Everyone Says They’ll Pay More for “Made in the USA.” So We Ran an A/B – Afina

[rcjordan]

https://afina.com/blogs/news/made-in-usa

[ergophobe]

I am shocked! Shocked!

It reminds me of when American Airlines responded to consumer demands and added 3" to the distance between seats, which resulted in X fewer rows which resulted in higher prices which resulted in plummeting bookings.

The lesson: people think they want legroom but actually want deals.

Wasn't it less than a year that AA had to put all the seats back until someone finally stumbled on the current model where you have something like four levels of space in most large aircraft. On yesterday's cross-country flight, the cheap seats were 100% full and the more expensive seats were maybe half full. I was surprised it didn't throw off the balance of the jet.

[rcjordan]

I have paid a 10%-ish premium to Amz on several occasions rather than put my CC# on some other new-to-me merchant site with the same item.

[Brad]

https://afina.com/blogs/news/made-in-usa

Sure when you have the cheap Asian made model right there competing with the much more expensive USA made model people will go cheap.  The real test is when the Asian made unit is no longer available and everything by every manufacturer is made in USA at a higher price which will vary a bit buy design and manufacturer.

[ergophobe]

>> 10%-ish premium

Same. I think when people hear, "Would you pay more for Made in the USA" they are thinking along those lines, not a 150% premium.

>> cheap Asian made model right there competing

I think that's true and I thought the same thing, but it serves to show people that we aren't just talking 10% here, we're talking BIG differences. My scholarly books are printed in Switzerland. They are over $150 each, no pictures. Of course, they also sell no copies. If the Chinese printer were doing it for $139.99, that wouldn't change anything, but if it were $42, it would.

Of course... there's another debate about whether we simply buy too much shit, which I also believe, but that is not likely to win many adherents in the Trump camp or Middle America. Or Middle Anywhere.