Have you ever given much thought to where products you sell actually come from? We had not spent much time pondering that point until a new customer recently insisted on only buying products from countries without a history of human rights violations. Since it’s hard to know exactly know how workers are treated in other countries, we decided to limit our product search to items made in the USA. 

Recent reports on problems with Chinese exports have filled the headlines. International recalls involving everything from contaminated pet food ingredients and counterfeit toothpaste to toxic toys, defective tires and contaminated seafood have been alarming. That’s not to say that China is the only country with manufacturing problems, but it’s the one most frequently in the news, since so much of its economy depends on the export of Chinese-made goods.

Because of these problems, we are now looking at foreign-made goods differently. To make sure we don’t sell our customers something that could cause problems, we’re going to sell products made in the USA as much as we can. Thanks to so much regulatory oversight in the country (too much for some manufacturers), we feel more comfortable about our ability to stand behind American-made products, from a safety, quality and ethical standpoint.

Perhaps you’d like to join our commitment by asking a few questions of your own:

1.  How was that thing made? 

When you sell imported products, it’s very difficult for you to know what type of quality and safety standards, if any, they had to meet during the manufacturing process before being shipped to the U.S. On the other hand, American manufacturers must meet very strict guidelines from a host of government agencies before products can ever leave their plants. That’s not to say that accidents haven’t happened, but at least they’re not in the news every week!

For example, we’re confident about quality and safety when ordering food products from American suppliers such as Sweet Nut Tree. Its president, Larry Robbins, says, “We make all of our food products in our own factory. Because we do, the quality of our products is tightly controlled and nothing leaves our factory unless we know it is the freshest product possible.”

 2.   Do you have it in stock?

Let’s face it; most customers want to receive their orders in the shortest time possible, often causing you to place rush orders. If a product is made in this country, the supplier tends to have more of it in stock than if he has to import it and he can fulfill the order more quickly. Over the years, we have placed many orders that had to be changed because the supplier with whom we placed the order was out of stock on a particular product.  It’s hard enough to sell an order the first time, much less on having to sell a customer on something else.  

To avoid inventory problems, supplier Jim Knecht, the owner of the Dooley Company, buys all of his blank cups from American injection molders. He does so because he can count on accurate delivery times from them, making it possible for him to always have a full complement of cups in stock. The positive net result to distributors is that he offers 24-hour service on screen-printed items.

3.  Can I make more profit on custom-made products?

Specially made orders make it possible for you to mark up prices at a higher rate than catalog items, because the customer has nothing to which to compare the price. It’s impossible to for them to comparison shop on unique items, since ten other suppliers do not make the same thing that you’re trying to sell. Such items are an excellent way to bulk up your bottom line.

Just ask awards supplier R.S. Owens, one of the premier manufacturers of custom made orders in the promotional products world. Larry Maloney, Vice- President of Sales and Marketing at Owens says, “Our custom products offer distributors the chance to make higher mark ups than standard catalog items because our manufacturing process is so unique.”     

4.   Does it come in several colors?

One benefit of selling products made in this country is that products come in a variety of colors. Many imports come in limited colors, which is not always good for your customer. Even though we are not big proponents of giving customers too many choices, it’s still helpful when we can offer products to prospects in a myriad of choices. 

Take Teraco, for example. This supplier of plastic cards is based in Midland, Texas. Steve Pruitt, the director of Marketing says, “We can produce cards in almost any color, because we make them right here in our factory. That way we can meet our customers needs better than companies who buy cards from overseas.”    

5.   Who can solve my problem?

No matter how hard you try to make sure that all orders go smoothly, there will be problems from time to time.  To avoid losing a customer in those instances, you need to quickly provide them with straight answers. Since American-made products tend to be made and decorated in the same place, a supplier can offer solutions more expediently than if a product is created in several locations.

Here’s an example of what we mean. Neely Manufacturing has made products in America for over one hundred years. President Eric Fitzhugh says, “When an order is produced in either of our Iowa factories, we are able to solve problems quickly. We know what’s taken place with the products from the time they go to order entry until they are shipped out the door. This gives us a leg up in handling problems.”

6.   How do I find suppliers carrying American-made products?

The best way to find them is by attending trade shows.  Many companies display signs in their booths stating that their items are made in this country.   If you don’t see such a sign, you can always ask if any of the products in their line is made in the USA.

You can also turn to your computer for answers.   Numerous industry search engines allow you to do a  key word search for American-made products. You’ll be surprised at how many you’ll have to choose from, regardless of the product category.

So the next time you have the choice between showing your customer a product made in the USA vs. one imported from another country, wave the flag and proudly offer the American ones. Not only will you feel more self-assured in recommending its quality and safety, but also you will have the chance to make a higher profit margin. And everyone wins—a great American tradition!