Sears/Craftsman/USA=ripoff

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
I mean, you obviously served your country, a place you respect. Does it not bother you that the economy of that country is headed down the tubes and it is preventable? That people's buying habits and the off-shoring of American manufacturing are key components in this downward spiral?



Wish I knew how to do a quote on a partial post as other forums allow but back to what we are discussing.

I believe the main idea here is living within ones means. Just as I did when I was making $90.00 a month. I live very comfortably on approx $6.00 an hour if I was working a 40 hour week. House paid for, 2 vehicles paid for, no outstanding bills, and believe me I eat very well and not from food stamps or from the local food bank.

Tell me, could you do the same?


No, with a mortgage and three kids I couldn't, nor would I want to. I worked maintenance at a truck stop while in school making a hair more than $7/hour and that was definitely a lifestyle I didn't want to continue.

Now, a question for you sir, what year are we talking about when we talk about your former income? I'm thinking this was long before housing prices are what they are, am I correct?

I know many retirees live on far less than what I earn but they, like yourself, are in a situation with everything paid for including their home. I don't live extravagantly, but a mortgage is a definite expense, and while we have no credit cards or anything, my living expenses including insurance on my vehicles for somebody my age are significant.

BTW, to do a partial quote, just put (but using square brackets, IE [ and ]) {quote} before and then {/quote} after the text you are trying to quote.

I don't aspire to have working conditions in my country or yours resembling those in China. And while I AGREE with your point about living within ones means, there is a significant cost difference between doing so in North American and doing so in China. It is more expensive to live in a first world nation.... part of the "cost" associated with that first-world lifestyle.

 

[jcwit]

There we have what I've been after, the expense of living in a first world nation.

To me regarding the "slave" labor would be what is going on in some of the African Nations. Far different from what the avg. person in china has to live with IMO.

Time period I was talking about? Later 50's early 60's. But by the same token while working as a cilivan in the same time period I was making over $100 a week take home. Hours worked per week, not real sure any more I handled the weekly stock orders for a retail store and clerked during the day and stocked in the evening after store hours. Was not required, but I loved the job and work and idolized the store owner. He and his wife were like a second set of parents to me.

 

[Mr Nice]

My dad has Craftsman tools from the mid 1960's when he started with Pan Am and they are all in working condition and will probably last 50 years the way they are built. They have 30 years of daily use on airliners.

But I agree that we live in a disposable society in which we dispose broken goods and buy a replacement every few years.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
There we have what I've been after, the expense of living in a first world nation.

To me regarding the "slave" labor would be what is going on in some of the African Nations. Far different from what the avg. person in china has to live with IMO.

Time period I was talking about? Later 50's early 60's. But by the same token while working as a cilivan in the same time period I was making over $100 a week take home. Hours worked per week, not real sure any more I handled the weekly stock orders for a retail store and clerked during the day and stocked in the evening after store hours. Was not required, but I loved the job and work and idolized the store owner. He and his wife were like a second set of parents to me.


And I see what you are saying, but what the Chinese are aspiring for are first-world conditions.... And the first-world items that cost first-world dollars. Yet we have these people manufacturing them for next to nothing and they are making next to nothing.

In the 60's, a car was what, a few thousand dollars? What does a GM car currently cost in China? I'm sure far more than what many of these labourers earn in a year.

Inflation has affected the costs of living a first-world lifestyle and that is how we got to where we are now and how much it costs to be a Canadian or American. To be a German, Frenchman or Englishman. To be Dutch or Swiss, Kiwi or Aussie.

I think every Canadian and American deserved the RIGHT to make enough money to buy something as basic as a car. To own a home, no matter how humble. And to have a family and be able to afford to feed them. But a Canadian or American is going to require a job earning far more than Pablo's proposed $4.50/hour for an entry level labourer job to afford these things. That is the cost of living here, the cost of food, the cost of milk, of insurance, gasoline and everything else that make our societies what they are.

So then why is it RIGHT that we take the jobs that these people had and send them over to China? Why is it RIGHT that companies can capitalize on the low-cost labour, while still selling their products here at the same price. Passing none of these savings on to the consumer?

It isn't right in any way shape or form! One cannot cross-shop the first and third world, yet that is exactly what we've allowed. For our society to be sustainable, everybody needs to be on the same page. That means when I'm paying for a tool or a car part, that part is manufactured in a first-world nation with the same or similar expenses to my own. This means that when a company chooses to manufacture a tool in Canada over the USA it is for reasons other than the exploitation of cheap labour. And it means that for the most part, you will have parts coming from the country in which they are sold, which means more manufacturing jobs, more tax payers and more money being injected back into the economy.

 

[jcwit]

Ah-Ha, I think we're starting to find somewhat of a middle ground.

But for the masses I doubt it will ever work as WAY to many will only shop for the cheapest item that will get them by. Alass such is human nature with way to many.

I'm truly glad I grew up in the 40, 50, and 60's with the opertunities I had, and how it all worked out.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: jcwit
Ah-Ha, I think we're starting to find somewhat of a middle ground.

But for the masses I doubt it will ever work as WAY to many will only shop for the cheapest item that will get them by. Alass such is human nature with way to many.

I'm truly glad I grew up in the 40, 50, and 60's with the opertunities I had, and how it all worked out.


And THIS is what needs to change! This is the core problem, even more of a problem than the out-sourcing itself, since if people were conscious of where what they purchased came from, these companies wouldn't outsource! They do because they CAN! And consumer whoreism simply reinforces it, because they just want to BUY, and though they may complain, they don't actually reflect their complaints in their purchase decisions.

I'm sure that I'm close to alone in striving for a China-free Christmas for my family. And we did VERY well, and it really only took a little research and looking at the tags of items to do it.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: jcwit

But for the masses I doubt it will ever work as WAY to many will only shop for the cheapest item that will get them by.


Exactly. People see the "Made in America" series on ABC News and they're all gung-ho and want to buy American but when they go to the store they forget all about it when they see some of the prices.

I think I mentioned once before that I was looking for an iron for my dad to use in his "assisted living" center. I saw Chinese-made irons available everywhere, for as little as 9$. Seriously, 9$. I bet they didn't cost 9$ 40 years ago! Anyway, I refused to buy Chinese and gave him the one we had here at home instead.

 

[jcwit]

Overkill & css9450, you both are on the same page and this is how precisely how I felt for years, and preached it over and over. Maybe I've finally given up, certainally not because of finances but I just got tired of butting my head against the brick wall while shopping and talking to friends. It truly is a sorry situation for sure.

As I mentioned in an earlier post I started work in a retail store in my pre and teenage years back in the 50's and believe it or not I see some items costing as little as we sold them for then being sold today. Unblieviable!!!!

I doubt we were THAT overpriced back then!

 

[paulbuss]

I give every item I purchase the Chinese Litmus test. If it's made in the free world (preferably the US) I buy it.

Have been buying many American hand tools here:

http://store.harryepstein.com/

Just bought some Wright hand tools and Banco tree pruner for the wife.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: 91344George


I smell a rat....you just bought it, it was broken out of the package but they wouldn't take it back for a refund or exchange? That is not Sears.

I'm not saying you're lying, but your story doesn't add up. You need to get more creative.

I took it to a different store, and they gave me a new one. I guess the kid working at the counter didn't know what he was doing, or thought I broke it. The last time I brought in a 10 year old 1/4" ratchet to replace, they gave me a refurbished used one. It must be that one store only.

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: cchase
Depending on what's "broken", they're pretty easy to open up and see what's really going on.


At my store, the ratchets are zip tied to the package. You have to mangle the package to expose the square drive end.

 

[mcshooter]

i had a flyer from menards for usa made products only. i was surprized how much they have us made. the closest menards is 30 miles from me

 

[chevys10]

Originally Posted By: mcshooter
i had a flyer from menards for usa made products only. i was surprized how much they have us made. the closest menards is 30 miles from me


I posted in another thread on how some of Menards Masterforce socket and screwdriver sets are USA made. I haven't needed to buy any tools lately but will check them out if I do....

 

[JHZR2]

And I posted in my mcmaster socket thread in this section how I was getting a lot of Proto Professional and Armstrong US made stuff.

 

[kaboom10]

Aany more tools I buy will be from Wright tool. Regular tools and specialty tools are what they carry.

 

[Chadwilliam1]

Simply put I refuse to fill my tool box with made in china [censored]. I will order my tools online if I have to find a made in America product. I can stand to have a few made in china tools but I plan to keep that to a minimum.

Btw I can not stand going to sears. I like to replace my sockets with matching ones but in general sears products are going sown the drain. I have never bought a craftsman or sears brand power tool, and I never will.

 

[PF52]

Originally Posted By: kaboom10
Aany more tools I buy will be from Wright tool.


I spent the afternoon wrenchin' with my new Wright 1/2-inch-drive ratchet. Its one sweet piece!

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: mcshooter
i had a flyer from menards for usa made products only. i was surprized how much they have us made. the closest menards is 30 miles from me


me too.. Massillon,OH ? I'm up in akron.

I havent been there yet.. because I never go in that direction.. that I would actually pass it..

Maybe I'll take a trip down there someday

 

[Loobed]

Originally Posted By: stro_cruiser


The obvious "dont care" attitude of the sears people is hard to take.



I get POed also, but they make minimum wage. There is really nothing they can do if corporate headquarters decides to sell junk made in China.

 

[sciphi]

I got some made in USA Channellock adjustable pliers in Wal-Mart last night. They worked MUCH better than the cheap China trash they replaced.