posted on August 24, 2010 04:31:50 PM new
You know what they always said in the business world-minorities and foreigners are always the last to know.
Chrysler management did a good job selling Chryler to the German who wished they have never heard of the word Chrysler!
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on August 25, 2010 10:11:17 AM new
Alibaba apparently thinks 250,000 American sellers (the customer base of Auctiva plus Vendio) will rush to buy Chinese crap.
posted on August 25, 2010 11:25:36 AM new
oh me oh my, stuff on eBay that was manufactured in China? say it isn't so joe!
you can buy both well made and cheaply made stuff from any country (that still manufactures anything anymore.) it's up to the buyers and sellers if they want to deal in the good-but-pricey or the cheap-but-cheap goods.
of course people that just sell vintage stuff could (should) care less since it doesn't have anything to do with them. (me!)
posted on August 25, 2010 11:38:21 AM new
"of course people that just sell vintage stuff could (should) care less since it doesn't have anything to do with them. (me!)"
posted on August 26, 2010 10:12:01 AM new
that is true about vintage.
i sell vintage with this account, but another account i sell mostly new items.
unfortunately, that whole market started manufacturing in China, Mexico, and elsewhere over the last 10 years. i have seen the low end market for these items change very little in quality during that time. ironically, the mid-level stuff is what has seen a decline in quality. the very high end is still made in the USA and Canada. Canada seems to have their act together (or at least much more than the USA) when it comes to preserving their manufacturing.
posted on August 26, 2010 10:16:17 AM new
Ironic, I am listening to NPR right now and there is a story about China losing manufacturing contracts to Vietnam and other countries where the wages are lower. Chinese workers are expecting higher pay.
This has been a discussion I have had many times over. Large corporations don't care how they make money... as long as they make money. the more the better. This is why there needs to be stronger regulations protecting American products and jobs.
It is so in our faces right now in just about everything.
Funny story... I was at the Made In Oregon store last week to purchase a t-shirt. I do check tags on many items and did so with my shirt. It reads, "Made in Mexico with US made fabric". The screen printing was done in Oregon. LOL.
posted on August 26, 2010 12:22:29 PM new
True and funny story....rather long but bear with me!
We were at the Canada Day celebrations held at the Harbour in Victoria on July 1st. Our Tourism seems to be up a bit this year so we have met folks from all over the world.
We were waiting in line to go aboard a Canadian Navy ship and behind us in line was a loud but very funny young man from Korea. He was trying to gain the attention of the three young ladies beside him. They were Chinese. Between them they managed to converse fairly well in English. Two of them had hand-held translators.
Along came another three young ladies who were from Mexico. They were such a fun group and they made sure we joined in the conversation which we did happily.
The lad from Korea asked all of the others what language were they taught at school that it was most important for them to speak as a second language.
The Chinese girls immediately said English as did the very pretty girls from Mexico.
The lad from Korea said that they had to learn Chinese and then English!
Now to the real point of my story (my family would have left the Dinner table long ago!!)
One of the young girls from Mexico said that she was looking for a good quality Tee Shirt with 'VICTORIA-CANADA' on it and she finally found one. She said she looked at the label to see what material it was made of and she saw that it was MADE in Mexico! She said 'Why should I buy something here that was made in my own Country'.
She was still looking in vain for a Tee shirt made in Canada!
Maybe the moral to this story is that the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs may slowly come back and bite some Companies in the 'bottom'.
posted on August 26, 2010 01:16:35 PM new
But how many Mexicans are shopping in Canada?
Same with HK folks,they dont buy made in HK in NYC OR San Fran?
I never made it past economics 101,but i still remember what they called comparative advantage,you made radio then someone makes shoes and then you buy their shoes and they take your money and buy your radios.
SO FAR Chinese are buying Boeing airplanes,Caterpillar crawlers and John Deer tractors and IBM mainframe,it takes many Chinese sitting in front of the sewing machines to afford a Boeing 747,and dont forget there is no central air conditioning ,just large fans situated in different parts of the factory and lunch is provided in cafeteria ,you bring your own rice bowl!
As for moving your facilities to Vietnam and Cambodia,there is this problem called infrastructure,raw material has to be shipped in and finished goods shipped out,container vessels need to dock in harbours and roads have to be good for heavy duty trucks to carry goods in either directions,or if not trucks,then trains ,then you are talking good railroads which function in all kinds of weather.
I dont believe Vietnam infrastructure is that great ,Burma is pathetic.
So you may get cheap labor but the cost of bringing the goods to the market may wipe out the labor advantage.
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
posted on August 26, 2010 01:19:46 PM new
Many multi national companies which build factories in China are really looking long term,they are looking at a huge consumer market for their goods,companies such as Coca Cola,Pepsi,Proctor and Gamble,Nestle are building their brand names,it makes no economical sense to ship them all from USA.
BTW,the best selling car in China is not Honda or Toyota,it is BMW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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There is no 'Global savings glut',only wild horses and loose bankers.
