Chinese Tools - A change in the balance of power

[philbur]

It seems to becoming more common to buy tooling direct from China via Hong Kong bypassing the local rip-off middlemen and saving a whole bunch, even after taking into account the shipping costs. I recently bought an ER40 chuck that arrived 2 1/2 days after placing the order, the price and quality were excellent.

It occurred to me that it might be a good idea to assemble a list of Hong Kong internet sellers who have provided good service to members.

Here's my link.

http://stores.ebay.com/onelineseller...=p4634.c0.m322

Phil

[Tony Ennis]

You should post this on PM too. They'd appreciate the info.

[Lew Hartswick]

You should post this on PM too. They'd appreciate the info.

You had better put a smiley after that. :-)
...lew...

[Black_Moons]

Of course, When you buy direct from hong kong/china/etc, By cutting out all the middlemen, Not a single cent of yours remains in the country. Not a single human in your country is employed to stock shelfs, sweep isles, run the checkout or process returns.

Well, Except maybe the postman. He gets to keep his job at least. Assuming everyone can still find a job somewhere to be able to afford ordering more chinese junk.

Just a thought on world economics.

[dockrat]

Everything in thier USA store is metric! Whats with that??? (Oh Gawd! what have I started???)

[philbur]

Simple, just give the middleman saving to your local charity. The middleman can go out and find a job that adds value.

Maintaining inefficient systems and processes purely to provide work without adding value are domed to failure, look at what happened to communist Europe.

Just a more pragmatic thought on world economics.

Phil

Of course, When you buy direct from hong kong/china/etc, By cutting out all the middlemen, Not a single cent of yours remains in the country. Not a single human in your country is employed to stock shelfs, sweep isles, run the checkout or process returns.

Well, Except maybe the postman. He gets to keep his job at least. Assuming everyone can still find a job somewhere to be able to afford ordering more chinese junk.

Just a thought on world economics.

[Tony Ennis]

Simple, just give the middleman saving to your local charity. The middleman can go out and find a job that adds value.

Brutal, but I can think of no flaw in it.

[Black_Moons]

philbur: Eh, While I do find physical first hand inspection of items before buying them (physical stores verus online) and easy, 100% no shiping cost (if you wait till the next time you go there to buy stuff anyway) returns to be somewhat of 'add value', I also admit you raise a very valid point about jobs that I endorse whole heartly.

Jobs should not be about employing people for employment sake. If anything, Jobs should be eliminated with cut throat efficency whenever possible.
Why have 1000 factory workers when you can have 10 techs/repair guys that maintain the equivilent amount of automated machinery?
'you fired 990 people! They don't have jobs anymore!', Yea, but they where 990 people doing stupid manual work that I bet not one of them actualy enjoyed. And none where paid enough to live life they way they want. Put tab A into Slot B, Repeat 90,000 times, 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year.
Now we have 10 people who do something a little more varyed and much harder and more expensive to automate. 10 jobs that require education, Thinking and actual skills. They might even enjoy thier jobs to some degree as it is at least not 100% mindless repeation. And being they are the only 10 guys to pay in the entire factory, they would likey earn a lot more doing the highly skilled repair/maintence then mind numbing assembley work of the people obsoleted.

Jobs, Should be about doing work that is done better manualy then pratical automation methods. We all work way too much, And enjoy outselfs too little, Because of all these jobs that need doing!

Yea, Maybe a lot of people will end up outta work. Or maybe without need to pay all these people wages for employments sake, Things will become so cheap, and the few remaining jobs pay so much, That you only need to work 1 day a week to maintain your current lifestyle.

And as for my physical store 'Added value'.. A giant (array of?) vending machine(s) could pertty much replace most of the staff in a store. Even stocking the machines could be done by machines. And packing broken/returned stuff up to send back to the factory.

[John Stevenson]

Simple, just give the middleman saving to your local charity. The middleman can go out and find a job that adds value.

Maintaining inefficient systems and processes purely to provide work without adding value are domed to failure, look at what happened to communist Europe.

Just a more pragmatic thought on world economics.

Phil

But be prepared to have to buy everything from China when the middlemen decide it's not worth the hassle and shut up shop.

[hareng]

Never a truer word John.

Use em or loose em!