Two things that really make me mad
By sweetdesign
@sweetdesign (5142)
United States
April 25, 2009 3:25pm CST
I will probably get slammed for this discussion but I am going to start it anyway. I am so tired of Cheap Imports that I could scream. I am tired of seeing cheap knock offs, cheap mass produced cr** and all that stuff. I am a crafter and a ceramist and I will tell you the cheap imports have all but killed the handcrafted ceramics business. No one will buy our handcrafted quality items when they can get something “similar” for a buck or two no matter how inferior the cheap import is.
The other thing is huge super giants like wal****. They are killing the crafter too. Why pay for a quality quilt/baby bib/baby clothes/toys/whatever when you can go to walktar and get something cheap. Why pay for high quality handcrafted cards when you can go right down the street and pay a buck or two for a mass produced piece of you know.
What happened to the joy and pride of giving someone a quality item that was handcrafted right here in the US? One that shows you care enough to look for something more special that a blue light special?
Geez we need to keep our money home and support our local crafters and artists!!
Your thoughts are always welcome but remember to be kind.
2 people like this
10 responses
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
26 Apr 09
I agree with you 100%. I quit trying to make any money on my handcrafted items years ago for the same reason. Another thing this tend has interfered with is the resale business. You remember the little shops where you could go buy some really nice things to dress up your house. Things like nice paintings and knick knacks. Some times you could even get some nice capodimonte pieces. It was always real discouraging when I had a shop like that when a person would come in and see an original piece of art work like a hummel and offer me a dime store price. Then when I refused their insulting offer very politely they would say that they could get it cheaper at wal-mart. Sometimes I just couldn't help it and I would tell them that wal-mart was where they needed to shop.
2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
26 Apr 09
There will be people however few, who will recognize and appreciate quality. It just is hard on the independent small business person.
1 person likes this
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
26 Apr 09
I can remember a day when people looked at handcrafted items before they looked at imported cheaply made stuff. That being said there are "crafters" out there who are taking the cheap imports and knockoffs and trying to sell them as "handcrafted". I would think that anyone with eyes would be able to tell the difference. I became aware of this one weekend when I was in the etsy forums and read a post about it. I was shocked and now i look for them. They usually show up on the weekends, Sad thing is they make the rest of us genuion crafters look bad. The cheap import prices make it so hard on the crafter cause people don't appreciate all that we put into our crafts. I mean I have some rather costly pieces of equipment that I use in my crafts (singer futura $900+ cricut $300+ kiln $100 over 300 molds at various costs tons of paints and glazes at various costs fabric at various costs the list goes on)I also have to buy the supplies to make the items. My prices don't even begin to cover all the costs involved to make the item but I feel they are a fair price.
@savak03 (6684)
• United States
27 Apr 09
And that doesn't even take into consideration the time it takes you to create the crafts. I have one crochet pattern that I really like. It's the fairy tale about the old lady and the shoe. The items for the scene don't take much material at all but it takes a full twenty hours to construct because of the size and detail. There is no way you can charge for all that time. I guess it's a good thing I enjoy doing it. Doing the work is good for my soul and selling it just helps buy more materials to keep doing it.
@jayrene (2708)
• Philippines
25 Apr 09
well maybe because people are saving money...?
it is the same thing here in our country. what happens is that our proudly made products are expensive than those that come from other countries, especially in China. they are so affordable. people here tend to go to what is affordable, maybe that is what is happening in your country right now. even second hands are getting quite popular now here, as they can buy branded things at cheaper cost.
yeah it kills those who are like you, your business goes down. maybe the only thing that would really help you and your businesses is that if your country stops getting imports.
most people today are experiencing financial crisis... and i think its one of the causes why they buy cheaper products.
2 people like this
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
25 Apr 09
What so many people do not understand though is if you buy the cheap imports (the US will never stop importing the cr**) it only hurts your own country further. Cheap imports only help the cheap import giants that produce them.
Glad to hear that it is not just a problem in the US though. Thanks for responding.
1 person likes this
@sophie_dfuss (2365)
• Philippines
26 Apr 09
I am sorry to hear that sweetdesign 
These days there are a lot of competition in every business or product line.
Every citizen should patronize their own local made products to help their countrymen and the economy of their own country. Others are patronizing imported products with low quality but there is something that your government can do about it. They should promote the local products and remind the consumers to buy their own local products. Here in my country, others like to buy imported products but not me. Our government is saying that "Buy Philippine made products"
These days there are a lot of competition in every business or product line.
Every citizen should patronize their own local made products to help their countrymen and the economy of their own country. Others are patronizing imported products with low quality but there is something that your government can do about it. They should promote the local products and remind the consumers to buy their own local products. Here in my country, others like to buy imported products but not me. Our government is saying that "Buy Philippine made products"1 person likes this
@spicysweetie21 (2572)
• United States
26 Apr 09
I think you need to take into account that people in these times need to save all of the money that they can, a buck or two can go a long way in these times. I go to college full time, got laid off a few months ago and can't find a new job yet so i have a strict budget that no i can't always afford to spend a couple bucks more to buy american, because those couple of bucks can be a meal for me. But i will add that if i had lots of money i wouldn't be that way, I do appreciate art work and artist made pottery, if i could i would buy lots of it but I just cannot afford it :( so when you get mad at people for buying "cheap imports" you need to understand its about the price because they have to do what they have to do what they have to do to make ends meet
1 person likes this
@bournecaindelta (2477)
• India
26 Apr 09
There are many things that are required by people in their day to day life. But some people fail to make decisions based on their instincts. They go to buy things which they want and when they see a cheap substitute they just jump for it without thinking about its quality. In some cases though it's always better to go for the cheap quality goods, but sometimes quality maters the most and they should have that in mind while making a purchase.
Cheap imported goods are always bad to the local market and local producers, but since they come at a cheaper cost and at this stage of time, people would prefer buying them. When you get something you want for cheap, you usually end up sidetracking the quality.
bourne
1 person likes this
@sweetdesign (5142)
• United States
26 Apr 09
ooooohhhhh I hate it when someone comes into a discussion and adds a link that is totally irrelivant and then jabbers about something that has nothing to do with the topic at hand.
@bournecaindelta (2477)
• India
26 Apr 09
All I can say for the above comment is that the post is going to be deleted anyways for posting of links and such.
bourne
1 person likes this
@sblossom (2168)
•
25 Apr 09
very deep topic.
I think people are from different background have different ideas about quality especially now the whole world is so closed to each other.
Also sometimes people know it's not qualified but for practical reason they also want to give it a go.
You don't need to be mad. The world is really biger than we thought as well as people are really more different from each other than we thought.
Best regards.
2 people like this
@rusty2rusty (6771)
• Defiance, Ohio
30 Apr 09
I can understand where your rant is coming from. but right now alot of people are out of work and don't have the money for those hand crafted items you are mentioning. So, they have no other choice but to go buy those cheap knock offs. As for me I tend to go without most things right now. I don't like cheap knock offs. Example : I love leather. I will not buy genric pleather just to have a look. I buy the real stuff or I go with out.
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
26 Apr 09
I still pay for hand crafted, creative goods. I have given special wind chimes to many family members. My friend buys old silverware and kitchen gadgets like from the 1950's. She strings them together with beautiful glass beads and makes wind chimes. They are so cool. I have to figure out who I have not bought one for so I can buy them this Christmas. The other hand crafted item that floats my boat is a hand crafted plaque, made by my clients. We have a clay workshop. Paid a ceramicist to come in and teach them how to roll and stamp clay. Our staff run the kiln, supervise the painting, and other staff add wiring and beads. Each plaque comes with a picture of the person who created it, and they are really cute. The clients get all the profit from the sales, and several local businesses sell them. A program called Art in the Garden featured them last year. We just have to work harder to find unique items to make. I know that does not help you any, I just wanted to share some of my positive experiences. There is nothing really similar at Wal Mart or imported. I went to an Amish community to buy gifts last Christmas.
1 person likes this
@carpenter5 (6782)
• United States
27 Apr 09
I still make many of my own things. Each Christmas, I cross stitch things like bread basket covers and tea towels, and normally make at least two fleece ribbon tied blankets for someone. Normally, I have to listen at least one say "So and so has one, when are you going to make me one?" LOL
I do shop at Walmart and Target. But some of us really can have the best of both worlds.
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
26 Apr 09
Hey sweet! I would definitely have to agree with you on that!
It is really sad that nothing is made here in the USA anymore.
And no one does care or take pride in things that are made
here or homemade anymore! I happen to love things that are
homemade! They are one of a kind and are something that
someone has taken time to make and put their heart and soul
into! I can understand how you feel! I love to go to craft
fairs and see what people have made and get things that are
unique! I don't mind paying a bit more money for something
that is one of a kind!
1 person likes this
