Thread: Is it worth it to still go the High Point?

I have an online home decor and canvas art store called Artemaximus. Most of the items I buy come in directly from overseas. I haven't been back to High Point in three years now, but since I am expanding onto a larger retail location, I am contemplating on buying local here in the USA. What are your thoughts, and good domestic companies that show in High Point, specializing in art and modern home decor that have good prices? Love to get some input.

The do have a "Made in USA" pavillion at High Point, its over at the SUITES AT MARKET SQUARE, top floor. 25,000 s.f. section.

Yea I am aware of that, it's not really the Made in USA issue, it's just question of whether or not prices are reasonable. I see more and more distributors showing the same thing one can buy from China at half the cost.

Sure. In China, wages are $ 1.00 to $ 1.50 an hour. Here in the USA, no one wants to work for that, nor do we want our fellow citizens in poverty so anything made in the USA is always going to cost more that if its coming out of China, Mexico, Vietnam, etc. I think you have to know that going into it, both as a buyer and a retail consumer. In my store, I try very hard to carry all USA-made product as much as possible (probably 90% of all my inventory is made in America). Some pieces are impossible to get made in America anymore, such as brass lamps or small clocks - on some things there is no option for USA-made. Ultimately the question becomes as a businessperson - can you develop a customer based for higher-priced USA made product? You know your customers better than anyone else, and a lot has to do with your geographic base. Where I am located, in metro Washington DC, there is a very strong desire for USA-made and our economy in this region is strong, so customers do want it when its available. And there are hundreds of stores selling the same Chinese-crap not many doing USA-made product so it does give you a niche market when you go that route.

Myself, as a consumer - I buy USA-made whenever possible and seek out stores and businesses that have that. Yes, I'm willing to pay more for the product. For example, New Balance makes lots of athletic shoes, most their line is made in China or Korea. They still do American made on a few models (the ones they sell to the Armed Forces by law are required to be domestically made) so I buy those. They cost about $ 50 more a pair than the Chinese ones and I like to thing they are better made, and I know I'm glad I'm helping to support an American worker. Not everyone wants to pay that extra $ 50 - I get that. But I'm that consumer that will and I'll shop the stores that carry that product. The question you have to ask yourself is if your have that same kind of clientele. At the Keeping Room, we've been American-made for over 35 years now, it seems to work for us a business model. Even The White House buys from my store.