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?