Americans expect products to work consistently, not just sometimes or initially. A product that functions once but fails on subsequent uses disappoints. A product that works most of the time but occasionally fails is frustrating. Good products work every time you use them—reliably and predictably.
This consistency expectation is separate from basic function: the product must both work and keep working consistently. Reliability expectations increase with stakes. Medical devices must be extremely reliable. Professional tools must be dependable.
Consumer products face proportionate expectations. Americans have well-developed sensitivity to reliability variation—they remember products that failed unexpectedly and reward products that perform consistently. Reliability builds trust; unreliability destroys it. When positioning products for Americans, demonstrated reliability matters enormously.
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