Holiday Shopping - and China

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,231]

Some things to think about, from a Boston-area author.

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/i-havent-bought-a-chinese-made-product-in-30-years-heres-how/ar-BB1aSx71

 

LL

[Tascosa, SASS# 24838 913]

I always try to avoid buying ANYTHING made in China. And I am usually successful. But I got fooled once. The add said "made in the USA" when I received it, it had Chinese writing all over the package, and the origin of the pkg. was china.

[Pat Riot, SASS #13748 22,348]

Interesting. Thank you, Loophole LaRue. 
 

I try not to buy China made products but sometimes it’s all that’s available. 
 

An interesting trend I have discovered is companies that made products in the US but transferred manufacturing to China like to use a phrase like; “Made by an American owned company.” With a little American flag next to the statement. 

I find that rather irksome and disingenuous. 
One that comes to mind is “Total Gym”, I was actually going to buy one for $1000 because it was “Made in the USA” until I drilled deeper into their website. Nowhere did it actually state their stuff was made in China but further research on other sites proved that their equipment was made in China. They just forgot to mention that and they also forgot to price their equipment accordingly. They also forgot to mention the jobs lost by their move. 
I did buy a Total Gym knock off that was made in China for well under half the price of the Total Gym. If that makes me a bad man, then so be it. 
I buy American when I can and I will pay a lot more for it, but when American companies play silly games I have no respect or appreciation for them and will buy what I need as I see fit. 

[Warden Callaway 4,614]

1 minute ago, Tascosa, SASS# 24838 said:

I always try to avoid buying ANYTHING made in China. And I am usually successful. But I got fooled once. The add said "made in the USA" when I received it, it had Chinese writing all over the package, and the origin of the pkg. was china.

 

You would be shocked to find out how much stuff says made in USA that actually contain a high amount of parts and materials that come from China.  

 

I worked in the engineering department of a large company that manufactured distribution transformers.  At one point all the steel came from China.  Hardware and specialty parts came from China.  The prices on small parts were 1/10 that of made in house or made locally . Yet the nameplate was marked Made in USA. 

[irish ike, SASS #43615 1,168]

There isn't a so called "American" car that is made from components made in America. Mexico, China, South America, etc make up the parts and then its assembled here. Toyota's are assembled here but everything comes from Japan! You know where Japan has to import iron ore or scrap to forge it into steel and they still can make it and sell it cheaper than we can in America. And yes better quality!

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172 3,325]

As I understand the NEW NORMAL, a lot of the stuff on the U. S. market are parts made in China, exported to the U. S. and repackaged to reflect "MADE IN U.S.A.".  Makes it cheaper for the end marketer. I have no problem with a company making a buck, BUT. and there is always that ugly but, as Ben Franklin supposely sed, "IF WE DON'T HANG TOGETHER WE WILL SURLY HANG SEPERATELY". 

[Warden Callaway 4,614]

Heater fan in our F150 - proudly made in USA by Union labor.  The fan assembled was made in Brazil.  

[Cypress Sun 2,815]

2 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said:

There isn't a so called "American" car that is made from components made in America. Mexico, China, South America, etc make up the parts and then its assembled here. Toyota's are assembled here but everything comes from Japan! You know where Japan has to import iron ore or scrap to forge it into steel and they still can make it and sell it cheaper than we can in America. And yes better quality!

 

Last I saw, the Toyota Camry was the car with the most American parts and labor by far.

 

I've been seeing many labels the state "Assembled in the USA", "Packaged in the USA" or have the American Flag boldly displayed yet states that it is made in China in small print. As far as I know, Weathertech and Dillon products are made/assembled in the USA.

 

[Loophole LaRue, SASS #51438 3,231]

The 2020 Cars.com "American Made" index names the top three with the most American parts and labor as:

 

• #1 - Ford Ranger
• #2 - Jeep Cherokee
• #3 - Tesla S

See the rest here:

https://www.cars.com/articles/the-cars-com-2020-american-made-index-which-cars-are-most-american-422711/

 

LL

 

[Buffalo Creek Law Dog 353]

Remember back in the 1950's, when Japanese products were considered inferior and people tried not to purchase them because at that time they were mostly junk.  Then a town in Japan that had a manufacturing plant (can't remember what they made) changed the name of the town to USA, pronounced you-su.  The new labels said made in USA.