The Change Mariner

Consumed: The Duet Washer and Dryer

New York Times:

Consumers think of themselves as logical creatures, but of course that is not always true. Emotional and irrational factors come into play when we buy things to impress our friends or to make us feel better about ourselves -- even if we don't ever quite admit it. Still, there are limits, right? A particular make of car or a designer suit might function as a source of fulfillment or personal identity, but not, for instance, a washing machine. Actually, there are no limits. Even a washing machine can be a source of consumer meaning. Whirlpool, the appliance maker, was betting that this was the case when it introduced a washer-and-dryer line (or ''fabric care system'') called the Duet. And this has turned out well, as the washer is now the fastest-selling machine of its kind, capturing almost 20 percent of sales in its category in less than three years.

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This sounds silly. But even in focus groups, the company got a clue that it had hit on something, as participants started throwing around phrases like ''the Ferrari of washing machines.''

Accordingly, the Duet washer alone was priced not in the typical $400 to $500 range but rather at a Ferrari-like level of $1,300 or so. The dryer runs you another $800. The machine is a standout example of a ''new American luxury'' described in the recent book ''Trading Up,'' by retail experts associated with the Boston Consulting Group. The authors, Michael J. Silverstein and Neil Fiske, did their own interviews with Duet buyers, who ''revealed multiple layers of their emotional connection with their appliances.'' One such owner of the washer and dryer told them: ''They are our little mechanical buddies. They have personality. . . . When they are running efficiently, our lives are running efficiently. They are part of my family.''

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