Affordable and flawless American products

[jameen]

What should the US do in order to mass produce cheap but flawless products?

If China can produce cheap but mostly defective products, Why can't the US do the same but the difference is it is still high quality?

In my country, American made products are costly while Chinese products are really affordable but mostly defective.

 

[Ugly]

Because it costs Money to make better quality products. The more you spend making the less profit you make, since people will buy it either way.
China is infamous for its sweat shops, also. Likely a big part of it.

 

[loyaldisciple]

Because it costs Money to make better quality products. The more you spend making the less profit you make, since people will buy it either way.
China is infamous for its sweat shops, also. Likely a big part of it.

That's right, naturally it costs more to make quality products. The reason companies often make less profit on quality products is due to the lack of knowledge of consumers. Consumers are mostly looking for "cheap", but cheap isn't always the best in the long run. In fact, cheap often becomes more expensive in the long run.

Example: Cheap weedeater say $50 and lasts maybe 2 years before it's trash and not worth fixing. In 20 years you would need to buy 10 of these at a total cost of $500.
Where if you would have spent $200-$300 on a quality weedeater in the beginning there is a good chance you would have gotten the same 20 years of usage or more from that product at a lower total cost.
So, those who thought "cheap" paid $500 in 10 years and those who thought quality paid maybe $300 in the same 10 years. Therefore "cheap" was not so cheap after all.
If consumers were knowledgeable the quality products would sell much better and companies would be enticed to make better products. However, since most consumers are not very knowledgeable and usually looking for "cheap", Ugly is right that cheap sells much better so that is what the consumer is normally offered in the big department stores. Most consumers don't understand that spending more in the short term and getting a quality product will usually save you money in the long term.

 

[zeroturbulence]

The days of china making cheap defective products are pretty much over. China knows they are competing on a global scale so they have their factories churning out quality comparable to any other country's products. If you own an iphone or ipad there's a good chance it was made at the Apple factory in China. The big savings now comes mainly from cheap labor, not from inferior materials..

[video=youtube;TmLsV9cSk0o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmLsV9cSk0o[/video]

 

[hornetguy]

I'm sure there are many US companies that manufacture items here, and in China. Buck Knives is one of them. They have some of their "lower end" knives made in China, but they also have comparable models of knives that are labeled "Made in the USA". The US knives are slightly higher in price, and (IMO) better quality.
Notice the American flag in the upper right corner of the package... this one is made in the US.

 

[Desdichado]

The robots are coming. The robots are coming.

 

[PennEd]

The robots are coming. The robots are coming.

Yes. I don't think it's the Chinese or illegals we'll have to worry about. Robots consume almost nothing, whereas the former 2 do.

I don't think we're ready for the disruption.

 

[Depleted]

What should the US do in order to mass produce cheap but flawless products?

If China can produce cheap but mostly defective products, Why can't the US do the same but the difference is it is still high quality?

In my country, American made products are costly while Chinese products are really affordable but mostly defective.

In my country too.

The real questions are usually, how much do you want the product? And how long do you want it to last? I'll buy a cheap dress, because I don't wear dresses but once every three decades, so I can go cheap. (Still have the gown I bought for Dad's wedding. Almost made the mistake of offering it to my sister for some wedding she was going to, until I remembered she was born a year after Dad was married the second time. lol) T shirts! I wear T shirts, so I want them to last. That's how I figure out what quality I want out of a product.

Technology. Mixed bag in America. We're supposed to be in the Age of Technology. We are the ones who created things like home computers, smart phones, streaming, and HDTV, however, imagine the standards we have for those things working the same way as the car. "Only expect it to work for 10 hours, and when it stops working, get out of your car, unplug and replug it. Then it will work again. Also, upgrade after two years, because we won't be servicing your old car after five years. Not our responsibility." Who is buying that car? And yet we're buying that for our devices.

We're very good at making things. We're good at making things, because we're hardwired to make the best products we can. But we've really lowered the bar on "best products" by accepting less-than-best technically speaking, and it still sells like hotcakes! And, somehow, people have come to expect to be the guinea pigs for new technology -- and pay for the privilege.

Our President might be solving the Chinese problem. If they don't lower their tariffs, we're not buying... or selling, to them.

 

[Depleted]

That's right, naturally it costs more to make quality products. The reason companies often make less profit on quality products is due to the lack of knowledge of consumers. Consumers are mostly looking for "cheap", but cheap isn't always the best in the long run. In fact, cheap often becomes more expensive in the long run.

Example: Cheap weedeater say $50 and lasts maybe 2 years before it's trash and not worth fixing. In 20 years you would need to buy 10 of these at a total cost of $500.
Where if you would have spent $200-$300 on a quality weedeater in the beginning there is a good chance you would have gotten the same 20 years of usage or more from that product at a lower total cost.
So, those who thought "cheap" paid $500 in 10 years and those who thought quality paid maybe $300 in the same 10 years. Therefore "cheap" was not so cheap after all.
If consumers were knowledgeable the quality products would sell much better and companies would be enticed to make better products. However, since most consumers are not very knowledgeable and usually looking for "cheap", Ugly is right that cheap sells much better so that is what the consumer is normally offered in the big department stores. Most consumers don't understand that spending more in the short term and getting a quality product will usually save you money in the long term.

Companies aren't going for less profit when they sell higher quality. They just have less market on it, because less people are buying it. Considering the people can afford quality, therefore go for quality, why would companies get less of a profit? Less sales, sure, but not less profit.

 

[Billyd]

If you are a US citizen, and the product that you need is made in the USA, buy it. The best part of that transaction is the US jobs that your purchase supports.

If you are not a US citizen, buy the high quality products that we sell. We are grateful for the US jobs that you support.

 

[Depleted]

The days of china making cheap defective products are pretty much over. China knows they are competing on a global scale so they have their factories churning out quality comparable to any other country's products. If you own an iphone or ipad there's a good chance it was made at the Apple factory in China. The big savings now comes mainly from cheap labor, not from inferior materials..

[video=youtube;TmLsV9cSk0o]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmLsV9cSk0o[/video]

Labor is usually very low on the cost-of-operations index.

And if it's not cheap, then why are phones catching fire, air bags going off for no reason, and all-terrain four-wheelers becoming hazardous to the rider's life? (And this isn't even hitting how many buildings went up 20+ years ago with Chinese steel-beams that are frighteningly inferior.)

 

[loyaldisciple]

Companies aren't going for less profit when they sell higher quality. They just have less market on it, because less people are buying it. Considering the people can afford quality, therefore go for quality, why would companies get less of a profit? Less sales, sure, but not less profit.

Even at a higher profit per item, a massive reduction in sales equates to less end profit for quality goods. That is precisely why you see so much junk on the market. Wal-Mart has made a fortune from the philosophy of selling a lot of junk and so have many other companies, because the consumer has purposely been given a poor education.

 

[SpoonJuly]

People have a choice every time they buy--
Most choose cheap.
That is why Walmart is the world's largest retailer.
I only shop Walmart when I can not find it any where else and just have to have it.

 

[AdolfHipster]

The trick is learning when it's acceptable to go cheap and when it's important to go quality (more expensive). Food products, I go cheap (store brand). I couldn't tell the difference in taste. When it comes to medication, I go cheap (generic brand) because chemicals are chemicals... When it comes to electronics, I'll go for name brand. From my experience, going for unknown brands have burned me in the past, so I don't mind paying more for a reputable brand. When it comes to tools, I go with quality as well... similar reason as with electronics.

 

[loyaldisciple]

I also will buy cheap when it is something like an ornament or something that is just going to sit there and be looked at. I won't go cheap with food though because I usually can tell a difference there. Where I never go cheap is when buying anything that is going to get used a lot and I want it to last. Not only will I not go cheap on these products, but normally I will go closer to high end. Simply because when I buy something I expect for it to last a long time. For example I notice so many cars have cheap brakes these days and rotors are warping prematurely. I have my cars equipped with high quality slotted and drilled rotors and Okobono brake pads. A very noticeable difference over standard brakes. You do have to research a bit what you're buying though. Not always just because you spend more money are you necessarily getting a better product.

 

[zeroturbulence]

To answer the original question.... There are some great american companies still around that make some of the finest quality products in the world...

Boeing
3M
General Electric
Johnson & Johnson
Procter & Gamble
Cisco Systems
United Technologies
Large pharmaceutical companies (Pfizer, Merck, Novartis, etc...)

...and those are just off the top of my head.

 

[AdolfHipster]

Oh... whatever you do, don't go cheap on lasik eye surgery...

 

[jameen]

We're very good at making things. We're good at making things, because we're hardwired to make the best products we can. But we've really lowered the bar on "best products" by accepting less-than-best technically speaking, and it still sells like hotcakes! And, somehow, people have come to expect to be the guinea pigs for new technology -- and pay for the privilege.

Our President might be solving the Chinese problem. If they don't lower their tariffs, we're not buying... or selling, to them.

In my country, the cheapest Iphone can be bought within P22, 000 to P24, 000

but Chinese Huawei cheapest smartphone costs P15,000-P17,000.

If you want better quality than the cost itself, I prefer the Apple because the smartphone cannot be hacked and no need to install anti virus software.

I do hope that Apple can reduce the charging time of all its smartphone batteries up to 1 hour only.

Huawei smartphones have only a charging time of 30-45 minutes.

 

[jameen]

Example: Cheap weedeater say $50 and lasts maybe 2 years before it's trash and not worth fixing. In 20 years you would need to buy 10 of these at a total cost of $500.
Where if you would have spent $200-$300 on a quality weedeater in the beginning there is a good chance you would have gotten the same 20 years of usage or more from that product at a lower total cost.
So, those who thought "cheap" paid $500 in 10 years and those who thought quality paid maybe $300 in the same 10 years. Therefore "cheap" was not so cheap after all.
If consumers were knowledgeable the quality products would sell much better and companies would be enticed to make better products. However, since most consumers are not very knowledgeable and usually looking for "cheap", Ugly is right that cheap sells much better so that is what the consumer is normally offered in the big department stores. Most consumers don't understand that spending more in the short term and getting a quality product will usually save you money in the long term.

Based on your example, I can say that American manufacturers should make products that cost $80 that will last up to 3-4 years to target consumers from poor nations like mine.

In terms of quality, American made products are still superior than of the Chinese but the Chinese are catching up too in terms of good quality.

 

[prove-all]

America is losing its innovation edge

March 29, 2018 Is the US military machine losing its innovation edge to China?
https://www.army-technology.com/features/us-military-machine-losing-innovation-edge-china/

America has far outstripped its rivals when it comes to defence innovation, but there are
signs that this seems to be slowing and could possibly be in danger of stalling altogether,
a situation that could open the door to China.

Innovation has been central to the US war machine since the end of WWII, and, by implication, to the success of the rules-based system that has governed international relations over the same period too. American advances in nuclear weapons technology in the 1950s made possible the ‘first offset strategy’ nullifying the Soviet superiority in conventional numbers, and when Moscow narrowed the gap, heavy ‘second offset’ investment in emerging stealth and smart weapons technologies ensured the US lead remained through the 80s and 90s.

But what of the decades since?

US Secretary of Defense James Mattis, warned in his speech at John Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies on 19th January, “our competitive edge has eroded in every domain of warfare, air, land, sea, space and cyberspace, and it is continuing to erode.” There is a growing consensus that the once-unassailable US technological advantage is fast fading, and might even soon be ceded to one of its rivals, probably China, in the course of renewed competition between ‘Great Powers’, the like of which the world has not seen for over half a century.