Bidet News - From The Edge of the Toilet Seat
The Daily Probe, Dec 2 2003
http://www.dailyprobe.com/arcs/120203/index.shtml
Japanese Toilet Baffled by Western Ass TOKYO (DPI) - A high-tech Japanese toilet expressed confusion today about the seemingly random series of commands sent to it by a visiting American, Japan's NHK News reported today. According to the service log for TOTO SCX-10 Model Cleanaire toilet 863367-2, situated on the 22nd floor of Tokyo's New Otani Hotel, the Westerner first tried to operate the bidet before sitting on the unit. He followed that with the commands "seat up," "seat down," "seat up," "flush," "increase seat temperature," "bidet," "bidet," "flush," "set clock," "air dryer," "decrease seat temperature," "flush," "bidet," "flush," "autoclean," "flush" and "bidet." Officials at the Osaka headquarters of TOTO Ltd., the manufacturer of the toilet, will spend the next several weeks analyzing and testing the data, hoping to recreate the scenario and figure out what went wrong. (Reported by Travis Ruetenik)
Heated toilet seats equipped with warm-water jets and built-in air dryers, according to the Nikkei Weekly (Sept. 13), are now estimated to be found in half of all Japanese households. In September, manufacturers showcased their newest models. The high-tech potties were packed with features that distinguish one brand from another, and will no doubt give the toilet paper industry even more to fret about.Bells and WhistlesToto Ltd. will release several new models of its Washlet, the brand that popularized the toilet seat equipped with cleansing device combination. Priced from 149,000 yen to 169,000 yen, (approx. $1,350-$1,550), the new models feature an automatic flushing feature and an automatic seat lid, both ideal for forgetful customers.Another Japanese competitor Inax Corp. is marketing to a higher-end crowd with its 315,000 yen seat, which plays classical music and natural sounds. The seat is equipped with built-in speakers and a 16 megabyte semiconductor memory card to store the music in. And thanks to sensors in the seat, music begins to play when someone approaches.Matsushita Electric Works will market an inexpensive model, priced at 73,000 yen, (approx. $660) which mixes shampoo in with each warm water squirt. Another Matsushita group company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., offers a range of products in the 50,000-125,000 yen range, and emphasizes ease of use and detachable seats for cleaning.Market MaturityThough 53% of all households have these types of devices, most of the new models are aimed at consumer replacement buying. New features are the key to success in the marketplace. Or perhaps manufacturers should start marketing more aggressively abroad. In a September visit to Tokyo, actor Will Smith told an interviewer for the TBS program "King's Brunch" that he had bought two automatic warm-water toilet seats for his home in the US. If his remarks are any indication, we can expect Hollywood to strategically place high-tech bidets in forthcoming action movies. Sales should flow. [2004.10.13] copyright©2004 Japan Consumer Marketing Research Institute.
Courtesy of William Bruneau, Publisher www.bbruneau.com
publisher of the first and only book on the bidet. Yes, in all the history of publishing, with 170,000 new titles last year, this is the first book on this topic. Also the most complete source of impartial information on all types of bidets. Check out my book, The Bidet.
http://www.dailyprobe.com/arcs/120203/index.shtml
Japanese Toilet Baffled by Western Ass TOKYO (DPI) - A high-tech Japanese toilet expressed confusion today about the seemingly random series of commands sent to it by a visiting American, Japan's NHK News reported today. According to the service log for TOTO SCX-10 Model Cleanaire toilet 863367-2, situated on the 22nd floor of Tokyo's New Otani Hotel, the Westerner first tried to operate the bidet before sitting on the unit. He followed that with the commands "seat up," "seat down," "seat up," "flush," "increase seat temperature," "bidet," "bidet," "flush," "set clock," "air dryer," "decrease seat temperature," "flush," "bidet," "flush," "autoclean," "flush" and "bidet." Officials at the Osaka headquarters of TOTO Ltd., the manufacturer of the toilet, will spend the next several weeks analyzing and testing the data, hoping to recreate the scenario and figure out what went wrong. (Reported by Travis Ruetenik)
Heated toilet seats equipped with warm-water jets and built-in air dryers, according to the Nikkei Weekly (Sept. 13), are now estimated to be found in half of all Japanese households. In September, manufacturers showcased their newest models. The high-tech potties were packed with features that distinguish one brand from another, and will no doubt give the toilet paper industry even more to fret about.Bells and WhistlesToto Ltd. will release several new models of its Washlet, the brand that popularized the toilet seat equipped with cleansing device combination. Priced from 149,000 yen to 169,000 yen, (approx. $1,350-$1,550), the new models feature an automatic flushing feature and an automatic seat lid, both ideal for forgetful customers.Another Japanese competitor Inax Corp. is marketing to a higher-end crowd with its 315,000 yen seat, which plays classical music and natural sounds. The seat is equipped with built-in speakers and a 16 megabyte semiconductor memory card to store the music in. And thanks to sensors in the seat, music begins to play when someone approaches.Matsushita Electric Works will market an inexpensive model, priced at 73,000 yen, (approx. $660) which mixes shampoo in with each warm water squirt. Another Matsushita group company, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., offers a range of products in the 50,000-125,000 yen range, and emphasizes ease of use and detachable seats for cleaning.Market MaturityThough 53% of all households have these types of devices, most of the new models are aimed at consumer replacement buying. New features are the key to success in the marketplace. Or perhaps manufacturers should start marketing more aggressively abroad. In a September visit to Tokyo, actor Will Smith told an interviewer for the TBS program "King's Brunch" that he had bought two automatic warm-water toilet seats for his home in the US. If his remarks are any indication, we can expect Hollywood to strategically place high-tech bidets in forthcoming action movies. Sales should flow. [2004.10.13] copyright©2004 Japan Consumer Marketing Research Institute.
Courtesy of William Bruneau, Publisher www.bbruneau.com
publisher of the first and only book on the bidet. Yes, in all the history of publishing, with 170,000 new titles last year, this is the first book on this topic. Also the most complete source of impartial information on all types of bidets. Check out my book, The Bidet.
posted by William Bruneau, Publisher at 10:44 PM
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