In our search for cheaper and cheaper products it was inevitable that the US would fall victim to foreign manufacturers who would attempt to cut corners to bring these products to market at price points one would find acceptable. Our mantra "Cheaper is better" might be coming back to haunt us as our offshore manufacturing partners search for ways to shave pennies from already staggeringly low prices. In lands where finished products often sell for less than we can procure the underlying commodities (the metals and paint etc.) much of this magic may soon be exposed for what it is - no more than cutting corners and outright cheating, sometimes to enhance profits, while sometimes just to stay in business.
But the blame should not be leveled squarely in the direction of Asia. All the parties must look past their profit motives and arrive at a solution that benefits everyone, from workers, to manufacturer, through wholesale and retail channels, and ultimately to the consumer. United States importers, wholesalers, retailers and consumers should take a long hard look up and down the supply chain and recognize that everyone must profit fairly so that a balance can be maintained that is sustainable over the long term. And this includes the factory worker who is very often subjected to overwork, is underpaid, is often exposed to toxins, and is forced to live in filthy conditions of poverty and squallor.
In the wake of recent recalls due to "lead-based" paints and serious design defects, David Chiu, chairman of the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprise Progress and Investment Association, urged international importers to cast Chinese producers a lifeline by not demanding the lowest price for their toys. The scandal involving lead-based paint used in the production of Mattel toys and the tragic death of Cheung Shu-hung, who hanged himself after the scandal broke, has brought focus on the issues of quality control and safety standards, and has cast a questioning spotlight on "Cheaper is better".
But recent events are yet another stark reminder that history repeats itself, as those who remember the Japanese production boom after shock waves from the second world war had subsided can attest to. In the 1950s and 1960s the Japanese were well known for pumping out extraordinary numbers of cheap products, and "made in Japan" was equated with "inferior quality" and sometimes even with "hazardous to your health". As the Japanese economic situation expanded and standards of living got better, so did manufacturing quality. Today the Japanese manufacture some of the worlds finest quality goods, albeit with a higher price tag. Perhaps this should remind us all that ultimately "You get what you pay for".
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