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> in particular don't want to pay for it

This is a complete misunderstanding of the problem, also, a false statement in most cases.

People would like to have the option to choose who, when, where and how repairs their stuff. If the only option is the manufacturer - even after the warranty period -, then that's called a monopoly and is guaranteed to result in lower standards and higher prices and reduced availability.

It is one thing to have such a problem with a laptop or a mobile, because those are relatively cheap items that are easy to replace. But if you have equipment that your livelihood depends on worth tens of thousands of dollars, then this is completely unacceptable.



In addition you may be effectively refused such repairs, or charged so much that it is better to buy a new product.

If the only entity who can repair the kit is the one who sells new kit too, this is even worse than a standard monopoly argument. At least a normal monopoly has an incentive to serve you at the end of the day.


It's not called a monopoly. A monopoly is a single provider of a particular service or product allowing the supplier to abuse their position.

These farmers do not have to buy John Deere. If they don't like being tied in, they shouldn't have bought the equipment in the first place and chosen a rival then one of two things happen 1) John Deere realise they have been caught with their pants down and change their policy to win customers back 2) Farmers realise there is a new normal where the equipment is simply too complicated to allow them to tinker with it (or at least without losing any manufacturers guarantee).


It’s a monopoly on fixing JD gear, a narrower term than an outright farming hardware monopoly but still.




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