How long a reasonable consumer would expect a particular good to last depends on a number of factors including:
• The nature of the good, which can include:2 ‒ The materials used or composition of the components ‒ Whether the good is a new good, a factory second or sold second‑hand by a business.
• The price of the good3
• Statements made about the good, either on the packaging or by the supplier or manufacturer4
• Any other relevant circumstances.5 It is important to remember that the concept of reasonable durability refers to how long the good can be expected to last in normal circumstances. This means using the good in the way it was intended or the purpose it was designed for, having regard to any representations made at the time of purchase. If abnormal use by the consumer causes a good to be damaged, and therefore less durable, then the good will not fail to be of acceptable quality if the reason for its failure is that abnormal use.
A. Nature of the good The nature of the good is relevant to how long a good can be expected to last.7 The nature of the good includes:
• the materials used or composition of the components (if any)
• the type of good and its use • whether the good is a new good, a factory second or sold second‑hand by a business. The materials used or composition of the components How long a good can be expected to last will depend upon the quality of the materials used in the good’s manufacture. A good made of high quality materials can generally be expected to last longer than an equivalent good made of lower quality materials
The type of good and its use The type of good and how the good is used can also impact upon a good’s durability. For example goods that are more portable or contain complex components would generally be reasonably expected to last for a shorter time period than goods that are stationary and relatively simple. This is because a reasonable consumer would be likely to expect portable goods to be subject to more wear and tear through normal use of the good.