The Sales Of Wiggy’s Bags

THE SALES OF WIGGY’S BAGS

Wiggy’s bags have been on sale for about five years now, and I am constantly asked how much longer the sale will last. My standard answer is until the economy y gets better. That answer should be bothersome because it means that the economy is not getting better. The good news for me is that I do not expect to see any company that has their sleeping bags made in Asia suddenly open a facility in the USA even though there are a substantial number of people who want to buy American made products. It should also be noted that I have no intention of making my bags outside of Grand Junction, Colorado.

I am still able to buy all of the materials necessary for all of my products from domestic suppliers that make the materials domestically, and the prices for these materials has not changed for three years, hence no cost increases means the products don’t go up in price. That unfortunately is not the case with companies that import their products. As I understand it, the costs of labor are increasing and that means the costs for raw materials are increasing, so the selling prices are increasing. What I have further observed is the deterioration of the general quality of the products being brought into the country. This is a direct result, I believe, of the American company telling the contractor what to do and how to make their products.

There is another reason why I do not see prices going up for me. It has to do with the number of people working; it is diminishing. Fewer workers mean less people with disposable income so retailers all over the country, not only Wiggy’s, are affected. And I do not see that situation changing anytime soon.

I read that Wal-Mart intends to spend $500 billion dollars over the next 10 years with American producers that make products in America. Of course they will have to find them. How many have they put out of business over the years? I personally want to see a resurgence of manufacturing in the USA since I would likely benefit, but I have my doubts. Being in the textile business since 1961 I have seen the exodus of first manufacturers of garments, sleeping bags, and shoes to mention just three. Soon after these end product companies left their suppliers followed them. So we had finished products factories close and the fabric mills closed. People were put out of work at all levels of production. I am sure there are a number of industries that experienced the exact same scenario. Wal-Mart is run by intelligent people so to my mind they know they will not be able to find many if any products made in the USA that fits into the price points that they require. If they go to a current supplier now sourcing product in China and ask that he starts producing in the USA that means setting up a factory. Setting up a factory means employees from upper management to the floor sweeper and everyone in between. When you consider the current rules and regulations governing businesses why would anyone want to make the investment?

I am very skeptical that this will amount to anything, but what do I know. I truly hope that it works that way because Wal-Mart and Wiggy’s as well as many other companies will benefit when people have jobs.

“THE OBJECTIVIST PRINCIPAL THAT THE RISE OF UNREASON IN A SOCIETY LEADS, IF UNCHECKED TO DICTATORSHIP” (A PRINCIPAL ON WHICH I BASED AN EARLIER BOOK ANALAZING HITLER’S TAKEOVER OF THE WEIMAR REPUBLIC).

Source: The DIM Hypothesis by Leonard Peikoff, page 253. The book he is referring to is “The Ominous Parallels” which was published in 1982.

If you read Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and note how perceptive she was with respect to the direction our country is going you will be well educated by Mr. Peikoff’s observations as well.