COGS, Manufacturing Cost, and Transportation Cost

As well as Milo's salient point, you should know that Beijing subsidizes every single industry in China: 1. by direct export subsidies, and 2. by maintaining the yuan at one sixth of its real value, which policy makes Chinese products one sixth of the real cost.

Don't tell me it isn't a subject of nationalism, it is directly and totally a subject of nationalism, China is cheating the USA (and every other country they export to) and the US politicians are doing eff all about it.

Sickening.

If we don't start manufacturing here in the US. that Dutch Oven that the Chinese NEED to sell over in the US.(the US. is still the largest consuming nation in the world) will have to be sold else where. All these companies that are and have been going to the lowest bidder in China will not have a market. Sure there are other consumers out there in the world, think about losing your largest buyer over the fact of saving manufacturing costs, that won't matter if we stop buying, for one main fact we will be broke. Short sighted at best!

Hi another Guest,

You mention subsidies in China, and here I don't defend China or any other countries, but you should mention American subsidies in many areas, and how pharmaceuticals finance FDA to approve or maintain in drugstores pills that kill people. If you put all those subsidies, I promise that you get good answer with higher note, Gil.

So are you comparing cost, or quality?

When it comes down to manufacturing quality, 'irregardless' of cost, where does the sino/anglo market compete with the francais?

Check out which country produces the best quality dutch oven on the market.

Then find out where it is actually made?

what points would determine the quality of a dutch oven?

fit of the lid? thickness?

Lack of lead content and open porosity/ inclusions would make my short checklist.

Milo

Wouldn't being enameled would mitigate both the porosity & lead content?

I'ts also probably cast steel, not iron

Yes . I hadn't recalled that condition in the OP.

However, I wouldn't want lead regardless, and the porosity and inclusions could interfere with the adhesion of the enamel so...

I like your thinking re cast steel vs cast iron.

Hmmm.

Milo

Bad acronym alert: "COGS"

Cost Of Goods Sold

MBA Speak...

Milo

You can learn something every day, whether you want to or not.

The quality is never the same.

Tried to purchase stainless steel flat ware. Tried most reputable brands. After washing all I got was rust spots.

No; it was not the dishwasher as it has a stainless steel tub. My old flat ware always came out fine, it was my parents.

The cost of shipping is down to it's lowest level, after that genius invented the container.

Therefore if you are shipping nothing of value, all you are paying for are the transportation costs and the mark up.

Hi Icarus,

I agree with you that the first copy or imitation is not perfect but we said in the late 60s that japanese cars are small and cheap and never reach our standards.

Today, we have different opinion on our bankrupted automakers.

It will be the same with Chinese products, they are cheap and low quality but they coming better and better on every delivery. We cannot forget that "it's business"!

Chineses have less ego than us because they make what they can sell here.

Wish you a HAPPY NEW YEAR and ALL THE BEST FOR 2011, Gil.

Was it not an American that went to Japan and helped to resolve their quality control problems, after being laughed out of the states for such a silly idea?

I can not remember his name, but he is still revered in Japan.

W. Edwards Deming

Thanks

I thought it was Gil