and difficulty of use. The survey included several other questions including asking participants how they store their manuals, and for them to estimate the search time to find them. The findings show that while owner's manuals for some used-products are frequently transferred to new owners, others are not. In the latter cases, lack of owner's manual availability means that certain kinds of important safety information may not reach consumers — despite consumers wanting the information and the fact that manufacturers' included it with the product at its first sale. The results also indicate that people want access to owner's manuals for second-hand product. Participants agreed that including the owner's manual would help the sale of used products and that they were willing to pay extra for one (particularly for difficult-to-use products). These results suggest that manufacturers ought to address ways that would make it more likely that consumers retain the owner's manual and transfer it to subsequent owners at later resale, and provide consumers with convenient ways that they can request a replacement copy should the original manual become inaccessible.