Amazon has become a middle-man between Western consumers and Chinese manufacturers. I have myself benefitted from this with the emergence of Ch-Fi (Hi-Fi products that are magnitudes cheaper because they are manufactured in China). My entire system originates from China. If I had purchased the extra 'snake oil' with Western brands, my bank would be broken.
What if we could cut out the middle-man? That's Temu!
Apple is falling, Amazon is next. Get ready for the new world. 🧧
What if we could cut out the middle-man? That's Temu!
Apple is falling, Amazon is next. Get ready for the new world. 🧧
I guess you never heard of eBay or AliExpress?
It's sad because you think you have global links from the progressive nation of Canada, but the United Kingdom had trade links with China hundreds of years ago, as part of the spice/opium trade. In fact, and this will kill you, Chinese nationals still serve on board Royal Navy vessels as laundry specialists to this day.
I won't point out the obvious false equivalences in your argument, since they are obvious.
Those not involved in marketing are allowed to opine, not pontificate.
First and only warning folks.
I much prefer to buy Western brand products rather than cheaper Chinese versions. And have never once believed that any snake oil was involved. There is an old adage "you get what you pay for", and I think that applies very well to our modern Hi-Fi products.
I'm extremely pleased with my SB Acoustics equipment that is made in Indonesia.
Temu doesn't impress me, and I'll stick with well know, reliable sources for my purchases and not worry if I could have gotten something else cheaper from them.
IMHO you don't get what you pay for with modern Western made electronics. That was once, a while ago. Many if not most have their stuff made in exactly the same asian OEM factories 🙂 Of course there are exceptions but in general they are quite close to eachother. The reluctance of western youth to be educated in technical stuff does not raise the quality level either. A decline on the western side and a gain at the eastern side so to speak.
The advance in technology does not exist that much anymore as far as audio electronics and telecom stuff is involved. For instance 5G was mainly a chinese development. Some tradional western fields of high tech are also being penetrated by way cheaper eastern technology. That there are some significant drawbacks in that can not be denied.
The advance in technology does not exist that much anymore as far as audio electronics and telecom stuff is involved. For instance 5G was mainly a chinese development. Some tradional western fields of high tech are also being penetrated by way cheaper eastern technology. That there are some significant drawbacks in that can not be denied.
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I got few non audio stuff from temu (car wash brush, fishing reel, usb battery and so on), most are broken now.
Yes. You get what you pay for. Junk.
Yes. You get what you pay for. Junk.
If you buy junk at the cheapest outlet you will receive junk. There is logic in that.
So is Walmart , Dollar General , just about every other sales outlet in N. America ?
Even my Thonet and Vander's (German flag) ??? - made in China.
NO western manufacturer can compete for ANYTHING and not go bankrupt.
Sold through Madisound. Find the supply chain and that $300 woofer can be had for $30. Do you think they pay those
poor Indonesians $20-30 /hr.
I have the expensive gaming replaceable switch PC keyboard that cost my son $120 for $25 brand new (without the name).
You carefully find an Asian supplier and keep it a secret ... add "snake oil" to make 1000% profit.
That is the new way !!
$50 audiophile caps = $5 , put your sleeve/sticker/print on it.
You can find Asian suppliers that truly make better products than the west (20%) , the remaining 80% make junk
to feed western consumerism.
OS
Attachments
I have a steel bike cart and a steel bed frame from Temu. No issue , welds are good. Would not buy electronics from them ....
Economics !! placing a tariff on things will not bring the jobs back to the "west". Look at the "welfare" deal to build chips in Arizona ...
That's the only way TSMC would build a fab in N. America. After they build it , they will automate it and fire everybody any way ?
All you have to do is carefully research any part or product on Google/youtube , the junk will speak for itself.
Edit - I buy from Europe - most things from there are outsourced from Asia. Wine , Cheese , Olives = Europe....
OS
At least in Europe, Temu and Shein will suffer a big hit soon, when import taxes and controls are enforced - for now, they are sneaking their goods in (in former times, that was simply called "smuggling"), overwhelming customs in all countries.
As for the quality, "you get what you pay for" is only half of the story, obscene amounts of money have to be added on top of the items themselfs in Europe - when you run a business in Europe, you probably know about it. With low labour costs and none of these added costs, a chinese company can easily deliver the same quality or even better for way less money. Plus government support money and way less restrictions in doing business.
Also, take a look back in history - we had the same situation twice already, and it turned out bad for the "victims".
First the denounciation of german products by the British, cheap products with a rather good quality were unmatchable by british companies. So badmouthing was thought to be an easy way to manipulate the buyers. That did not work out very well.
Second, the rise of the japanese industry. Early on, they went with 1:1 copies of products, improving them, until they became industrial leaders or within top 3 tech countries.
I think the history repeats with the chinese industry, gaining traction rapidly. The time of cr*ppy fakes and fraud will likely be over soon (as labour gets more expensive, also I assume the government will start to protect their "Made in China" branding.). That is, if they can keep a billion people under control.
As for the quality, "you get what you pay for" is only half of the story, obscene amounts of money have to be added on top of the items themselfs in Europe - when you run a business in Europe, you probably know about it. With low labour costs and none of these added costs, a chinese company can easily deliver the same quality or even better for way less money. Plus government support money and way less restrictions in doing business.
Also, take a look back in history - we had the same situation twice already, and it turned out bad for the "victims".
First the denounciation of german products by the British, cheap products with a rather good quality were unmatchable by british companies. So badmouthing was thought to be an easy way to manipulate the buyers. That did not work out very well.
Second, the rise of the japanese industry. Early on, they went with 1:1 copies of products, improving them, until they became industrial leaders or within top 3 tech countries.
I think the history repeats with the chinese industry, gaining traction rapidly. The time of cr*ppy fakes and fraud will likely be over soon (as labour gets more expensive, also I assume the government will start to protect their "Made in China" branding.). That is, if they can keep a billion people under control.
From my perspective, If you are buying from Europe then you are buying from Asia. Europe is in Asia. I have always considered all countries on the continent as Asian. But not India, that is its own continent. Just like African continent, folks are Africans
Randy, what are you saying? 🙄
You have a very personal and biased view of geography and culture differences, which does not make any sense... except for you maybe! Lol.
Have you ever been to Deutschland ( Germany), España ( Spain) or France, Netherland, Belgium, etc,etc,...? You'll quickly see there is things which are not outsourced... and that there is enough cultural differences and similarity too to form a group of country which are a continent by themself.
If you want to visit you are welcome, i would be pleased to host you and make you discover my ( little) part of Europe, what we craft, how we live, etc,etc,... you would be surprised i'm sure 🙂
You have a very personal and biased view of geography and culture differences, which does not make any sense... except for you maybe! Lol.
Have you ever been to Deutschland ( Germany), España ( Spain) or France, Netherland, Belgium, etc,etc,...? You'll quickly see there is things which are not outsourced... and that there is enough cultural differences and similarity too to form a group of country which are a continent by themself.
If you want to visit you are welcome, i would be pleased to host you and make you discover my ( little) part of Europe, what we craft, how we live, etc,etc,... you would be surprised i'm sure 🙂
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