The recent survey published by China Electronic Chamber of Commerce Consumer Electronic Product Investigation Office shows that the failure rate of the digital cameras sold in China reached 12.9%.
The Chamber's "Investigation Report on China's Digital Camera Consumer Demand 2008" also showed that consumers' satisfaction is generally low in the digital camera market, with problems focusing on after-sales service and camera problems. The repair fee, battery and lens are among the most unsatisfactory areas measured in the report.
Most of the digital cameras have little time for reliability tests to ensure their stability due to the rapid upgrades compared to traditional household electrical appliances, an official from the China Electronic Chamber of Commerce explained to local media. By October 2008, 60% of the families in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou owned digital cameras.
Since there are still no relevant major standards for digital cameras, consumers are in a passive situation when dealing with manufacturers and the report draws a conclusion that consumers need more rights when dealing with their cameras' problems.
