Made in China sentiment

[Edwin Santos]

I am in firm belief that buying less stuff and of higher quality is actually better path to thrift than buying cheap and replacing.

Quite apart from the thrift, it's more enjoyable and satisfying too. I'm with you on disliking cheaply made, low quality items. Some people find real joy in owning well made, well crafted things. The kind of products that someone really cared about when they made them. This can even apply to things used in everyday life like writing instruments, high quality kitchen knives, a high quality wristwatch, etc. Anything you might treasure, and appreciate every time you use it.

I too normally think of quality being wherever you find it. This said, I have noticed that some countries have the pursuit of high quality standards embedded into their culture. Both Japan and Germany come to mind in this regard. Not sure if the USA belongs in that category or not. Maybe half in and half out these days. Buyer beware.
Edwin

[Brian Holcombe]

It’s been my experience that small-med makers in the US can and do make exceptional products. They are usually pretty nimble and highly automated. In the machining world, Kurt and Orange vises come to mind, as example.

[Lee DeRaud]

Food for thought - if nature starts the next pandemic in Milwaukee, should everyone boycott American products?

It's not like I really needed another reason not to buy a Harley.

[Lee DeRaud]

all cars are made all over. We currently have a Chrysler.

A couple decades ago, I had a rather spirited conversation with my next-door neighbor (the sales manager for a Cadillac dealer*), who took issue with me buying a foreign car rather than American.

He was a bit at a loss when I pointed out that I had traded in an Oldsmobile assembled in Canada for an Acura assembled in Ohio.

(*I later learned that the owner of his Cadillac dealership also owned the Acura dealership. Go figure.)

[Dan Friedrichs]

At first I was thinking “what kind of a cheap character gives a kettle as a wedding present?”. Then I realized that with rationing and the economy in 39 that it would have represented perhaps several days of income. Today we can purchase several kettles with one hour of income.

That’s the thing, everything in my mother’s house was of very high quality and there were few items. Furniture, clothing, one TV, one radio.

We buy truckloads of stuff and send it to the landfill at the same rate.

Rod, while I agree with your overall sentiment, I think the thing that's missing is the notion of innovation.

I have a palm sander and cordless drill I bought ~15 years ago - Makita, good quality, still as functional today as they were when I bought them. But the sander is a pain to load because it has "levers" to attach the paper. The drill is heavy and not ergonomic. Neither perform fractionally as well as their modern equivalents (which, to boot, probably cost less in inflation adjusted dollars). I'm considering literally throwing them away. I'm conflicted by this, but can't see why. TVs, radios, even kettles improve, and ultimately, if the "old" ones were so great, people wouldn't be tossing them in favor of the new.

[Lee DeRaud]

TVs, radios, even kettles improve, and ultimately, if the "old" ones were so great, people wouldn't be tossing them in favor of the new.

There is some difference to be noted between (1) voluntarily buying the new because it works better than the old, and (2) being forced to buy the new because the old no longer works at all.

[Rick Potter]

I think anti China sentiment will increase a bit, but many things will still be made there.

I also think more businesses will be coming home if the government gets tax situation straightened out.

Probably most important is that India and Indonesia are waiting in the wings for their turn to undercut China, and they haven't cheated, stolen intellectual property, or threatened this country the way China has. Yet.

Of course a reunified Korea will be a major player also.

[Kev Williams]

as to buying 'cheaply made': it depends-- A few months ago I bought a kitchen knife at the dollar store, a smaller version of a basic 'chef's knife'. The thing was extremely sharp and cuts wonderfully. The blade has scalloped sides so it's great to cut cheese with. I say "was" because it's finally starting to show some wear, but not much. It's been our go-to knife since I got it. Since I go to the dollar store once or twice a week I'll just buy another one soon and chuck the old one. I can buy a whole bunch of these for the price of one well-made one, and if I need to cut thru copper wires or paper zip ties, no big deal if I screw up the blade!

Another example, the 2 dirt cheap fiber lasers I bought from eBay. They cost about 8% of what a 'good' one runs, they paid for themselves within 2 weeks, and are still going strong 18 months later. In April a company that normally lasers their own parts called, their laser broke down. I asked about their laser, specifically what they paid for it. "I'm not sure, but it turns out they upgraded the control board and no longer make the original, and our current software isn't compatible with the new board, so we're looking at $22,000 to get it back in service!" Sheesh... I paid less than $3500 each for 'whole' machines...

Dixie Cups do serve a purpose

[Jim Tobias]

I am not hearing a lot of folks who want to avoid Chinese products because of the anger referenced above. I am seeing a fair number of people who want to avoid foreign products in general because they think our county has become too dependent on foreign supply chains, and they would rather send their business to someone who will be on this side of the ocean (whichever ocean you happen to be looking at) when another crisis hits.

Product availability, price, quality, are all still real factors, but my sense is there is an opening for someone who wants to make something in America to start doing it again.

Agreed...….this has been a wake up call about numerous things but especially about medicinal/PPE supply chains. I don't think we want to ever be left in a spot of depending on any neighbor(far and wide) that much.
Non life threatening goods are and will be driven by quality and cost......and as before, some choose to value one over the other.

Jim

[Scott T Smith]

For the past ten years or more my preference has been to buy US MFG first, neighbors (Canada and Mexico) second, US Allies third, and Chinese last. I’d rather support our friends, allies and neighbors with my purchases whenever possible. After all, they have our back, so why shouldn’t I have their back?

I have nothing against the Chinese. Their slow advances towards capitalism is one of the great stories of the last part of the 20th century. Having strong trade with them is in our benefit, as close and major trading partners typically do not go to war against one another.

Having said all that, I still prefer to support neighbors, friends and allies first.

[Curt Harms]

I am in firm belief that buying less stuff and of higher quality is actually better path to thrift than buying cheap and replacing. I’m biased in that I simply greatly dislike poorly made things and so I never buy them. I’d rather suffer without. Origin is less important to me, so long as I can see clearly that considerable efforts were made to design a high quality product and maintain that through the manufacturing process.

Some items I agree, machines being one. Machines and hand tools don't become functionally obsolete in a relatively short time. Other things become outdated long before they wear out. A high quality 10 year old cell phone may still work perfectly (assuming it'll connect to a network) but it'll hardly be the functional equivalent of even a low end cell phone produced today.

[Rod Sheridan]

I think we’re in agreement Dan, I’m opposed to low quality objects that require frequent replacement as Lee mentioned.

I don’t mind replacing something that doesn’t have the functionality, as you mentioned. Especially as we get older, that paper mounting mechanism may no longer be usable.

Regards, Rod.

[Brian Elfert]

as to buying 'cheaply made': it depends-- A few months ago I bought a kitchen knife at the dollar store, a smaller version of a basic 'chef's knife'. The thing was extremely sharp and cuts wonderfully. The blade has scalloped sides so it's great to cut cheese with. I say "was" because it's finally starting to show some wear, but not much. It's been our go-to knife since I got it. Since I go to the dollar store once or twice a week I'll just buy another one soon and chuck the old one. I can buy a whole bunch of these for the price of one well-made one, and if I need to cut thru copper wires or paper zip ties, no big deal if I screw up the blade!

This is a prime example of consumer mentality today. Buy the cheapest item no matter where made and just throw it away when it breaks in a short period. I don't like filling up landfills with poorly made goods so I tend to buy stuff to last.

Plenty of people buy Ikea furniture because it is cheap and they figure tastes will change by the time it needs replacement in five years or whatever. I still have almost all of the original furniture I bought when I got my first house. My bedroom furniture is solid wood and the style is pretty timeless. My recliner had to be replaced after 20 years as it was falling apart. I don't think my new recliner will last that long.

[Stan Calow]

Most people aren't in a business and can't make value judgments about quality products versus cheap products. Its a choice of having a tool or not. The only way you can keep critical industries in the US in a globally competitive environment is through taxpayer subsidies, or massive tariffs. The last time (last year) we tried tariffs to punish China, the backlash against our farmers points out why that works both ways.

[Andrew Joiner]

I try to buy the best product at a fair price. In tests country of origin can be surprising or disappointing.
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