Zen Hood Seals...Possible NLA

[DCColegrove]

I've been shopping companies to have the seal material made because the current supplier may be sending production overseas.

These are about the coolest product I've carried for about the past ten years and I really want to continue selling them but I will not carry products that are sourced from Asia (for QC reasons among other things).

I am negotiating with my current supplier and two other manufactures but it's really beginning to look like they will become cost prohibitive to make here....

I have some stock (quite a bit is reserved for a GB in the UK) So this might be it.

So this is the point to all of this:

The price may double (effectively making the product NLA I couldn't afford to buy it at that cost either)

or

The Price could come way down (but it would be an inferior quality)

So...Do I say fuck it? (your input is greatly appreciated)

[TwoJ's]

Hmm, that's a dilemma. In my opinion, if I were running a business that I cared about, I definitely would not sacrifice the quality of a product. Especially if I had already offered it at higher quality and built a bit of a reputation on it.

If you have the capital, I would just continue to make them at the higher price (and stock less). If people can't afford it, then so be it. But don't downgrade the product that you sell.

[IRON-E]

Hmm, that's a dilemma. Especially if I had already offered it, at higher quality and built a bit of a reputation on it.

I would just continue to make them at the higher price (and stock less). But don't downgrade the product that you sell.

x2

[DCColegrove]

The problem is the amount I would have to buy in order to have it made, I just couldn't do that kind of layout for a product that at the price I would have to sell it at....wouldn't sell.

It is possible this could become a non issue because I am talking to a small manufacturer here in So Cal... but if that doesn't work out that's pretty much it.

[z31maniac]

So do you have any left at this point?

[atomic]

IMHO... How bad of a job could an Asian company make these? They are just rubber aren't they? I understand your feeling on the crap made in Asia and I could understand on a more vital part, but rubber hood seals I would not be as worried about. Either way they are a cool product. Even BMW is having things made in China now. I ordered a few shirts from BMW and they were made in china... Go figure

[DCColegrove]

So do you have any left at this point?

I do have some stock.

IMHO... How bad of a job could an Asian company make these? They are just rubber aren't they?...

Pretty bad, The rubber has to be just right to be stable and there is no way of knowing it's okay or not until it's too late.

(The other thing is that I'm a bit of an Patriot, Protectionist, Perfectionist)

[atomic]

(The other thing is that I'm a bit of an Patriot, Protectionist, Perfectionist)

Completely understandable... I would not expect someone with those characteristics to sell out just to make a dime. I try my hardest to not buy things made over there, but it is almost impossible these days. Although I think it is inevitable, at least until we as citizens/politicians realizes China is taking over this country through economic means...

[DCColegrove]

.... I try my hardest to not buy things made over there, but it is almost impossible these days. Although I think it is inevitable, at least until we as citizens/politicians realizes China is taking over this country through economic means...

Not to mention the damage to US, other American and EU companies whose products have been knocked off and sold by Chinese companies with impunity to the point that they are all now tits up.

[TwoJ's]

Not to throw this thread off topic even more, but isn't it up to the consumer to control the market? Maybe we should start teaching our children the value of buying domestic (to a certain extent).

[DCColegrove]

Not to throw this thread off topic even more, but isn't it up to the consumer to control the market? Maybe we should start teaching our children the value of buying domestic (to a certain extent).

I don't think that's off topic I have 4 kids.

The problem from what I've seen is two generations of people looking out for #1 and damn the consequences.

[paddyhart]

x2

x3

[scott_is]

If you have the capital, I would just continue to make them at the higher price (and stock less). If people can't afford it, then so be it. But don't downgrade the product that you sell.

Scott

[DCColegrove]

x2

x3

Scott

The problem is the amount I would have to buy in order to have it made, I just couldn't do that kind of layout for a product that at the price I would have to sell it at....wouldn't sell.

Hence Possible NLA.

I could not pay the amount nesasary (50 kits worth) to have the runs made...

for a product that I would have to (wouldn't) sell for $132 (front and rear kit)...

I've done the math.

[der affe]

i say still sell them. you can make the consumer aware of the switch in manufactures, and possible change in quality. if you continued to sell them with out notification of the change of vendor ( AND if there is a subsequent price drop because of them being made offshore) and kept the price the same, that would be shitty.

the vw shop i worked for had to do this because the price of the West Coast Metric (USA made and life time warranty) was just too high. we offered the Brazilian made (hit or miss at best, but good for 3-5 years) rubber with no warranty for one price and the WCM with the life time warranty for the higher price.

USA made is great, but if there is no other alternative, you shouldn't discontinue your product