Made in America vs. Price

[neatokimmo]

Add me to the made in the USA group. I'd gladly pay more to not have to worry about plastics in food, chemicals in toys etc.

DD was born in China. So it's a sensitive topic among a lot of my friends.

The thing that kills me is fish. I want fish that was grown/caught within say 1000 miles of me. Every time I pick up a bag of basic frozen white fish, farmed in China. Farmed in Thailand. How about farmed in Knoxville?

 

[chisnpeke]

Really? you think this? I went to school at the University of Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh was the capital of the steel industry. Let me tell you those were good paying jobs. Believe me, no one in that area remotely thought it was beneath them. In fact, we laughed that the majority of students at Pitt were not from Pittsburgh because most Pittsburghions went to get jobs at the steel mills. Don't know how true that was but that was definitely our preception.

Unfortunately, yes I do think this. I know many people who need jobs but won't take lower on the totem pole jobs because they simply don't want to do it or they have a college degree and think they can do better. I live outside Cincinnati and we don't have a giant industry that keeps people working. We have some large employers but if someone needs a job and one is open at McDonald's, Kroger, etc. many people don't want to take it because of the type of job it is. If there were manufacturing jobs I think people might think the same way.

 

[chisnpeke]

With 9% unemployment I think some people may need to readjust their attitude. A job of any sort is honorable. During a tough time in my life (just entered the single Mom world) I worked at Presto on an assembly line. Sucked, but a job is a job..of course that plant has closed long ago and gone..I bet..to China.

That's exactly how I see it. Any job is better than no job. I do know people though who feel differently and would rather not work than work at a place like McDonald's

 

[tzvdmd]

I love when people throw the Economics or the labor costs of this county around. It has more to due with currancy manipulation.

 

[Planogirl]

That's exactly how I see it. Any job is better than no job. I do know people though who feel differently and would rather not work than work at a place like McDonald's

Any job is better than no job? I can see that if you are struggling to get by but otherwise I don't necessarily agree. There are some pretty awful jobs out there.

 

[ajh88]

I try to buy US made products as much as possible. I also try to shop at stores that treat their employees well.

Yes, not shopping at WalMart (for example) has hurt my budget, no doubt. But, I feel it's the right thing to do. I try to look at the big picture and not just how things affect me, personally, right now.

I'm curious about where you shop in general (because I'm assuming you have done some research on the subject). Is it more local stores or just other big box stores? I ask because I'd really like to know...

 

[Pakey]

I'm in upper management in manufacturing and I've also traveled to China and toured manufacturing facilities in various cities there. The quality is the same, the manufacturing processes are the same. The difference is labor costs. The cost of living is similar to here but the expectations are different. I have a good friend in Shanghai; she and her husband, both college educated, saved for years to buy a small apartment. Blue collar workers there often live in dormitories to save money to eventually buy a home.

A huge expense for us is workers comp and health insurance; it's a lot more than the actual wages. Other countries don't have these as employer expenses. As a manufacturer, we cannot compete.

We manufacture food in glass and plastic bottles, pouches. Ten years ago, everything came from here. Now, all of the bottles, jars, caps and many ingredients are imported. The big American and Mexican owned companies we pack for care about the cost. The European and Asian companies are more focused on quality.

 

[eliza61]

I'm curious about where you shop in general (because I'm assuming you have done some research on the subject). Is it more local stores or just other big box stores? I ask because I'd really like to know...

I'm a recovery walmart employee and believe me work there for a year and you'll be in 'recovery" for the rest of your life, so I don't shop there for personal reasons also.

Actually I do very well with my local supermarkets. We have shoprites, aldi's, pathmark and farmers markets in my area. I find that with coupons and circulars, I generally beat Walmarts prices as far as food goes.

I don't like the quality of their clothing so that's easy for me there. I have sons so I'd rather pay the extra for lands ends and ll bean stuff that will last me 3 years than the cheap stuff from walmart that generally shrinks or fades on me.

Let's see, what else? electronics.. don't buy much of that so usually it's a Chhristmas gift. Ipods, Ipads etc don't get marked down so I go straight to apple for those.

For myself, once again I'm a quality over price person. I'm a bit on the round side of the size chart so I find that walmart merchandise is thin and cheaply made in the larger size items.

Now, please don't flame me, I don't discourage anyone from shopping there. It simply is not a store that fits me.... (I got a few nastygrams the last time I did not speak graciously of walmart.)

 

[Sagginit]

went to the foodstore today and was looking for salmon. would you believe salmon labeled great american seafood company that was wild pacific salmon was a product of china? so wait, they get the fish from the US ship it to China to be package and ship it back? i think that is a bit of creative wording.

clothes, shoes, tupperware, i dont care where it comes from, but food thats another story.

 

[mafibisha]

Who cares about the talent pool , how about American made scientists, those are a dying breed.


I admit I don't specifically look for American made products when I shop, if I happen to find something I want and the quality is there then I would buy it, but if it was made in another country, I would still buy it.

ITA. I should've added that because I definitely agree. In science and in every field and profession. At the time I posted about talent, I happened to be watching a prominent news anchor from another country and wondered if an American citizen.

Peter Jennings, a long time ABC National News anchor broadcast for many years before becoming an American citizen. (He was from Canada)

 

[amyy]

I haven't read all the posts. One of my biggest pet peeves is when you go to the American pavilion in EPCOT and can't find anything made in the USA. I have no idea what Disney is thinking. It really annoys me.

I try to buy made in the US when possible. My Fiestaware dishes and Longaberger baskets are both made in the US. You can often Longaberger pieces on sale at places like Kohls. I do pay a lot for the Longaberger baskets but like that they are made in the US. I refuse to buy their pottery as it is not made in the US plus a lot more expensive.

 

[mafibisha]

I try to buy US made products as much as possible. I also try to shop at stores that treat their employees well.

Yes, not shopping at WalMart (for example) has hurt my budget, no doubt. But, I feel it's the right thing to do. I try to look at the big picture and not just how things affect me, personally, right now.

I LOVE THIS!!!!!! Thank you!

I think we ALL, as a nation, need to start looking at the BIG picture and not ourselves. Difficult to do, but buying American ultimately helps us all.

 

[mrsklamc]

I stopped buying Lands' End knits/tees because the quality had gone WAY downhill. I got a catalog this weekend saying they had a new way to make knits so I am looking forward to trying it out and hoping it truly has improved.

 

[mrsklamc]

DH is watching the Simpsons. Just overheard as Bart was deciding whether to sell nuclear secrets to the Chinese:

I dunno...I pledge allegiance to my country every day.

You pledge allegiance to the flag, and it was made in China!

 

[crazyme5kids]

I just bought a hammock and a hammock stand as a gift. I searched all different websites, found one that made their hammocks in America. The stand is American made too (at least that is what they claim). I paid more for it, but I really don't think it was that much more. I try to buy from Made in America companies when possible.

 

[mrstomrice]

It drves me crazy when people buy foreign cars without even considering an American car. My father used to have 2 dealerships before they were forced to close 2 years ago when the country lost many dealerships. Our Chevrolet dealership was in the family for nearly 60 years. A coworker just mentioned that her next car will be a VW. I asked if she even considered an American car and she said it had to be affordable....look up your facts before settling and sending the profits overseas!

 

[mafibisha]

]It drves me crazy when people buy foreign cars without even considering an American car.[/B] My father used to have 2 dealerships before they were forced to close 2 years ago when the country lost many dealerships. Our Chevrolet dealership was in the family for nearly 60 years. A coworker just mentioned that her next car will be a VW. I asked if she even considered an American car and she said it had to be affordable....look up your facts before settling and sending the profits overseas!

ITA!!

So sorry about your dad's dealerships I just wonder how quickly the economy could be turned around if everyone bought American cars.

And as you said, there are foreign cars built in America but the profits don't stay here; they go right back to Japan ect. Too many people don't realize that.

 

[ajh88]

I'm a recovery walmart employee and believe me work there for a year and you'll be in 'recovery" for the rest of your life, so I don't shop there for personal reasons also.

Actually I do very well with my local supermarkets. We have shoprites, aldi's, pathmark and farmers markets in my area. I find that with coupons and circulars, I generally beat Walmarts prices as far as food goes.

I don't like the quality of their clothing so that's easy for me there. I have sons so I'd rather pay the extra for lands ends and ll bean stuff that will last me 3 years than the cheap stuff from walmart that generally shrinks or fades on me.

Let's see, what else? electronics.. don't buy much of that so usually it's a Chhristmas gift. Ipods, Ipads etc don't get marked down so I go straight to apple for those.

For myself, once again I'm a quality over price person. I'm a bit on the round side of the size chart so I find that walmart merchandise is thin and cheaply made in the larger size items.

Now, please don't flame me, I don't discourage anyone from shopping there. It simply is not a store that fits me.... (I got a few nastygrams the last time I did not speak graciously of walmart.)

You can shop wherever (or not) you would like - I wouldn't flame a person for that. I *do* shop at Wal-Mart, but many times it is convenience more than anything. I just wondered if there are places where it is easier to purchase made in the USA items. I always check the labels on my clothes and it doesn't matter WHERE I have purchased them (big box store, retail clothing store, online, etc.), not a single item was made in the USA or even close (we're talking countries I've never even heard of).

I guess for me, it isn't as straight-forward as "made" in the USA or not. Even if the manufacturing doesn't take place here, there are still jobs created here related to those goods, such as sales, distribution, and retail outlets. I mean, even if you don't shop at store X for whatever reason, there are still people employed by that store who may not be otherwise if that store were not open, right?

For example, my first car was a Toyota. I still have that thing with over 225,000 miles on it. It was assembled at a US facility in Kentucky, shipped to a car lot in Missouri by a (presumably) American truck driver, and sold to me by an American car salesman who was employed at an auto dealership owned by an American. I understand that at the root of it, I purchased a foreign car...but somehow I still feel like my purchase benefited domestic employees who rely on that foreign company for jobs. Maybe I'm wrong - I'm no global economics major - but I don't think it is quite so black and white.

I don't have a problem with "made in the USA" and I think it is a good thing to pay attention to where your consumer goods come from. Of course, I guess I should support some of my local merchants (even chains) by shopping at their brick and mortar stores vs. online, but I'm not very good about that either.

ETA: In the spirit of full disclosure, my DH, my mother, and myself have all either worked for Wal-Mart in the past or currently still work for them. My mom has over 18 years in with them, but she is no longer at store level. I'm in the pharmacy, so it is a little different than the rest of the store. None of us have needed any therapy yet...and in my experiences, things aren't quite so bad as people make them out to be. But I'll be the first to say, that is in MY experiences, which are limited to myself and a few people I know.

 

[mafibisha]

You can shop wherever (or not) you would like - I wouldn't flame a person for that. I *do* shop at Wal-Mart, but many times it is convenience more than anything. I just wondered if there are places where it is easier to purchase made in the USA items. I always check the labels on my clothes and it doesn't matter WHERE I have purchased them (big box store, retail clothing store, online, etc.), not a single item was made in the USA or even close (we're talking countries I've never even heard of).

I guess for me, it isn't as straight-forward as "made" in the USA or not. Even if the manufacturing doesn't take place here, there are still jobs created here related to those goods, such as sales, distribution, and retail outlets. I mean, even if you don't shop at store X for whatever reason, there are still people employed by that store who may not be otherwise if that store were not open, right?

For example, my first car was a Toyota. I still have that thing with over 225,000 miles on it. It was assembled at a US facility in Kentucky, shipped to a car lot in Missouri by a (presumably) American truck driver, and sold to me by an American car salesman who was employed at an auto dealership owned by an American. I understand that at the root of it, I purchased a foreign car...but somehow I still feel like my purchase benefited domestic employees who rely on that foreign company for jobs. Maybe I'm wrong - I'm no global economics major - but I don't think it is quite so black and white.
I don't have a problem with "made in the USA" and I think it is a good thing to pay attention to where your consumer goods come from. Of course, I guess I should support some of my local merchants (even chains) by shopping at their brick and mortar stores vs. online, but I'm not very good about that either.

ETA: In the spirit of full disclosure, my DH, my mother, and myself have all either worked for Wal-Mart in the past or currently still work for them. My mom has over 18 years in with them, but she is no longer at store level. I'm in the pharmacy, so it is a little different than the rest of the store. None of us have needed any therapy yet...and in my experiences, things aren't quite so bad as people make them out to be. But I'll be the first to say, that is in MY experiences, which are limited to myself and a few people I know.

Thats a coomon POV.

And while its totally important to those employees, its a drop-in-the-bucket in the big picture.

 

[scrapquitler]

It drves me crazy when people buy foreign cars without even considering an American car. My father used to have 2 dealerships before they were forced to close 2 years ago when the country lost many dealerships. Our Chevrolet dealership was in the family for nearly 60 years. A coworker just mentioned that her next car will be a VW. I asked if she even considered an American car and she said it had to be affordable....look up your facts before settling and sending the profits overseas!

On the other hand, even the 'foreign car' dealerships employ people right in your town, they have suppliers here in this country, and most of the foreign cars are at least assembled in this country (therefore employing Americans). I drive a Japanese car. It was assembled in the US. We also own an American car, it was assembled in the US. The parts were made in Mexico. The profits from both those cars stay in the US (at least partly) and go to other countries as well (at least partly). It's a global economy.