'Shark Tank' Inventor Loses Big to 'Buy American' Fallacy

[jmdrake]

No straw man here. If you had addressed the rest of my post...

Ipod/ipad.. They charged a premium even when its parts and assembly is all made overseas. Imagine it was assembled here. Imagine its parts where made here....

There wasn't anything in the rest of the post worth addressing. It's just more straw man crap. Nobody said that every component of every product needed to be made in America. In fact I didn't even say Apple shouldn't be allowed to make iPods in China. That said, it's beyond stupid to claim, as some have in this thread, that Apple wouldn't be able to sell iPods if they weren't 100% made in China because someone else would "sell something cheaper and put them out of business" when there are already cheaper alternatives to Apple products and Apple is making record profits.

[weilian]

There wasn't anything in the rest of the post worth addressing. It's just more straw man crap. Nobody said that every component of every product needed to be made in America. In fact I didn't even say Apple shouldn't be allowed to make iPods in China. That said, it's beyond stupid to claim, as some have in this thread, that Apple wouldn't be able to sell iPods if they weren't 100% made in China because someone else would "sell something cheaper and put them out of business" when there are already cheaper alternatives to Apple products and Apple is making record profits.

I dont know why you keep comparing a chinese made and assembled product (ipod, designed in america) with other chinese made and assembled products (may or may not be designed in america)

[idiom]

Its not very libertarian to support subsidising environmental damage, which is what China does but not enforcing property laws, or to support slave labour conditions.

Its not like the outsourcing is going to countries with strong private property laws. The outsourcing is going to countries that support low production costs through tyranny.

[jmdrake]

I dont know why you keep comparing a chinese made and assembled product (ipod) with other chinese made and assembled products.

Because the specific point I was making was a refutation of the claims being made that if someone could made a similar product to yours cheaper you would automagically go out of business. As for U.S. products, I've already mentioned some earlier in the thread. But again that has nothing to do with the specific point I was making. Understand now?

[dannno]

Regardless of all of that, your claim that consumer purchases are made solely on the basis of cost is provably wrong.

I never made that claim. However, when they can manufacture one of these truck frames at well under $100 while this guy is manufacturing his in the US for $220, what happens when they sell the Chinese versions for $199.99 and they are just about as good as the ones being made here? He can't even get his cost down to the price of the Chinese made versions..

And don't give me that "They can lower the price in American through mechanization" crap, because the same mechanization you can do in America you can do in China.

Yes but if you can do it here it is cheaper because you don't have to ship.

Yep. Free markets are great. And in our current less than free market the inventor in the OP should be applauded to sticking to his guns the same way Ron Paul is applauded for sticking to his.

You could look at it like that.. But would you prefer this guy who has a penchant for manufacturing in the US be the successful entrepreneur who brought this product to market through outsourcing, or would you rather a company that has a penchant for manufacturing overseas bring this product to market and be successful?

[John F Kennedy III]

I am a Business Analyst for a company who actively pursues manufacturing products in China and Taiwan, our profit margin is nearly double for items manufactured overseas. If we didn't do it, our competitor would be in business and we would not. It is not our decision to manufacture overseas.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Oreck


Toyota has assembly plants in the US, too, but the components aren't built here.

I think you may be trying to apply your situation to the whole damn thing. If so, not everything fits in a neat little box.

I'm not claiming to know anything, just a thought.

I love TOYOTA, btw.

[idiom]

I never made that claim. However, when they can manufacture one of these truck frames at well under $100 while this guy is manufacturing his in the US for $220, what happens when they sell the Chinese versions for $199.99 and they are just about as good as the ones being made here? He can't even get his cost down to the price of the Chinese made versions.

What if a huge chunk of their low cost of manufacturing is because they don't have to clean up after themselves, and can't be sued for wrongful death or injury?

[tod evans]

I'm in the make it here camp, I'll go out of my way and pay a premium to support businesses that I agree with.

Every chance I get to put foreign made goods back on the shelf and pick up something made at home I will even if it costs more.

Heck I won't buy Toyota or Datsun even though they're made here...

[weilian]

I'm in the make it here camp, I'll go out of my way and pay a premium to support businesses that I agree with.

Every chance I get to put foreign made goods back on the shelf and pick up something made at home I will even if it costs more.

Heck I won't buy Toyota or Datsun even though they're made here...

allen edmonds or aldens? brooks brothers or oxxford?

[tod evans]

allen edmonds or aldens? brooks brothers or oxxford?

Absolutely no idea of what you speak?