American made goods will be high on the shopping list of many retailers attending next week’s High Point Market.
Merchants big and small see the marketing advantage of product patriotism. Rightly or wrongly, they sense simmering consumer angst against Chinese made goods.
Given the political and economic climate, the anti-Sino sentiment arises from enough disturbing news about tainted food stuffs, medicine and toys to spook consumers into distrusting temperament.
In some circles, influential retailers and compliant American-based manufacturers are studying ways to cast aspersions on Chinese made furniture. Their strategies include lobbying for higher quality standards as a de facto tariffs and laws mandating country of origin labeling.
Despite higher quality, more economically priced goods flowing from China, a consensus among some retailers and North American vendors is a fervent believe import costs will rise.
They are banking on currency changes, inevitable political turbulence, continued quality control issues and inherent problems with unwieldy supply chains: delays, erratic delivery and excessive time in mistake recovery.
The positive American product patriotism extends to goods from Canada and Mexico, as well as Central and South America.
No one expects retailers to say, “adios,” soon to all Chinese furniture, but vendors will be put on notice this Market that many more merchants will be singing, “Oh, beautiful for spacious styles and amber waves of names” from North America.
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