Coach Moved Production to China?

[Enigma89]

I had a Coach wallet that I bought last December and it was made in Spain. I recently replaced that wallet with this one: http://www.coach.com/content/product...category_id=53

I noticed today that the tag inside of the wallet that it is made in China. What gives? When did Coach decide to start moving Wallet production over to China? Furthermore, what makes them think that they can charge more for a wallet that is made in China over one that is made in Spain?

PS-Both of them are real wallets, both were purchased from Coach stores directly.

 

[vitaminc]

Originally Posted by Enigma89

I had a Coach wallet that I bought last December and it was made in Spain. I recently replaced that wallet with this one: http://www.coach.com/content/product...category_id=53

I noticed today that the tag inside of the wallet that it is made in China. What gives? When did Coach decide to start moving Wallet production over to China? Furthermore, what makes them think that they can charge more for a wallet that is made in China over one that is made in Spain?

PS-Both of them are real wallets, both were purchased from Coach stores directly.

So you didn't notice any difference in quality and didn't realize the wallet was made in China until you see the tag...

Why bother with where the product is made if the quality is indifferent? You are buying Coach's product for its brand, quality, and quality control.

 

[LeatherSOUL]

I believe it's been about 5 years since they moved most of their production to China. Seeing this as a trend for smaller semi-luxury brands. Just found out Kate Spade is also being made in China.

For a $1000 briefcase, I'd never buy made in China. Never. But, my current soft briefcase is a Coach, made in China, full nice supple leather, but found at a Coach outlet for less than $300.

 

[LeatherSOUL]

I also just purchased a duffel bag from Le Sportsac for $150...made in China...$150 for a made in China nylon duffel bag that came folded up in a plastic bag. I bet it cost about $10 to make in China. No joke.

I obviously didn't pay for it myself. We had store credit from a gift Tokidoki diaper bag that broke twice after about 6 months of use. Also made in China.

 

[Fishball]

Coach made a lot of thing in China for a long time.
The quality is not as good as used to be.
But the price doesn't go down also.
So, I didn't buy their products for years.

 

[slipperywhenwet]

My issue with "Made in China" isn't so much with the quality of the work, as it is with the principle of the matter. I am spending a great deal of money on my clothing with the intention that I am paying wages to a craftsman. I want to be supporting someone who is earning a decent living by doing his or her job, not some dirty factory owner who pays his or her employees pennies a day. I will and have paid Chinese tailors in Shanghai to produce clothing, because I know that they aren't forcing children who are chained to their sewing machines to do the work.

 

[jsherman02]

The list is too long of items made in China....Burberry bags is one that caused quite a "scene" when they starting producing their items in China.

 

[gordon gartrell]

Is this really about WHERE the bags are made or WHO is making them? There seems to be alot of protectionist rhetoric going around these days that is ignorant of the real global economy.

If Coach bags were made in Spain or Italy of course everyone would ASSUME that they are the best of quality. This could not be further from the truth. Coach is making thier bags where its economically feasible to do so. The quality has nothing to do with where an item is made but by the company that sells it.

Everyone talks about the horrible conditions of Chinese factories but forget that America went through the same growing pains. Haven't you ever read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair that depicted the horrid conditions of the meat-packing industry here in the U.S.

 

[Teacher]

Originally Posted by slipperywhenwet

My issue with "Made in China" isn't so much with the quality of the work, as it is with the principle of the matter. I am spending a great deal of money on my clothing with the intention that I am paying wages to a craftsman. I want to be supporting someone who is earning a decent living by doing his or her job, not some dirty factory owner who pays his or her employees pennies a day. I will and have paid Chinese tailors in Shanghai to produce clothing, because I know that they aren't forcing children who are chained to their sewing machines to do the work.

This is along my lines of thinking. I really don't care where something is made, but when I know damned well they're making the item for a fraction of the cost somewhere else but charging the same amount as something made in a developed country (and probably in a union shop), I know exactly where the money's going. No thanks.

Originally Posted by gordon gartrell

Is this really about WHERE the bags are made or WHO is making them? There seems to be alot of protectionist rhetoric going around these days that is ignorant of the real global economy.

It's not ignorant to wish well for one's own regional economy, and it is ignorant to believe such a thing doesn't exist any longer. I wish these things were still made in the USA, for reasons of economy as well as pride. However, it isn't something that keeps me awake at night.

Everyone talks about the horrible conditions of Chinese factories but forget that America went through the same growing pains. Haven't you ever read "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair that depicted the horrid conditions of the meat-packing industry here in the U.S.

So that's an excuse for deplorable conditions and wages??

 

[zalb916]

Originally Posted by Enigma89

what makes them think that they can charge more for a wallet that is made in China over one that is made in Spain?

Because people, including yourself, will still buy the product without noticing any difference in quality.

 

[NorCal_1]

in contrast, I got an email from Myron Glaser of Glaser Designs at 9 pm last night (from his office!) saying that he personally spent hours hand dyeing the hyde he's using to make me an antiqued version of this briefcase

when you factor in the time Myron has spent plus the cost of the high quality leather he uses (thick saddle leather) and the quality of the workmanship (quality that travel writer Peter Greenberg says is the only bag that will last his lifetime), it's an incredible deal

I can't wait to write up a full review on Glaser Designs as this process continues - factory tour and all

 

[Crane's]

I now own a Filson Aviator leather jacket. It's made in China. The leather and craftsmanship is excellent. As stated earlier, if the item meets the specs of the company that outsourced it then where it is made is of no consequence.

I have been following China's development for nearly 20 years now. It is changing rapidly. Quality is up and yes the working class has a much better standard of living for the most part. Industrialization is not an over night process. It took the US a hundred years to get where it is now and the crap that went on during that period is exactly the same as what China is going through. History repeats itself and it's funny how the guilty are the ones who cry injustice the loudest.

 

[RJman]

Coach used to stand for American-made quality and heritage. About 15 years ago they ran an ad campaign featuring descendants of famous Americans such as Ben Franklin which drew on this. Prices were in-line with American manufacturing costs and decent quality materials. China-made Coach knockoffs were being sold at Target which looked similar, even down to the little leather tag, but the price was much lower and the quality seemed suspect.

It appears that Coach moved production several times. It's established itself as a luxury brand and now sells items for the same price which must cost it a tiny fraction of what it used to to make. Where does the money go? Into Sara Lee's pockets and those of its shareholders, and to its marketers. I imagine that as more brands do this (charging the same high prices for outsourced goods) they can use the savings on marketing costs and choke off reputable local makers whose margins are much slimmer. In the end, quality will decline.

 

[SoCal2NYC]

Originally Posted by Enigma89

Furthermore, what makes them think that they can charge more for a wallet that is made in China over one that is made in Spain?


The fact that in this day and age production capabilities are even across the board and country of origin means nothin.

 

[Crane's]

Quote:

In the end, quality will decline.

Your statement is vague an ambiguous at best.

If a company maintains it's specs on a particular item and follows through with QA then the quality will not go down. Quality deteriorates when cheaper inferior raw materials are speced out for the item or the manufacturing tolerances are loosened up. Some of the reasons for this is to keep the price at a certain point or to stay competitive in your market. The other reason is simply greed. This is especially true in the luxury clothing market. I know a bit about leather and a whole lot about manufacturing. There is no leather and leather process that can justify a wallet that retails for a 1000 bucks. It's all about the name and nothing else. If you think the price of your name brand luxury item is going to go down because they were smart enough to figure out how to widen their profit margin guess again. As long as the name buyers exist it won't happen. Now if the buyers disappeared then it might happen.