Competing in a Global Economy - A Firsthand Experience

[jaudette3]

I've noticed demand for my LED assemblies waning a bit and I think I've discovered the reason - price. As they always do with everything sooner or later, China is knocking off JW Speaker 8700 Evolution 2 LED headlights, the ones I use as my premium LED offering. They're a fraction of the price of the Speakers which are made in the U.S.

The reviews I've read about the knock-offs are highly favorable and I've ordered a pair to test them. If they work well I will be able to offer them for under $400.00, less than half of what I sell the U.S. made Speakers for.

With consumers insatiable demand for low prices and being catered to by Walmart and, increasingly, Amazon, it's pretty obvious why it's difficult for countries outside Asia to compete. If I want to be competitive in my small niche I have to compete price wise, even in an upscale market like Porsches - I simply have no choice as much as I hate it.

Thanks,
John

P.S. And they are really alert. My tiny business started receiving solicitations for wholesale purchase of China made LEDs a few weeks ago. JW Speaker has been almost snotty about their refusal to sell to me wholesale.

[ajwans]

I've been meaning to ask you about http://www.vintagecarleds.com

They advertise on thesamba and appear to be a decent product.

andy

[jaudette3]

Andy...

As happens with so many things in a global economy it appears that 7" LED headlamps are rapidly becoming a commodity.

John

[RSTarga]

I remember paying $200 for a Sinclair calculator, back in the mid 70's.

On the other hand euro H1's are going the other way, I don't even want to mention Sport Seats.

[boxster03]

I just purchased a 55" 4K tele at Frys electronics for $299 - lets discuss commodities (including 1974-1989 911's)

[Tdskip]

....lets discuss commodities (including 1974-1989 911's)

Pricing on those is, generally, moving up.

[swbstudios]

And yet another American company will die because folks are happy to use products from a slave labor country that doesn't respect copyrights. Sad on many levels. Maybe you can offer both so that those people not wanting to sell out for a few bucks will have the option to support their own.

[CPRSteve]

Not quite- it sounds like JW Speaker has created their own problem by not opening a dialogue with someone interested in continuing a new and innovative market for their product.

A lot of American suppliers are slow to change and hard to deal with. Their rigid inflexibility is part of the reason they're getting knocked off- no one wants to deal with their special brand of "customer service."

At the shop, we frequently get solicitations from Europe and Canada, but rare is the day that an American company calls us.

Also, the JW Speaker LED headlights are a little... brutal-looking. Part of the 911's iconic look is its "face," which is normally seen here in the States with sugar scoops but worldwide with H4s and fluted lenses. LED headlights, and projector headlights as well, change the look. Although LEDs are available for my Range Rover Classic, and would increase light output, I cannot bring myself to trade that form for function.

[jaudette3]

I recently purchased a pair of JW Speaker LED knock-offs made in China with the intent of testing them. When I took them out of the box they immediately looked cheaply made compared to real Speakers. I repackaged them and sent them back. No Chinese LEDs will be offered by me for the foreseeable future. If someone wants to save money by buying that crap they're going to have to buy it somewhere else.

Meanwhile, back to restoring high quality German parts and offering U.S. made LED headlights.....

Cheers,
John