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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Sept 17, 2007 2:05:14 GMT -6
from the Daily Bulletin Parents making sure toys 'R' made in USA American sales surge as shoppers shun Chinese goods " Following three recalls of Mattel Inc. toys from China, parents concerned about the health of their children are paying a premium for toys made in the good ole U.S.A.
Almost two-thirds of parents say they will no longer purchase toys made in China - where factories cut corners on millions of Mattel toys by using toxic lead paint - according to shopping Web site Shopzilla. There's evidence many parents are putting their money where their mouths are.
Several makers and sellers of American-made toys say they have seen a surge in sales since the recalls, the last of which was announced two weeks ago.
"It has gone up twofold," said Tim Cooke, who runs UsMadeToys.com when he gets home from his day job as a salesman. Toy sales used to make up less than 10percent of Cooke's salary, but in the past few weeks they have grown to a quarter of his income.
At TAG Toys in Compton, owner Lawrence Mestyanek has seen a 5 percent sales bump in recent weeks. The company makes educational toys designed to promote the types of skills and abilities recommended by educational psychologists such as Mestyanek. He predicts orders will grow even more during the holidays.
"The groundwork is there for many more sales," Mestyanek said...."
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Post by blueneck on Sept 17, 2007 4:15:33 GMT -6
This is great news. My wife, who used to not pay much attention to this sort of thing has even mobilized and is paying much closer attention to product country of origin, especially toys and other items for the kids. Now if we can keep this momentum going forward and hopefully will spill over into other products. We can't let this movement die down in the next news cycle. I have noticed more tire stores noting and advertising that their tires are US made. I have been telling store managers at big box retailers I don't want cheap chinese junk any more (not that I ever did want it) and emailing their comments dept. Voting with one's wallet is the single most effective way to get the retailer's attention - support domestic products wherever possible and avoiding imports - particluarly from those countries like china who don't play by the rules. The chinese picked the wrong place to cut corners (or the right one depending on how you look at it) on quality and safety when it comes to American children and pets. These are definite areas that will get peoples attention. So far all the chinese seem to be doing about it is a massive PR and lobbying campaign. Dick Durbin's sentate hearings with Mattel turned into a big love fest for corporate sleaze ball Bob Eckart We still see where congress stands on trade regulation and Durbin has been one of the more ardent for fairer trade - WTF?
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Post by unlawflcombatnt on Sept 18, 2007 3:26:42 GMT -6
I'm looking at everything: vitamins, food, office supplies, and anything else I buy. A lot of things are still labeled as "Distributed by," which to me means "made" somewhere else. Hopefully that'll change.
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