Why aren't our kids toys being made in the USA where there are laws for safety?

Question

toys, recalled, safety, kids

Answer 1

Quite simply? No one is willing to pay what it costs to have americans do the work. We want great pay and benefits and workmen's comp, and insurance, but we don't want all that to reflect in the prices of our purchases. All these amenities we demand are a double edged sword at times.

Answer 2

Are you willing to pay 5x the amount for the same toys? As much as we want to hate China or hate farming out production to other countries, the cheaper labor we all benefit from in the US. There are many great products that would never come to market or would not be affordable if it weren't for other countries manufacturing our products. If all production were to move to the US we'd still have similar problems with safety. US made products get recalled all the time. The percentage of bad products coming out of China is <1%.

Answer 3

The average toy is made in China at the cost of 80 cents and it retails for around $49.99 that is because average Joe Chinaman works for as little as 12 cents an hour often working 16 hours a day. Average Joe American would not even get out of bed for that kind of pay. No he would want at least the minimum hourly rate the USA pays, time and a half for over time, paid holidays, Health benefits, pension the list is endless. So the average toy would have to go up in price to cover Joe Americans wages. So what once retailed at $49.99 would cost in excess of $200 not that good for the economy.
Eric Clark who wrote The Real Toy Story told of the $9.99 retail price of a Chinese made Barbie doll, according to an investigation in 2000, only 35 cents went to the producers in China for providing the factory, the electricity- and the labour. Another $1.65 went to the management and transportation in Hong Kong, and the raw materials. The bulk, $8, went for transportation, marketing, retailing, wholesale and in profits for Mattel.
The Hong Kong Christian Industrial Committe is a much respected body set up in 1967. Through its contact with Hong Kong owners of mainland toy factories, it obtained the direct labour costs for fifty toys on sale in America as a proportion of retail prices. The figures make instructive reading. In the case of one $16.99 doll, the direct labour cost is 56 cents, a $49.99 electric toy a mere 81 cents, a $34.99 play-set, 25 cents, an $11.99 action figure, 66 cents. In none of the fifty cases was the cost of the worker more than 6 per cent; in one case the toy company paid as little as 0.4 per cent. Everyone can not use... lets get the toys made in the USA as an answer to this problem. Yes tighter regulations need to be put in to place by the government. Maybe even push for fair trade in toys. But having them made in the USA is a unrealistic option looking at the figures above. Take a look at the article by Eric Clark who wrote The Real Toy Story. I have added a link. Makes interesting reading.

Answer 4

Because generally, people in our country are not willing to spend a lot on a single toy. They will spend a lot - on a lot of toys. That's where China comes in.

Hopefully this will change soon. I can not stand seeing the cheap toys and merchandise everywhere. People have lost their good taste and expectations over time, all people want are bargains.

Answer 5

Because people started buying with only price considerations and made American companies (with safety regulations, etc.) unprofitable. This is the tip of the iceberg of America being dependent on foreign nations....for about 20 years now there has been a steady decline in domestic manufacturing and increase in farming out or losing out to overseas firms. It's really kind of scary when you think about it.

Answer 6

because us companies prefer to contract them out to foreign countries where labor is cheap and our government can't regulate it.

the recent recall was done for toys made in china following the exact specifications provided by american companies. its our greed not china's fault.
all you need to do is NOT buy them if they aren't made here and then things will change. of course, they will be much more expensive, but I'm sure you won't mind paying higher prices.

Answer 7

Because the toy companies get the toys made cheaper over there and then hit us over the head with their high prices.

Answer 8

Cheap Labor

Answer 9

Because it's cheaper to have them made in sweat shops by 5 year olds working for 14 hours a day.

Answer 10

They pay people 10 cents an hour in china to make the toys.