Asians Not Removing Shipping Plastic

I love Asia and Taiwan in particular. The people and food are fantastic. However, I have occasionally noticed some behaviors that are quite different than those of America. One such habit among Asians in at least four countries of Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan is leaving the thing protective film on electronics and plastic on furniture items. I see the plastic film on keyboards of phones, calculators and laptops. Stickers with marketing data are kept on computers, fans and kitchen appliances.

The Reason for Leaving Protective Plastic on Electronics

I once ask an Asian why they left the protective layer of plastic on the dashboard of a car. The plastic was peeling in multiple areas and scuffed or damaged in others. I thought it looked really tacky. The guy answered me with a somewhat logical rational that “I will remove it before I try to sell my car.” After thinking about it, in terms or marketing used items, it was a brilliant idea. I could picture TVs, kitchen appliances and other electronics after years of use looking new off the shelf just because someone kept the protective plastic in place. In a way, it is a bit like keeping collector dolls in packages to increase their value to toy collectors. It might seem an odd behavior, but there is a method to the madness!