New poll says Americans prefer lower prices to items made in the USA

[OhioChick]

Source: AP

12:54 PM, Apr 14, 2016

WASHINGTON (AP) — The vast majority of Americans say they prefer lower prices instead of paying a premium for items labeled "Made in the U.S.A.," even if it means those cheaper items are made abroad, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll.

While presidential candidates like Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders are vowing to bring back millions of American jobs lost to China and other foreign competitors, public sentiment reflects core challenges confronting the U.S. economy. Incomes have barely improved, forcing many households to look for the most convenient bargains instead of goods made in America. Employers now seek workers with college degrees, leaving those with only a high school degree who once would have held assembly lines jobs in the lurch. And some Americans who work at companies with clients worldwide see themselves as part of a global market.

Nearly three in four say they would like to buy goods manufactured inside the United States, but those items are often too costly or difficult to find, according to the survey released Thursday. A mere 9 percent say they only buy American.

Asked about a real world example of choosing between $50 pants made in another country or an $85 pair made in the United States — one retailer sells two such pairs made with the same fabric and design — 67 percent say they'd buy the cheaper pair. Only 30 percent would pony up for the more expensive American-made one. People in higher earning households earning more than $100,000 a year are no less likely than lower-income Americans to say they'd go for the lower price.

Read more: http://www.newsnet5.com/news/national/new-poll-says-americans-prefer-lower-prices-to-items-made-in-the-usa

[My Good Babushka]

1. When half of the country is living on $500 a week or less

they don't really have much of a choice.

[Blue State Bandit]

2. So true it hurts.

[daleanime]

54. +1

[closeupready]

3. Retailers MAKE it difficult to know where goods are made.

Online, the best you'll see is "Imported." I say no thanks.

[msongs]

4. the gap between $50 pants and $85 pants is NOT a function of cost. It is a function of greed nt

[Brickbat]

5. Correct.

[MADem]

10. Well, it might well be a function of both.

The cost to pay the foreign worker IS less. No question there.

The reason the company (assuming it's an offshore one, and not one home-grown in the lower-cost nation) is sited abroad does have to do with maximizing profit, which might be construed as greed.

[RiverNoord]

33. I bought a $40 pair of Levis about a month ago, but...

I tried out 'All American Clothing' ordered 2 pairs of $50 a couple of weeks ago.

I'm 6' tall but have proportionally short legs, so it can be tough to find the right fit. They fit great.

http://www.allamericanclothing.com/

I'm not well-off by any means, but there's an awful lot of quality American-made product if you really look. Unfortunately, none of it goes into the computers that we're all using to discuss American made products - which is a bit ironic, I guess...

[Reter]

46. Way too much

Shop at Target, $20 max.

[Reter]

45. If your pants cost more than $20, then you paid too much

Just got new pants at Target for $18.99, and I don't care who makes them.

[daleanime]

55. It is a function of greed....

when you're looking in Salvo for 'new' pants.

[KansDem]

6. Several years ago I bought a can opener made abroad...

Looked similar to this--



Broke the very first time I used it.

I thought, "Yeah, I saved a few pennies, but the 'Made in the USA' can opener would still be working today!"

I've bought several items now, mostly appliances, made abroad that turned out to be pure crapola!

[closeupready]

18. Same here. Except

for my coffee grinder - made in Germany and lasted 25 years, daily use.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

27. Bet the workers who made the coffee grinder made more than the workers who made the can opener.

[closeupready]

44. Yes, no doubt.

[shanti]

35. braun?

i have a braun coffee grinder that's about that old too, bought from costco in 1992. still works great.

[closeupready]

42. YES! Isn't that remarkable? Corroboration that their products rock.

I bought it at Marshall Field's in the late 80's, lol. Was a shame to throw it out. I have a Melitta now.

[MisterP]

47. right--they focus on the sticker price and not the net

[Jnclr89]

50. yep... many simple tools like that are crapola!

The local Do It Best has a "bargain bin" next to the check aisle filled with that crap. Orange handle crap made in China. Makes me cringe every time I check out. It's crap, don't buy it!

[elljay]

7. It's hard to keep up with the neighbors

unless you can buy lots of cheap, new crap. I used to wonder why I seemed to be the only one around who didn't have the latest phone, Hummer, etc. and then I realized that I was the only one who had retirement savings and equity in their home. If I don't impress someone with my car or wardrobe, I don't care. I would rather buy a well-made, Union-made, American product that I can use for 5-10 years than the new model from China that needs to be replaced in 2.

[Person 2713]

20. Agree with all above ^^^

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

31. Try replaced in 6 months...

... when my coffee maker went out a few years ago, I mentioned it to a relative, she said she was at the store (wally world) and would get me one. Durabrand, lasted 6 months and then junk. I know Mr Coffee makes their machines in China, but they last for years with me, and I drink 3 pots of coffee a day.

[NobodyHere]

8. I'm filing this in the "no shit sherlock" drawer

[MADem]

9. This is the SAD TRUTH. People say "Buy American" but then when they find out that the

MADE IN AMERICA hoodie is ninety bucks, and the MADE IN VIETNAM one in nineteen bucks, and they

a) Look the same

b) Are the same quality

Well...there ya go. That's seventy one bucks that could go towards groceries, or something.

Maybe, just maybe, the thing to do is let countries that do certain things well just do them. And we just need to INNOVATE and do things that others can't do as well as we can.

[pbmus]

11. Great idea until my paycheck is 20% lower because someone else is

Doing the same job for a lot less ...

[MADem]

13. Thing is, though--and this is, again, the SAD TRUTH--that no one gives a shit until it happens to

affect them.

It's the GOP way. "You" are regarded as having bad luck, while "they" look down from on high and say "Oh well, too bad for YOU."

Protectionism doesn't work. It only stems the tide briefly, and creates opportunities for smugglers.

[pbmus]

19. How about more than one minimum wage ...

15 bucks for first time workers
20 bucks after 3 years
35 bucks for college graduate
45 for specialty i.e. Medical, dental, etc

CEOs paid based on percentage of growth of company with limits

ETC ...

[MADem]

22. I've seen variations on that proposed--e.g. the "kid's wage" vs. the adult's wage.

I think there might be problems with that, though--it could be viewed as discriminatory.

I know a few people who have never gone to college but are just "different" learners and are smart as hell, successful, too. They shouldn't be punished for not having a piece of paper.

[pbmus]

24. If you do not. Think that we are in a discriminatory slave based system

Race to. The bottom

Then please start thinking again ...

And the ones who have gamed the system should be. Rewarded with an. Honorary degree much like all the rest of. The 1%ers have done.....

[MADem]

26. Huh? nt

[Omaha Steve]

12. Comfortable footwear Made in the USA inexpensive recyclable (#3) when they wear out on sale

http://www.unionlabel.com/okabashi-usa.html

With a 2 year warranty. It took me 4 years to go through my first pair. I wear them almost every day except for snow or extreme cold.

My style.

[MADem]

15. Very cool.

Reminds me of Otafukus (LOL!-you can guess how we pronounced it) that were very popular in the Middle East. They make very similar styles--Japanese company. Now they make shoes w/magnets in them!

Nice company, that Okabashi--in business in USA since 84.

[LiberalElite]

30. Okabashi is great! nt

[vkkv]

14. And then they complain about China, low wages and cheaply-made goods while they vote

against their own best interest every election..

STOOOOPID AMERICANOS !!!!!!!!!!!

[saturnsring]

16. then people bitch cause they arent getting any real raises

they want everything cheap until it comes to wages

[Duckfan]

17. If you see something from the GAP and it say's Made In USA....

..Don't believe it.

GAP has a sweatshop in Saipan which is a U.S. TERRORITY!!!

If you don't know where Saipan is, it's a 30 minute flight from Guam on the other side of Hawaii.

[MADem]

25. The last of those Saipan garment manufacturers closed up shop in 2009 when the GATT expired.

http://www.gmanetwork.com/news/story/158764/news/death-of-saipan-s-garment-industry-shatters-pinoys-dreams

You do realize that the Marianas Islands produces a fair number of members of our Armed Forces....? They are Americans. The people who were making the garments were imported as low wage workers, but the only ones who remain are those who have children born on US soil who want to keep their children's citizenship in play.

[Jnclr89]

51. It's a bit more than 30 mins...more like 50.

Many Americans are there too.

[SoapBox]

21. But....prices keep going up anyway.

Nothing like the good old price gouging...sweat shop working conditions, get the dumb Americans to over pay and then do a "Panama Papers" with the money!

[Spitfire of ATJ]

23. Oh sure, squeeze them with low wages and they'll have no choice but to buy cheap.

[seabeckind]

28. I'd call bullshit on the "real world example"

The difference between the $50 pants and the $85 pants is ridiculous once you actually look at the real world difference in labor costs.

Just exactly how much labor is in a pair of pants? How many minutes?

You wanna bet that foreign factory has the latest and greatest robotic technology and it was subsidized by the foreign country?

And then add in the transportation cost.

And the hidden subsidy that WE are paying in the port handling and transportation here.

Gotta call bullshit.

[onehandle]

29. Close all the ports on the West Coast.

Tax heavily everything flown into the U.S. like my beloved Apple products.

See manufacturing return.

[ffr]

32. Not me. The price for stuff made in USA is what it is

My problem is that there isn't much of anything today that is still made here, but I will go out of my way to buy them and pay more.

The cool part is, for the tools made in the USA, like my tree branch lopping sheers, they just need sharpening occasionally. When trimming trees, I can literally use all my strength to cut the largest branches I can find. Same set from 25 years ago. The one's my neighbors have use those cheap wooden slip-on handles. The best those things are good for are trimming tulips.

[Pakid]

48. That makes two of us

I go out of my way to buy US made tools. Even if I have to buy used on Ebay which if you play your card right is a great place to find real tools the kind your Father and Grandfather used.

[ffr]

68. Good idea!

I hadn't thought of that!

[OkSustainAg]

34. I buy tools

that last. I want to buy things that will work for a longer period of time.

[shanti]

36. back in the day, 60-70s

the only place you could buy imports was at an imports store. i looooved those stores then, but haven't seen a one in many years. i wonder why...

[EndElectoral]

37. Why didn't the poll also ask if it meant more Americans would be employed as a result?

And that there'd be better controls over worker and environmental absues.

The money factor is only one component of a complex issue.

[seabeckind]

38. Dishonest poll.

Doing a little digging, it would appear that this is a push poll and that the individuals selected for the poll tend to lean toward a corporate viewpoint.

GfK is a marketing/consultant firm for corporations selling products and themselves.

This paragraph was the first thing that gave me pause:

Still, voters are divided as to whether free trade agreements hurt job creation and incomes.

Americans are slightly more likely to say free trade agreements are positive for the economy overall than negative, 33 percent to 27 percent. But 37 percent say the deals make no difference. Republicans (35 percent) are more likely than Democrats (22 percent) to say free trade agreements are bad for the economy

At this point in time I believe there are few Americans who think free trade is good for our economy. That is unless you are someone who profits more....

ie, a corporation that has outsourced.

Definitely bullshit.

http://www.gfk.com/about-gfk/about-gfk/

[cheapdate]

39. I'll pay more for American made.

Both in the things I purchase for my work, and the things I purchase for my home.

I'll pay more to buy from local owned business.

I'm not rich. It's just a principle for me.

[warrprayer]

40. you want real American made quality

Ebay and flea markets, full of stuff so well made it is as functional now as it was four or more decades ago, and of vastly higher quality than Walmart crap.

Only thing is Americans aren't making a living from it anymore. The 1% gets it all now.

[IkeRepublican]

43. Ugh...if only it could be fit...

...with a reasonable four-terminal Stanton or Ortofon cart and stylus. I suppose it would be possible with a good metal-maker with some engineering experience to copycat a Dual or Thorens type manual-balance tonearm, cart and stylus.

Other than that, those old units - most of them - carried turntables that contained ceramic stylus' where it would "push apart" the grooves to artificially maximize the audio signal. Eventually, after a while using the same albums on the same player, the vocal portion heavily distorts and the remainder becomes muddy sounding.

But, I do dig those old all-in-one units that contained the turntable, radio and 8-track. Especially those 1968-and-later RCA's that also contained their XL-100 TV package. Couldn't kill those things if vacked-out inside every couple years.

[warrprayer]

64. i once owned

this Magnavox console, am/fm with air suspension turntable. You gave it a tiny push while it was turned off (not in gear) and it would spin for half a minute, so little friction.

_srz_309_232_85_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srz

Tube amp, featherweight tone arm, it sounded just gorgeous.

[warrprayer]

65. check out the prices

the old Magnavox stuff is commanding, even today!


http://m.ebay.com/sch/i.html?isRefine=true&_sacat=0&_sop=16&_nkw=magnavox+vintage&_frs=1&_mwBanner=1

[warrprayer]

66. and I'm pretty sure

the cartridge on the Mag was diamond.
The one I saw on ebay was close to $500,, but some of them are in the thousands..

Pure American made quality.

[olddad56]

41. was that a poll of Americans, or a poll of people living in America? big difference these days.

[greymouse]

49. I hear often from people

that they would pay more for quality, when the alternative is crap that breaks early. Apparently those people were not polled.

No question, made in the USA stuff is better quality, imho.

[Jnclr89]

52. American made is the way to go, especially

When it comes to tools and equipment. People here might get a rize with big American corporations, but I stay with Craftsman and John Deere. They don't let down.

[CentralCoaster]

53. Only people who haven't learned about life, and who just want more "stuff".

We don't teach sustainability, we don't teach people to be discerning buyers.

We don't teach that it's better to buy good quality than to have to replace things.

We don't teach about the working conditions overseas, or how bad for the environment it is to import crap.

We DO teach young people that they aren't good enough unless they buy this, or that.

And even after that we teach them that they must have more, that having stuff = success.

I share this video with young people, it's good to watch, I hope you share it:

[inanna]

58. Great post, great vid.

Thank you.

[northernsouthern]

56. I agree with the masses here.

This is a stupid biased poll. It may be the same fabric and design, but one is stained with the ashes of dead workers from a sweatshop that does not care about its works...FU to whom ever in Bangladesh was supposed to check these factories for safety! I am pretty sure every study shows places move production overseas, but keep many prices high to gain profit since they found they can sell the item for that price. It really only matters in items with competition that are not name brands where they reduce the cost to the consumer.

[Califonz]

57. Oh, it starts with sweatshop labor in a foreign factory...

Oldie but goodie from JibJab!

[JDPriestly]

59. They asked the wrong question.

They should have asked "What do you like more, a job that pays well or cheaper stuff?"

They just asked the wrong question.

[EdwardBernays]

60. Duh

Our entire society has been mutated from a democracy with a manufacturing base, to a consumerist society with democratic trappings.

The main driving force of moat people's wages is consumption and without it we would collapse quickly.

Shifting from manufacturering to lower paid service industry jobs means, while still basing the economy on almost purely consumption means that the cost of goods has to be brought down to sustain economic growth.

And economic growth is what we've chosen to benchmark out economies success to.

People want to do the right thing but how can they - the entire US economy is working against them.

[crim son]

61. I saw that when I worked for a clothing company.

We received thousands of calls complaining that not all of our merchandise was made in the U.S. but when we decided to introduce a few choice items that were made right here and cost about 40% more, nobody bought 'em. What was interesting is that the complaint calls could be really nasty but evidently the level of nastiness had nothing to do with any actual convictions held by the caller.

[Jimbo S]

62. Sometimes we're our own worst enemy

We have the power to hold the 1% accountable for their actions, but many are low-information and/or just don't care.

[Bradical79]

63. Sometimes that's kind of a false choice

I know with some of the goods I sell, U.S. made products that are then replaced with Chinese products don't change price all that much. Sometimes it's just a difference in the profit margin.

[Fast Walker 52]

67. The sad truth...

Money is always the bottom line in our system.

[Democat]

69. Even in this thread, people justify buying foreign stuff if it's cheaper

If pro-union DUers won't support American workers, no one else is going to either.

[Oneironaut]

70. It's impossible to be loyal when you're starving.

History teaches us this as a lesson. I don't care how patriotic a populace supposedly is - one-sided loyalty is impossible. This country doesn't give a shit about them - why would they care about this country? They're just returning the favor.