Comment: Consider the implications when you opt for cheap Chinese imports

A product is only
cheap if it costs less, lasts
proportionally longer and
has the same effective
functionality as a competing
product.
A roll of Chinese made
duct tape that does not
stick is not cheap; it’s a
complete and utter waste
of money, resources, labour
and the energy it took to
manufacture and transport
the product to its market
on the other side of the
world. T he same goes for
two-prong plug adaptors
that have holes too big for
proper electrical contact.
In some seasonal or
fashion product lines like
clothing, sunglasses, garden
furniture and household
decor that are not always
utilised for their full
functional life cycle, quality
is not always a primary
consideration, but where
is the long-term economic
productivity value addition
to the world economy
of making innumerable
household items such as
kettles, radios, toys and
tools that break or simply
do not work after no time
at all?
It’s one thing ripping off
expensive designer labels,
but why go to all the effort
of designing, tooling and
manufacturing basic, super
cheap, everyday items that
look genuine but fall so
badly short in functionality?
Very little of the steel,
plastic or wood used is
recycled and at the end
of it all the skewed global
trade flows will have little
net positive effect and leave
consumers feeling bitter and
ripped off.
Three years ago
Chinese-made rowing
boats forced one of only
two local boat builders out
of business. One school
and one university club
bought Chinese boats that
were sold as using the
latest high-tech building
techniques. T he top of the
range sleek eight-man boat
made of scarce carbon
fibre cost R112 000. It was
R10 000 cheaper than a
local boat, less than half an
imported E uropean boat and
looked great when it
arrived.
However, within
weeks the cheapness
started to show in
the accessory bits
that started to rust
and aluminium
riggers that bent too easily
and were clearly below
internationally accepted
standards, despite claims to
the contrary.
After 18 months
performance-critical
stiffness tests showed the
Chinese boat deflected
two to three times more
than an eight-year-old
locally-made boat and the
Chinese manufacturer’s own
acceptable standard, yet
for nearly a year they have
simply shrugged off dealing
with their sub-standard
product in which no crew
wishes to row because
it will affect their race
performance so badly. It is a
loss of around R70 000 from
the S outh African economy
to the Chinese economy and
a waste of precious hightech
global resources.
Duct tape and a rowing
boat are two examples,
while a walk around
discount importers will
reveal tens of thousands
of extremely poorly made
products that very few
people, even the poor
actually need.
While free trade is one
thing, quality must always
be a consideration if it
impacts negatively on local
jobs. S oon we will face the
choice of buying a Chinese
car, but how will we know
that they have or will
continue to use proper brake
bonding adhesives?
What is Chinese for
Caveat emptor – let the
buyer beware?