Made in USA
 

How big of a premium are you willing to pay for products "Made In USA?"

I try to buy Made In USA when it makes sense - and not necessarily economic sense. I will spend more on a locally made product out of loyalty to my fellow Americans. I do definitely try to buy items like auto parts that are Made In USA.

But.

I bought a pair of socks made in the USA. They are heavily advertised, supposed to be all that and a bag of chips AND Made In USA. I fell for the hype and the fact that they are Made In USA and ponied up $24 for ONE pair of socks. But they are no more comfortable nor do they seem more durable than the Made In Vietnam socks I got at Walmart - 6 pairs for $18.

I got a Made in Canada Henson razor (same as Made In USA to me) for $85. It is heavily advertised on Facebook and elsewhere, with all sorts of claims of vast superiority to other razors and Made in America, to justify the price. It's a nice razor, but there is a knock-off out there for half that. It is no doubt made overseas.

The list goes on - a belt, a pair of shoes, etc etc.

Why couldn't this sock company and Henson sell their products for something reasonably competitive?

My suspicion is that these companies make a product they know will eventually be knocked-off and try to make all their profit in the first year with heavy advertising and over-the-top claims of superiority, then drop the price or go out of business when the copies go on the market.

They are trying to profit of off our (or maybe just my) loyalty to American manufacturers. Playing us for suckers.

Thoughts?

The rules govering the "made in USA claim are a little confusing.

https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/complying-made-usa-standard

If the sock manufacturer buys the textile/wool/cotton overseas but makes the sock in the USA then they can make an unqualified claim Made in the USA (I think I have that correct). FTC says ALL or VIRTUALLY all of the product must be made in the USA.

To your point I too have purchased socks that are stupid money compared to Walmart. Never again.

I suspect your pricey socks come with a fantastic guarantee (not so fantastic if you use it). That and the ad budget. Otherwise they could sell them for less.

As one company executive explained to me, it's very difficult to compete at the bottom with 100's of the same thing. The strategy is pick a level you want and sell there whatever it takes. And someone has to sell the Rolls Royce.

I try to shop quality when it is necessary. like I wouldn't buy a USA made fishing reel EVER.

I bought a USA made knife recently and took it hard in the wallet. :). but it's seemingly oozing with quality.

I always buy the best I can afford. Made in the UK, Made in Australia, Made in America - These are the same for me.
(Cadillac are now sold in Australia!)

If they make a good product for reasonable money then I'm happy to pay it.

I heavily have bought made in America in my adult life as well as quality products from democratic countries that treat their workers decently.

I do my best to avoid dictatorships and communist made items- pretty tough when it comes to most electronic devices though.

Zero. It should be cheaper - less shipping.

Made in USA and objectively better quality otoh - significant.

depends, I guess. On the item, my use of it, etc. Also, is it totally made in the USA? Case knives, made in Bradford, PA., use USA steel, are assembled there. but much of the various scales (handle) materials used are imported. So, are they made in the USA?

On tools...I'm sure if given a choice, we'd all be snap-on...except for that nasty personal economics thing. But even there, I did my best to avoid China made while recognizing that a lot of good tools are made in Tiawan, which is NOT China. I'm also glad I was able to buy many Craftsman tools while they were still made in the USA.

I will try sometimes to buy things made in the USA. I get really tired of hearing about all the "tactical" grade stuff made for "patriots" that I hear on satellite radio all the time always with some tough serious sounding spokesman hawking the stuff.
... when things go sideways, you're gonna need this blazing laser beam flashlight!!! Made from military tactical grade cast iron, you can use it to subdue an unwanted intruder with a quick blow to the noggin and then it comes in handy as a hammer for building that bug-out shelter!!! Made by patriots for patriots!!!! Get yours now before it's too late!!! One flashlight per household but, wait, if you act now we will throw in an extra flashlight and a bundle of paracord for all your survival needs!!!!...

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Edit: full disclosure, I have absolutely nothing against true patriots at all and consider myself a patriot as well, I just get tired of the whole commercialism and exploitation of the word "patriot".

Labor costs vary wildly between the US and Far East manufacturing hubs...many smaller local companies just can't compete and have to charge more.

That's part of it. The ability to produce a huge quantity of goods cheaply, than sell to a worldwide market, has given rise to these 'fly-by-night' operations.

Same here...

I am very much a buy it for life sort of person. There are endless examples. And, I really prefer to by US made. My early career was in manufacturing. US, manufacturing. It made me proud to make stuff. I am a patriot.

However, our collective purchasing values have turned to disposable and cheap foreign made products. This is a problem we have 100% done to ourselves.

I see redneck's flying US flags on their import trucks. Idiots.

Rant over.

On the flip side, I have been spending time in Italy recently. Italians are poorer than Americans. They also adhere to much more of a buy it for life philosophy. And? Lots of stuff is still made in Italy.

I am outfitting an apartment and almost everything we bought outside of a refrigerator (probably Korean or German) and a TV (Korean) will be made in Italy. And while it does hurt to drop serious bucks on a handmade couch, I expect that I will never buy another one. And that perhaps my children will be sitting on that same couch in 25 years. Who knows? Buy once, cry once.

On our kitchen or any cabinetry, we have very small heat branding on the side of the drawers, made in Los Angeles, CA near the back. If you aren't paying any attention, it will be missed. I did it for fun or poking fun of imports. Some people have their wide eye open and made great comments most don't even noticed.

After reading these few posts, my price just went up another 20%:D

I buy quality but will not shy away from chinese produces unless its an electronic or mechanical parts for a car. I am not buying a cam for a small block chevy motor I saw at SEMA some years back. Not thanks.

My friends kid married a half Japanese guy and he slways buy Japan made product, down to the foods. I tend to agree with him, the quality is usually better. For example, we have a chain of similar to a $1 store that's Japanese. I think its more then a bucks now. Wife lives to go there for little stuff and so do all her friends. I don't get it until I walked in there. Their stuff is actually so much better in quality for a couple bucks then most similar stories. I don't go to dollar store because most do not work. I bought a bunch of bleach once to clean my in-law's place. My Pee is stronger and wasted a bunch of money. Drove to Target and bough Clorox and did the trick. so its more then twice as much as the dollar store but they work.

OK, just curious. I know as much about fishing reels as I know about speed boats, almost nothing.

Zebco invented the fishing reels, and for many years they were the go to brand. Made in Arkansas. Did that change? What is better about some other brand made in what country?

What makes the other brands better? I honestly have no idea.

Schiit Audio is US made. They are even doing their own board assembly now. They started in Santa Clarita CA, but are now in Texas, Corpus Christi and San Antonio.

Lots of knife manufacturing in Oregon. Benchmade and Leatherman are top of mind.

And how many knives can one person buy?

Clothing companies: we have Nike and Columbia. Both outsource manufacturing somewhere cheap.

I used to sell hundreds of semi-truck loads of parts to Freightliner. Pretty sure that has moved away.

This subject depresses me.

I was looking to replace a Husqvarna backpack blower a few years ago. I tried looking at Stihl. The guy wanted me to pay 3 times the price for a Stihl with the same specs because it was made in the USA and had a lifetime warranty. I advised him that I prefer USA made but not at his price and for what they charge, I could throw my Husqvarna out every 4 years and still come out ahead. Besides, a lifetime warranty at my age...

It's hard to buy American but I do as much as I can like the tire changer I got recently which was pretty expensive but built extremely well and works great and nice to be supporting a guy in Ohio.

I got my Henson razor for $69 way back in 2021 so $80 seems below inflation. I like it a lot. I suspect the knock-offs don't feel the same or have the same precision. I would rather spend twice the money (for such a small amount like $80) that supports entrepreneurs who took risks to create something new. They are worth twice my money than someone who copied it.


My Darn Tough socks are made in VT, I have 3 pair, lifetime guarantee that I had to use for one pair that developed holes on the top of the sock. Getting a replacement pair was (IIRC, a little painful...some communication got screwed up and I blamed on inept millenials) but all three pair have many years of constant use on them and they are worth the $24 each pair to me. Want to buy another pair that were stolen some time ago.

That said, I once bought an 8 pack of (I think) Chinese made low ankle socks that I paid very little for but would have paid 5X for. They are excellent and have worn extremely well. Just lucky on those, other socks I've paid good money for fell apart in a year.

I don't know how much I buy that I even have a choice in buying American but don't mind paying more (even a lot more) for supporting a company I like.

When it comes to auto parts, I just cringe and go to the dealer .
SO , reluctantly, I am paying the premium.
However, I know the do-it-again tax if bought from flaps.

The problem with americans is they charge as much as they can and foreigners charge as little as they can. Im all for keeping the money in the usa but always feel like im lining the pockets of already rich people vs foreigners getting a few pennies just trying to survive. I make things and sell them all over the world aswell. So I feel like im not contributing to the national debt by buying foreign stuff.

Dealer cost 5x flaps. Flaps cost 5x ebay/amazon. Just depends how soon you want to do it again. But you must also consider how quick and easy it is to get the part.