AccelePrep for the ACT Test 2nd Edition Student Text

244 • S URGE TO S UCCESS ! W RITING T EST P REP

ANSWERS

SAMPLE OUTLINE Introduction (Thesis)

• Thesis statement (Agrees with Perspective 1): Planned obsolescence wastes consumers' money by forcing them to buy products that are not designed to last. • Supporting arguments: Many of the products affected by planned obsolescence are expensive to begin with, and it is misleading for a company to advertise premium products that must be replaced in a few years. A company’s reputation will suffer if consumers are not happy with its products. Companies could still create new products and encourage costumers to buy them by using effective advertising rather than creating products that will soon be obsolete. Paragraph 2 (Subtopic: Many of the products affected by planned obsolescence are expensive to begin with, and it is misleading to the consumer for a company to advertise premium products that, in reality, must be replaced in a few years.) • Laptops, for example, can cost anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. If a consumer pays more for a more expensive laptop, it is reasonable to expect it to last longer than a couple years. • Technology companies sometimes charge more for repairs than necessary. If consumers research other ”‡’ƒ‹” ‘’–‹‘•ǡ –Š‡› ™‹ŽŽ ϐ‹† ‘”‡…‘’‡–‹–‹˜‡ ’”‹…‹‰Ǥ • When repair parts are no longer available for a product, the consumer receives the message that the company no longer values the expensive product that was sold to them. Paragraph 3 (Subtopic: A company’s reputation will suffer if consumers are not happy with its products.) • Consumer support is important for a company’s reputation. If a consumer is not happy with a product, he or she is less likely to buy from that company in the future. • With online consumer reviews, it is easy to research which companies have a reputation for long-lasting, high-quality products. Paragraph 4 (Subtopic: Companies can still innovate and encourage consumers to buy new products without resorting to planned obsolescence.) • Address Perspectives 2 and 3: It is important for companies to design new products quickly in order to remain competitive. However, they will not remain competitive by alienating the consumer. • Companies can encourage consumers to buy new products through effective advertising campaigns. This will make consumers enthusiastic about new products, rather than angry with old ones. Conclusion (Restatement of thesis): Although it is important for companies to innovate quickly and keep up with their competitors, planned obsolescence can damage the relationship between a company and its customers.