Made in the USA - the Preferred Choice

Since the start of the pandemic, distributors have increasingly stated their desire for American-made goods. Clients are now starting to feel the same way. 

In an industry  where 90% of suppliers import their products from overseas, the days of the American manufacturing machine powering the entire promo industry are long gone. However, a key switch has occurred with the pandemic: distributors are expressing a much stronger preference to purchase U.S.-made goods . In the 2020 Counselor SOI report (fielded before Covid ), 69% of distributors professed a desire to purchase Made-in-USA items.

 In 2021, that figure went up to 76%. An lest you think it was a one-time phenomenon, the numbers increased again to 80% this year. It seems like that preference is  slowing turning into action. Suppliers reported that more than of their distributor clients (54%) asked for Made-in-USA products than the previous year. Likewise, surveyed distributors said 41% of their end-buyers asked for more American-made products as well. Price has historically been the greatest hurdle to purchasing more Made-in-USA products. But if American manufacturers can compete amid a sea of rising costs, and deliver on inventory while overseas importing is beset with disruption, then perhaps the tide can turn back a little to American shores. 

Reprinted with permission of ASI/ASI Media.