>laughing< Oh no, I'm not going to moderate this thread! Everyone is welcome to put in their .02 worth and threads sometime take off in a different direction than the original poster intended. That's the nature of internet forums. The key to exploring topics is keeping a civil tone with one another, and the only time I will ever step in and shut down a thread is if it gets too personal (name-calling and the like). As long as that is maintained, then have fun....and discuss. There is always something to be learned from reading another viewpoint, even if its only bits and pieces of that opinion.

Aaron asks if there is a trade association, yes there is, and its called NHFA (National Home Furnishings Association) and I have been a member of it on and off for many years. Mostly all they do is offer a reduced credit card processing fee and their lobbyist arm fights against a national sales tax and that's about it. They're not going to push for tariffs or against Chinese furniture because most their members either partner with the Chinese production facilities or sell it in their stores. I'm way at the end of the bell curve with my USA-only approach and no doubt I miss a lot of sales in the less expensive category for my stubbornness to not have those products in my store. But I do so for a number of reasons:

1) Political: I don't believe the Chinese are our allies and supporting their economy makes them stronger. This may not affect my generation, but I bet it will my children's and in a negative manner.

2) Quality: It's not in the product. Plain and simple. Short usable life spans.

3) Serviceability: Try to get parts for something 100 % made in China in the furniture industry. You can't.

4) Customer Satisfaction: If I sell you junk, how likely are you to return? I keep most my customers a long time and it makes for a good, relaxed working environment when everyone is happy. There are stores that could care less if you return or not*, if they are able to get one high gross sale from a customer, that's all they care about and then they're find a new customer for the next one. Most that Chinese furniture is ridiculously cheap for the store to purchase, and they can put high mark-ups on it. American made pieces don't carry same percentage markup (lower margin sale) because as Jack says 'The customer will determine a widget is worth only so much'. That's true. So by selling better made product, the dealer has to make less profit, but you wind up with happier customers!

5) American Jobs: It absolutely makes a difference to our national welfare and economy. We make the best furniture in the world in this country. If it was junk it would be a different story, but its not. If we don't have Americans working, then how can they buy that house that's up for sale, or that new car? Its in all our best interests to keep the money at home and consumers are the ones that will make that decision. Business follows the demands of its customers.

I remember back in the early 90's when the Hooker Furniture Reps were in the store and so proud of the fact they were shutting down all USA production facilities and going to be the first USA furniture company to be 100% off-shore (Read: China) production. All they wanted to do was show me how much profit I could make if I carried their line. I could make 30% more on the widgets because the wholesale cost was so cheap. But unlike most furniture store owners who never leave their offices, I've made hundreds of trips to small furniture operations and know how hard these people work, and how much pride they have in what they make. Though I've never been to China, I seriously doubt that same work ethic is in place. I decided a long time ago I'd close the store and find another business to get into rather than be an outlet store for the Chinese, or the short-sighted, profit-oriented businesses that move their production out of country. So far, my business model continues to work for me. I'm still here, have weathered the Recession, and customers are finally figuring out that over the long run it cost them less to pay a little more on the front end by buying American made products.

At the end of the day, like in most things, you generally get what you pay for.

____________________

* A true anecdote:

Reny Barnes used to own a chain of stores in the Wash DC area, 5 retail outlets and a warehouse facility. The store name was C.L. Barnes (his father started it). They sold low to middle end goods and their flagship store was 2 miles from my store. One day he comes into my store and looks around for twenty minutes, introduces himself and give me his unsolicited opinion on my operation. "You have a nice store but your business model is all wrong" he says.

Bristling, I ask "How so?"

Reny continues with: "You have really nice product that you sell too cheaply. You're leaving money on the table with your pricing."

I reply; "I make enough to stay in business and pay my house mortgage, and save for the kid's college. Why raise my prices and take a chance on cutting my volume?"

Reny says: "What you need to do is bring in cheaper product and begin substituting it for your good lines, and keep the prices the same. You'll make more money that way."

Puzzled, I ask him: "If you do that, you run the risk of losing your reputation and losing customer loyalty, and if you charge a lot of money for poor furniture, the complaints will increase dramatically as well."

He told me: "Customer loyalty is not important. We have our businesses in Washington DC, its a highly transient region. All you have to do is get them once, and then move on to the next one. There's always a new customer base arriving."

Finally I get his drift: "I'm not interested in money at the expense of integrity, sorry".

And Reny left. His entire chain went bankrupt and closed in 2006. Even though they're gone, you can spend hours reading all the complaints filed by consumers about their operation on the 'net. So much for that theory.