Americans today have become increasingly conscious of where their products are made, shifting their focus away from cheap products made overseas, and choosing to buy more products that are made here in the United States.
According to a recent report published by the Associated Press and GfK, 71% of Americans 18 years of age and older said they’d like to buy made-in-American U.S. as opposed to products made overseas. However, many respondents feet that made-in-America products are either too hard to find or too expensive. Only 9% said they buy made-in-America products if they cost more than their overseas-made counterpart.
A separate study conducted last year found that 78% of Americans would choose to buy an America-made product as opposed to a product that was imported from overseas.
So, the good news is that most Americans have at least the desire to buy made-in-America products. As the report suggests, more than two thirds of Americans would like to buy more made-in-America products. But the problem is that many made-in-America products cost more than similar products made overseas. It’s often cheaper for companies to outsource manufacturing to facilities overseas and ship those products back to the states, a process that’s known as “offshoring.”
To put the problem of offshoring into perspective, a nonprofit group called Reshoring Initiative found that offshoring resulted in a new loss of some 220,000 manufacturing jobs from 2000 to 2003. That’s a pretty substantial number of jobs, especially considering the nation’s relatively high unemployment rate.
To recap, more Americans are choosing to buy made-in-America products, largely because they know the importance and benefits that it has on the U.S. economy and job market. When you buy a made-in-America product, you are helping local communities and workers earn a living, which in turn boosts the economy. But the problem isn’t the desire to buy made-in-America products, it’s the increased cost. Not surprisingly, made-in-America products tend to cost more than those made overseas. Until the price drops to a level that’s comparable to products made overseas, a substantial number of Americans will likely continue to buy overseas products. Therefore, manufacturers need to cut costs to make their products more attractive and competitive.
What are your thoughts on made-in-America products? Would you be willing to pay more for a product that is made here in the states?