Originally Posted by
CliffordK
One has to be very careful with changes.
Say the company throws them into the same group of Chinese/Taiwanese builders. Would they lose the marketing?
Would a person choose to buy a $2000 Bike Friday or a $600 Dahon Curve, or perhaps even a cheaper no-name import?
My guess is that Sears hit the same issue. They likely had major issues making price competitive tools in the USA. Still, they had loyal customers that would come and buy their Made in the USA tools for a premium price.
Then Sears chose to move their tool business to China. And, suddenly nobody wanted to pay premium prices for Made in China Craftsman tools (long advertised as made in the USA), especially with a number of other equivalent competitors at cheaper prices.
Of course, by the 2000's, the tools had become just a little corner tucked away in most of the stores.
But, I believe that Made in the USA Craftsman was a critical part of their company. Sure, they may have sold more jeans than ratchets, but the ratchets may be what actually brought the customers in the door (or appealed to both husband and wife).
A few years ago I wanted to buy some nice tools for my nephew. I just walked into Sears, then walked out the door empty handed... and about 6 months later the last local Sears store closed (while Bike Friday remained).
Yes, one has to be very careful with change...but that includes when knowing that its time to
make some. I'm just suggesting that BF might/may have have other options vs. selling the place lock-stock-barrel. Looking into dramatically cutting its manufacturing costs while STILL producing their hallmark brazed, steel frames
could be one of those changes. It doesn't mean their bikes would then be on par with a $600 Dahon. Thats a ridiculous presumption.
I think there''s a much bigger risk in the company being sold as a whole, and the entire she-bang starts being outsourced. Then you have a problem and nothing left but a once glorious name, with none of the substance (Schwinn comes to mind)
I own a Eugene Oregon designed and built teardrop trailer...a very highly regarded one within the Teardroppin' world. The builders select Russian Baltic plywood they use in the construction of their products for a number of reasons known to them. Does that mean it isn't a US made product? Or if, for some reason they started using "local" plywood, would it no longer be the same trailer product? I don't see the logic.
Sears' problems began and end with Lanpierre. Chinese-made Craftsman tools are but a victim of Eddie gutting the place from the tool department, into every other Department in Sears. He's cleaned it out. You used to be able to buy a kit home from Sears too...most of us prolly don't remember that but as an evolution in their company history Sears did sell them, then they didnt. And then many generations later a corporate raider came in and decimated that once giant American concern.
Seems like I struck nerve among some of us, not trying to...just suggesting that BF could consider following another boutique bike builder's lead and having a small, trusted source off-shore produce to spec. some of the costliest portions of their product, but at least they'd retain control of the end product, their bottom line, and their longstanding and well earned reputation.