Are you more likely to buy something made in your own country?
By maezee
@maezee (41988)
United States
September 26, 2009 12:10am CST
I ask this because the United States relies mainly on imported fabrics and most ouf our products are made and assembled outside of the US. Some companies, like "American Apparel" boast of the fact that they're "made in the USA", and use that as a sales angle. ..And the interesting part? People actually seem to fall for it.
The only up-side I can see from buying something "Made in the USA" (made in the country I'm from and live in) is that it's quite possibly slightly supporting our own workers and economy, rather than ones from outside of the country. But I rarely buy clothes that haven't been made in other countries; usually it's an issue having to do with price (imported clothes are definitely much cheaper than american-made ones from my experience!).
Are you more likely to buy something that's made in your country?
Which country do you live in, and is it like the U.S. - where the majority of your products come from other countries?
I'm interested in hearing about what you guys think.
11 people like this
48 responses
@lifeplayer (1007)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
I always traveling around the world due to working need. And i found something funny, you hardly found that the product made in "local" or the price is more expensive. You can found many product selling at country A is "made in country B", product selling at country B is "made by country C" and product selling at country C is "made in country A". The only common is most of the product is "made in China". China is the biggest manufacturing country nowadays, and it is hard to challenge them in term of the product cost. The labour cost in china is about USD50~USD150 per month, definately much cheaper than local product.
Anyway, i normally will first go to the brand, branded company will always control their product quality no matter where the product being made.
1 person likes this
@lifeplayer (1007)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
They can provide the cheaper product. Most the country are building factory at China, that's the reason
@LittleMrsSunshine (201)
•
26 Sep 09
I'm from the UK and most of our consumer products are also from abroad, but I like to buy as much food etc that is produced locally. One reason i live in Yorkshire where we have a rich tradition of good food and agriculture and it is important to support the local economy and culture but also, less ccarbon emissions.
Clothes on the other hand, you can't really get made in England anymire, China and India have it all sewn up!! My mum went to India last year and bought me a lovely scarf, but my friend bought the same scarf in the local market!! Insane!
@LittleMrsSunshine (201)
•
26 Sep 09
As the lady above I also try and get fair trade goods as well, i feel it is important to be ethical in your consumerism, using our money to help out.
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
26 Sep 09
Maezee-
Good to see you around! I've missed you because of hectic schedule. Well, I buy most of my clothing in America made by fellow Americans. Mainly because I buy period peices so I buy from local vendors who sew. I also sew quite a few things myself. Now, I did purchase my Salwars and Saree from India but I went with a company that practiced fair trade. If I buy items from India I make sure the companies selling those products participate in the fair trade.
Namaste-Anora
1 person likes this
@Anora_Eldorath (6028)
• United States
1 Oct 09
Maezee-
Most will have a fair trade symbol on them, or you can double check on lists online. Now, I do still buy stuff from China lol. Most of my Halloween decorations were made in China. I love the season too much not to buy. But, if they had local made stuff like lights, etc I'd buy them.
@ddhawkins63 (682)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I attempt to buy American but it's really difficult to find those products. I don't always have time to figure out where something was made. American made cars aren't 100% American either. Some of the parts are shipped in from other countries. The thing is, I prefer to try and keep American people working. Especially since the recent money crunch came down on our heads. There aren't that many American companies that rely solely on American workers. It's a real shame that you can't count on what you are buying to be totally made in the place that it says it is made.
1 person likes this
@malpoa (1214)
• India
26 Sep 09
I buy mainly products which are made in my homecountry except for electronic items which are better made in countries specialised in those things like camera from sony, phone from nokia tv from lg and stuff like that...I prefer not to shop at supermarkets which are a part of chain some internaional brand, coz i like to contributte to the growth of my country through the shops opened by locals...
1 person likes this
@malpoa (1214)
• India
29 Sep 09
No no local things are always cheaper than imported stuff...Also you neednt pay tax for the local stuff and u get fresh items..If you are speaking about organic products, they are definitely expensive...Some things like vaseline, I prefer to buy from duty free shops were they sell foreign products because there will be heaven and earth diffrence in the same product but manufactured in two diffrent countries...
@melody_nn (33)
• China
27 Sep 09
Well, I am a Chinese. And in my country, things is different. Things imported from other country usually more expensive than which are made domestic. So when it comes to fabrics and other small things, the commonalty are more likely to by things made in China. But when come to things like computer, automobile, people will think about other countrys.
1 person likes this
@highflyingxangel (9225)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I prefer buying American made products when I can because it is supporting American workers. It's ensuring that people here in our own country have a job and are getting paid and are supporting their families. I think it's quite ridicilous that companies export their products so often and then ship them back just so they can pay pennies to their workers and get crazy rich. It's not fair to let people here suffer and it's not fair to treat workers in other countries like slaves.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Sep 09
Yes, corporations are quite the devil's advocates. But it's a lose/win situation for those who are buying it. Of course, we want to do the right thing and buy locally -but a lot of us just can't afford it - so we have to feed the horrible machine at least for the time being.
@derek_a (10873)
•
27 Sep 09
I am in the UK, and when I buy something I like it to be of good quality and good price. It doesn't matter to me which country they come from. Most of my electrical goods in the house are Japanese, except for our washing-machine, which is German.
However, we have bought a lot of furniture that is made to order in the U.K. Again, I do not buy it because it is made in the U.K., I buy it because it is well-made and will last a long time.
The world is a very competitive place, and that I feel it good for the consumer. I think I like to think myself as a world citizen. Don't get me wrong, I love living in the U.K., I was born here, but I do like the feeling of how modern technology makes the world a smaller place and it gives it the potential to become a much friendlier place... 
- Derek
- Derek1 person likes this
@mzz663 (2772)
• United States
28 Sep 09
maezee, I remember when I was a kid, seemed like everything was made in the U.S.A. and now it's really hard to find anything made here in a retail store. I have found this website that might interest you, it was, some time ago, on one of my posts, an answer and link that someone had given me. Check it out!
link: http://www.madeinusa.org/
@ShirleyBillingsley (1544)
• United States
29 Sep 09
I bookmarked that site, so that i can go back to it later on, when i have more time.
@agrim94 (3805)
• India
26 Sep 09
himaezee,
When ever i buy a product i do try to see where it has been made and if i can find MADE IN INDIA, i usually buy that product if it is cheaper or comparable cost and quality of product is good. It doesnt matter to me which country the company belongs to so long it has made in India label. So i would buy a Samsung or Sony made in India rather than made in Korea or Japan. This is simply because it does create jobs in my country and keeps the kitchen fire of a worker burning. If more Indians did this which i am sure they do then we would be immune to recession and since the world recession didnt effect us much, we still clock 6.2% growth and not many jobs have been lost, i think people do check where the product is made.
1 person likes this
@andy77e (5156)
• United States
28 Sep 09
Of course not. I'm more likely to buy whatever is the best quality, for the least price. Or whatever is the best trade off between the two.
I'm in the USA. What really bothers me about this issue, and you are absolutely correct I might add, is that no one seems to understand *WHY* our products are more expensive without being any better.
Taxes on the workers that make those products are passed on to us. Taxes on the companies that produce those products are passed on to us. Taxes on the sales of those products are passed on to us. Minimum wages laws increase the labor cost of those products are passed on to us.
And that doesn't even include the EPA, OSHA, and other government agencies that make rules which drive up cost.
Yet the American people seem to like all these things, and then act shocked when American products get more and more expensive, and imports are cheaper and cheaper.
Here's my tip. Buy whatever you like for the cheapest price you can.
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Sep 09
That seems to be an interesting take on it. I didn't know about the taxes, but obviously with the living standards and minimum wage being higher in the U.S. than in the countries where most of our things are made from..Well, it makes sense. But it puts people in an ethical dillema.
@happy6162 (3001)
• United States
26 Sep 09
When I buy clothes I must omit I do not look to see where they are made. But I do buy the cheapest so I am sure that they are not made in my country. With the economy the way it is we have to save by buying cheaper. I am from the U.S.
1 person likes this
@olepmis (840)
• Philippines
27 Sep 09
Yes, I buy things made in my country most of the time. It is one way of supporting our country's economy by buying our own produce. Unfortunately many fall on imported products (from China) because it is cheaper than the locally produce products.
@UCantSeeMe (116)
• United States
26 Sep 09
I am mostly going to buy from anyone that can give me decent quality for the cheapest price reguardless of origin. Why is that you say, simple we as a nation made it an iportance to have a global economy, so if i keep all my money in one pocket everyone suffers. I am from the US of course land of the free and home of the Whopper.
1 person likes this
@maezee (41988)
• United States
29 Sep 09
"Land of the free, home of the Whopper" - that's quite funny. I think I'll use that one sometime. 
.
I'm all for spreading the money around (and leaving myself with $20 in my checking account until next payday). LOL. And I'm also all for deals. Of course the whole point of having imported clothes is the money savings for corporations AND us. A lot of the famous US brands are INCREDIBLY expensive. And who has $100 to put down on ONE shirt? When you can get 10 of them at Wal-Mart or wherever you shop.
.
I'm all for spreading the money around (and leaving myself with $20 in my checking account until next payday). LOL. And I'm also all for deals. Of course the whole point of having imported clothes is the money savings for corporations AND us. A lot of the famous US brands are INCREDIBLY expensive. And who has $100 to put down on ONE shirt? When you can get 10 of them at Wal-Mart or wherever you shop.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
27 Sep 09
I never see where the clothes I like are made.I just want to know if it is 100%cotton and if it is a good price.I know I am not politically correct or should I say patriotic but that's what I am concerned about.
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
30 Sep 09
Cotton is breathable.I can't wear anything that isn't breathable for long.
@ShirleyBillingsley (1544)
• United States
27 Sep 09
We have made an effort to try to buy "American Made" because it supports our country, the people that live here and work here, and it supports our city and state. If i can find local things that people make or grow, then i would much rather buy locally. I support the farmers by buying from the fruit and vegetable stands during the spring, summer, and fall of the year. Those months, i normally do not buy vegetables and fruits from the grocery store.
@ShirleyBillingsley (1544)
• United States
29 Sep 09
Yes, i have been to the Farmers Markets. If they have locally grown produce in their stands, rather than imported from another state, then i more than likely buy from them. The same applies at the store. If they have American Made products, i will more than likley do my shopping there, rather than somewhere else. By doing so, i get better quality, not only in my food, but in my choice of products as well.
@cwong77 (2010)
• Malaysia
27 Sep 09
hi maezee, in the country that we are living in, we buy most stuff made by the country even CARS!
We have other stuff that is from China, and also from other place but we normally had most made in our country. We have some hypermarket even have their own packaging, in order to have more competitive price.
@sunny68 (1327)
• India
26 Sep 09
hi! i am from India. and here the markets are very price sensitive. people go in for cheaper products than for brand or country of origin. in many categories people go in for local products as they are considered suitable for local conditions. also many local products are cheaper and of more or less same quality as that of foreign brands (especially clothes, footwear, appliances etc)
@zhangsong (29)
• China
28 Sep 09
I live in China and there are many things "Made in China". We often buy something made in my own country. I think we should support our own country's industry, and there are also many things whose quanlity are really good. Sometimes we also should buy some goods from other countries for the reasonable price or quanlity. But no matter which country's goods we buy, the benefit will gain to the bussinessman around the world, because it is economic global now.
@lifeplayer (1007)
• Malaysia
26 Sep 09
However, you can find alot of product "made in indonesia" from your neighbor country such as Singapore or Malaysia.
