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What is "Planned Obsolescence" in the context of marketing and product management?
What is "Planned Obsolescence" in the context of marketing and product management?
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\textbf{Planned Obsolescence} means designing products so they become outdated or unusable after a certain period.
Common examples include:
- Frequent smartphone upgrades
- Software updates that stop supporting older devices
- Fashion trends changing rapidly
Updated On: Mar 16, 2026
- Designing products to last indefinitely without replacement
- Intentionally designing products with a limited useful life so they need replacement
- Producing goods only after receiving customer orders
- Eliminating outdated products from the market immediately
Show Solution
The Correct Option is B
Solution and Explanation
Planned obsolescence is a business and marketing strategy related to the product life cycle. It has significant economic and ethical implications.
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the definition of the term "Planned Obsolescence."
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:
(A) Designing products to last indefinitely: This is the opposite of planned obsolescence; this would be called planned durability.
(B) Intentionally designing products with a limited useful life: This is the precise definition of planned obsolescence. Companies do this to encourage consumers to buy new versions of the product sooner than they otherwise would. This can be achieved by using lower-quality components, not making spare parts available, or frequently changing designs to make older versions seem out of style (psychological obsolescence).
(C) Producing goods only after receiving customer orders: This is a production strategy known as "make-to-order" or "just-in-time" manufacturing.
(D) Eliminating outdated products from the market immediately: This is part of product life cycle management but is not the definition of planned obsolescence itself.
The core idea of planned obsolescence is the deliberate shortening of a product's lifespan.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct definition is intentionally designing products with a limited useful life so they need replacement.
Step 1: Understanding the Question:
The question asks for the definition of the term "Planned Obsolescence."
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let's analyze the options:
(A) Designing products to last indefinitely: This is the opposite of planned obsolescence; this would be called planned durability.
(B) Intentionally designing products with a limited useful life: This is the precise definition of planned obsolescence. Companies do this to encourage consumers to buy new versions of the product sooner than they otherwise would. This can be achieved by using lower-quality components, not making spare parts available, or frequently changing designs to make older versions seem out of style (psychological obsolescence).
(C) Producing goods only after receiving customer orders: This is a production strategy known as "make-to-order" or "just-in-time" manufacturing.
(D) Eliminating outdated products from the market immediately: This is part of product life cycle management but is not the definition of planned obsolescence itself.
The core idea of planned obsolescence is the deliberate shortening of a product's lifespan.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The correct definition is intentionally designing products with a limited useful life so they need replacement.
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