Spending millions on robot vacuum cleaners and technology products, after a few weeks immediately learned a lesson

Waste of millions

In the digital age, many technological devices such as smart TVs, smart speakers, robot vacuum cleaners, air purifiers... have become popular trends in families. However, many of them are quickly forgotten, becoming dusty objects in the corner of the house.

More than a year ago, Mr. Hoang (Thanh Xuan, Hanoi ) spent nearly 10 million VND to buy a robot vacuum cleaner with the hope of "freeing" time for his wife and him. At first, the whole family was excited to see the robot move around the apartment. But after a few weeks, the convenience turned out to be a nuisance.

“My house has a lot of tables and chairs, the robot gets stuck all the time, and it makes a lot of noise when running at night. In addition, the dust box is small, so it has to be cleaned regularly. Sometimes cleaning the robot is more work than holding the mop myself,” Mr. Hoang shared.

In the end, the robot was put away in a corner of the house. Now, he still keeps the habit of cleaning the house manually because it is faster and more proactive. “Every time I look at the robot, I regret the money I spent,” Mr. Hoang sighed.

Many technological devices in the home are wasted and not used. Illustration: Duy Anh

Talking about wasting technology, Ms. Mai Anh (Hoang Mai, Hanoi) said that she spent millions of dong to buy a smart speaker that can recognize voice, play music, read morning news, and even control electrical devices in the house. “When I watched the commercial, I thought life would be much more convenient. Just say 'play music' or 'turn off the lights' and the speaker will do it for me, it sounds very modern,” she recalled.

But after buying it, Ms. Mai Anh discovered that many features were not suitable for her family's habits. The setup was complicated, and Vietnamese commands were sometimes not recognized correctly. In the end, the whole family still used the phone or remote control as before.

“Now the speaker is on the shelf. I only play music when friends come over for fun. Otherwise, it becomes an unwanted decoration,” said Mai Anh.

According to some international surveys, on average each family has 3-5 technology devices that are rarely or not used regularly. In Vietnam, although there are no official statistics, the trend is similar. With the boom of e-commerce and promotional programs, many families are eager to buy technology devices, but after a few months, they are pushed into the corner of the cupboard because they are not used to it or quickly become outdated.

Buy according to the trend

In fact, many families have the habit of buying technology devices just because "others have them, so I want them too", or are attracted by advertisements and promotions without assessing their needs.

Ms. Thu Thuy (Tay Mo, Hanoi) said that she saw her friends on social networks boasting about an air purifier with a 40% discount during a promotion on Shopee, along with advertisements about its ability to clean the air and protect health. Even though her apartment already had air conditioning and the space was small, she still decided to buy it.

After using it for a few weeks, Ms. Thuy felt annoyed because she had to change the filter frequently and did not feel a clear difference. In the end, the filter worth nearly 14 million VND was pushed into a corner of the house.

Another reason why the device is wasted is because the features are too complicated compared to actual needs. Ms. Truc ( Hung Yen ) was surfing TikTok when she saw an advertisement for a smart rice cooker priced at 12 million VND, which was introduced as being able to be controlled via a phone application, set a timer, and integrate many cooking modes. Ms. Truc decided to upgrade her rice cooker.

However, she quickly realized that she was not used to installing complicated applications, and that “smart” functions such as timer or cooking mode selection were not really necessary because the family mainly ate white rice. Less than a month later, the expensive rice cooker was put away in the kitchen cupboard.

According to technology experts, each wasted device is not only a loss of money, but also a burden of electronic waste. Consumers should consider the option of liquidating or donating the device so that it can be used again, reducing pressure on the environment.

Talking to VietNamNet reporter , electronics master Dang Khanh Toan gave advice, consumers should consider carefully before deciding to open their wallets. They should only buy when the product can solve a specific problem in life, for example, saving time, supporting health or serving essential entertainment.

If possible, try it out in the store or borrow it from a friend or family member to try it out. This will help avoid the situation of “excited at the time of buying, frustrated after a few weeks”. In addition to the high price, many devices also require maintenance, electricity or replacement parts. If you are not prepared for this cost, the product will easily be abandoned.

“Technology is only truly valuable when it is linked to practical needs and is properly exploited,” Mr. Toan emphasized.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/hao-hung-mua-do-cong-nghe-bo-xo-tien-trieu-sau-vai-tuan-2444760.html