Recent research conducted by ReportLinker involving 505 American online respondents shows that many Americans are proud of their nation’s production power and believe that the label “Made In the USA” usually indicates higher quality products, for which they would be willing to pay more money.
In recent decades, America has fallen away from being the globe’s “production powerhouse” because it’s now often less expensive to manufacture goods in other countries. But America’s old reputation for “making the best stuff” is remembered by more than three-fourths of respondents, who are to one degree or another concerned about where something they may buy is made. Indeed, 20% of respondents, including 34% of those age 55 to 64, are “very concerned” about where something gets made.
Americans feel most strongly about buying “Made In the USA” when it comes to food, cars, clothing, and tools. Older Americans especially care about locally or nationally produced foods and tools, with food far and away being of the highest concern. Additionally, 62% of female respondents prefer American-made personal care and beauty products. American-made electronics and furniture are also preferred by more than 40% of respondents.
It’s definitely more than pride alone that incites Americans to have these feelings about certain goods: 53% of all respondents, including 59% of those from older generations, are quite convinced that American-made products are of superior or more trustworthy quality. Just over 40%, including half of all Millennial respondents, believe American and foreign-made products are of equal quality.
However, the cost of American-made goods can be substantially higher than their imported counterparts, one reason for this price discrepancy being the higher wages that American workers command. Still, 57% of respondents, including 62% of older ones, said that, yes, they would be willing to pay more money—sometimes even over 30% more (especially for electronics)—for American-made goods. Food and cars were also products that these respondents felt strongly about paying more for to get American-made. Meanwhile, 55% of Millennials said they don’t wish to pay more for American-made goods—perhaps because they don’t have the budget or perhaps because they don’t see any difference in the comparative quality of American-made goods.
There’s also another economic consideration: 56% of respondents, including 62% of those willing to pay more, believe that the main effect of producing more goods inland would be to create more jobs for Americans.
But, there are some economists who say that the effort to create more American jobs by incentivizing inland production would be fruitless because of increasing automation in the workplace. Yet, when asked about this, 72% of respondents had a positive take on increasing automation, with 19% “very positive” about it.
So according to the ReportLinker survey, the bottom line in the minds of a great many Americans is this: “Made In the USA” means higher quality. And you get what you pay for.
