The Consumer Viewpoint | Page 6

in this great classification of
merchandise (household appliances) as reflected by consumer attitude
are often ill-defined and extremely difficult for the manufacturer to
interpret. Therefore, as a recognition of this condition, the basic
purpose running throughout all of the testing work at Good

Housekeeping Institute is to test every device so as to duplicate the
conditions under which the device will be used by the ultimate
consumer, be she intelligent or unintelligent. It has furthermore been
the Institute's special province to express to each manufacturer the
trend of consumer demand as seen, not only through the Institute's use
of appliances, but through the thousands of consumers who report their
experiences.
It is an interesting and surprising fact that mechanical tests develop
data which often interpret the results obtained under practical usage of
the equipment, and the results obtained under the practical usage quite
as often define the value of the mechanical data. Any effort a
manufacturer may make to develop these two angles of testing will
more than offset any money cost that may be added to the factory
overhead. Complete testing of this character will also save ultimate
consumer reactions against the completed manufactured product. It is
not enough, as so many manufacturers have done, to place the
appliance in a variety of homes and take the consequent "say-so." It
must be remembered that it is only possible to compare an appliance
when you have something to compare it with, and that something must
be an appliance designed to do similar work. How many instances are
there where manufacturers allow their products to go out without
comparative information of this kind, just because such information is
so extremely difficult to get?
To all interested in or concerned with this great industry, there is one
thing to be remembered above all else--study and test not only the
mechanical construction and perfection of your product but know from
every conceivable angle what the user or consumer is going to demand
of it. If this be done, and done thoroughly, and exhaustively, you will
build the appliance of the best materials obtainable, because it must
wear well; of the most efficient design, because it must operate
smoothly; and you cannot fail to so build it that it will do its work
completely and well because you will have the measure of these values
within the experience of your own investigation.
The results of this care in manufacture will promptly be reflected when

marketing your product in at least three ways,--first, increase of sales
and repeat sales; second, a lowered overhead cost for servicing,
repairing, and replacing defective machines, and third, a fairer and
lower price to the consumer because it is based on the cost of her
machine only since she is not burdened with a share of her neighbor's
repairs in your "overhead."
There is perhaps no household device operated by electricity that is
more complicated in its oiling system than the old-fashioned sewing
machine and yet the manufacturer managed to train the housewife to
ninety per cent. efficiency in caring for the machine. Therefore, well
defined and specified places for oiling should be provided for, and
decalcomaniac or otherwise permanent directions placed on all
enclosed gearings, in order that the user may continually have before
her the correct places marked for oiling. It is not enough to supply a
circular of directions: she loses it promptly as has been proved over and
over again. All important service directions must be permanent.

SOME NEEDS OF THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE.
It is largely because there has not been a consumer demand that was
well defined that we find few equipments designed with attention to the
proper working heights. Moreover, we are convinced that it is a
decidedly difficult question to settle. However, it is possible to group
most exertions that women must practice into two classes: those that
involve upper arm muscles, as work at a sink, range, washtub, or
washing machine, etc., and secondly, exertions that involve the muscles
of the forearm, as the mixing, stirring, and beating involved in cookery
processes.
In the first case any variations in a woman's height makes
comparatively little difference. A range of heights from five feet to six
feet would be served equally well by a similar height of equipment.
This makes it possible to lay down the rule that sinks should be
designed and plumbers should provide for piping them at a height of
thirty-five inches from the bottom of the sink to the floor. Ranges

should be thirty-four inches in height to the working top, and both
washing machines and tubs should be thirty-eight inches to their rims.
This enables all work to be done with straight unstrained back.
Where the forearm muscle is involved, however, it becomes a far more
delicate question.