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Post by Night Owl on Aug 31, 2018 23:38:38 GMT
This will be controversial because I already saw some comments posting no, but thought I would share this post about the petition and see what you guys think:
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Post by wendifful on Aug 31, 2018 23:51:29 GMT
I got the email from JoAnn a couple of days and was going to post about it but then I saw that there was a ton of controversy on their Facebook page so I took the coward's way out and didn't post! (They started this campaign.) I'm glad you did though. I am not an expert on trade so there are probably nuances that escape me about this. I know a lot of people have commented that we need to make more stuff in America and not China. However, I will say, as someone who worked at a large craft chain for 14 years, that although people may say online that they're willing to pay more for things made in America, that's either a small percentage of people or just something people say and don't do. Complaints about prices were the biggest complaints we got. People expected to double and triple stack coupons or would request up to six different transactions so they could use the same 40% coupon on several different items, even items that were only $2 or $3. I remember when it was a big deal to get a 50% off coupon; now, it doesn't seem like it's a big deal unless it's 60% off. I love a good deal as much as the next person so I'm not innocent in all this either but I do think that if companies start manufacturing in the US and raise prices, they will have angry customers. I'm interested to hear what everyone else's thoughts are.
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Post by stinkerbelle on Sept 1, 2018 0:32:52 GMT
i really have no comment other than i want to sort of reiterate what wendifful said about the pricing; i work in retail. where i work we have a plethora of made in china stuff. right next to some of it is made in the USA stuff. the prices are at least double and even triple. i don't see any real difference in quality. if the made in the USA item is the only one left, people will bitch because it's too expensive. the china items sell out and the USA stuff sits there. this is just my experience!
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joyfulnana
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,992
May 28, 2017 23:43:26 GMT
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Post by joyfulnana on Sept 1, 2018 2:32:01 GMT
While I work for a company that produces products in the USA - we don't outsource any part of it, I will say our product is probably almost twice the price of similar things manufactured in China. It's a catch 22 - if you don't make a living wage, living in the USA, it makes it hard to justify paying more for goods manufactured in the United States.
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basketdiva
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,649
Jun 26, 2014 11:45:09 GMT
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Post by basketdiva on Sept 1, 2018 13:54:07 GMT
Am I understanding this correctly- they are using the "Made in America" slogan to describe any craft projects we individuals make at home?
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Post by Night Owl on Sept 1, 2018 19:19:42 GMT
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Post by Linda on Sept 1, 2018 19:57:09 GMT
I think pricing WILL be a factor for many consumers.
I know that Girl Scouts has been switching their badges from made in China to made in the US - prices have gone up and quality has gone down (and complaints are up - about cost AND quality).
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Post by wendifful on Sept 1, 2018 20:46:36 GMT
Any chance you can copy and paste the text? It looks likes it's behind a subscription wall and I'm interested in reading it. Thanks!
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Post by Night Owl on Sept 2, 2018 0:07:29 GMT
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Post by wendifful on Sept 2, 2018 1:00:36 GMT
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Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 2, 2018 4:05:42 GMT
While I work for a company that produces products in the USA - we don't outsource any part of it, I will say our product is probably almost twice the price of similar things manufactured in China. It's a catch 22 - if you don't make a living wage, living in the USA, it makes it hard to justify paying more for goods manufactured in the United States. I agree with you completely. It extends to way more than just craft supplies but there is also a DIY correlation. When I can shop the clearance racks at Target or Kohl’s and buy a shirt for my DD for less than half the cost of a single spool of thread, there is no incentive for me to make things myself. Even when the supplies are also made in China, it costs more to buy the components and make it myself than to just buy the thing readymade. My mom made almost all of our clothes when we were kids, but back then almost all of the clothing sold in stores was made here in U.S. factories and it was more expensive by comparison than the supplies she could buy to sew something similar herself.
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Post by walkerdill on Sept 2, 2018 18:20:26 GMT
This will soon be affecting the flooring industry. Most luxury vinyl plank & other types of flooring comes from China. We are being warned that pricing is going to go up by 25-30%. It definitely won't just be the scrapbook industry that's affected. Probably most industries.
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Post by joblackford on Sept 3, 2018 0:39:22 GMT
Eek, this is a thorny one. Thanks for sharing the info.
I just happened to be looking at some ethical, Canadian made clothing and although I really want people to earn a living wage and to use good materials the prices are killer! $132 for a pair of elastic waist shorts, $180 for a pair of crop pants, $128 for a tank top. OUCH! (You get $44 if you bundle all 3 together, but it's still almost $400!!) Off the rack sizes at those prices? Maybe if the pants were custom fit to my body and perfect in every way, but if these shorts fit just as badly as the ones I buy at Goodwill...? sigh...
I have enough trouble convincing people to buy a handmade card for $7 when they can buy a pack of cards printed in China for half the price. But if all the materials I buy to make my cards are 25% more expensive? Yeah, that's going to hurt. But I'm also very aware that American goods are far cheaper than what most people can get around the world. I remember how little I could afford to buy (of anything) when I lived in NZ, so I bought far less and had to be more creative and inventive. We're pretty spoiled here, and we have a lot.
A lot to think about...
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Post by anniefb on Sept 3, 2018 6:10:26 GMT
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Post by 50offscrapper on Sept 3, 2018 6:48:48 GMT
The problem is that tariffs are being instituted because Trump I don't believe understands trade imbalance. If you have more money to buy things with and other people have less, guess what, you will always have a trade imbalance. Maybe if someone explained to him that having a trade imbalance means you are richer. :-)
I believe in free fair trade. There is a lot we have to fix but in this trade war, the US stands to lose a lot. Other countries will step in the void and we will lose a lot. I think it will hurt our farmers quite a bit.
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Post by peachiceteas on Sept 3, 2018 6:49:59 GMT
I don’t know why China is seen as such a bad guy in the manufacturing industry. They do a lot of stuff I don’t agree with (they are definitely contributing to the decline of the world) but the prices mean it’s affordable for us to buy, and it keeps people in China in work and therefore able to support their families.
Yes by bringing more manufacturing to the US it would create more jobs for US citizens but nobody would be able to afford to buy the product!
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Post by crazy4scraps on Sept 3, 2018 14:04:22 GMT
I don’t know why China is seen as such a bad guy in the manufacturing industry. They do a lot of stuff I don’t agree with (they are definitely contributing to the decline of the world) but the prices mean it’s affordable for us to buy, and it keeps people in China in work and therefore able to support their families. Yes by bringing more manufacturing to the US it would create more jobs for US citizens but nobody would be able to afford to buy the product! Especially since most of the ‘new jobs’ I’m currently seeing are businesses looking for workers in lower paid retail and service industry type jobs. Any manufacturing expansion happening here is likely going to be due to automation, not additional hiring of actual people.
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