14 FOOT MAR10 agent prov:Footwear_Jan10_p12 04/03/2010 11:06 Page 14
AGENT PROVOCATEUR
Made in?
H
ow many of you are aware the country of origin of the amounts to. Stop manufacturing, hand over all our skill-base and
shoes that you are buying/selling? Do you care? what have we got? How will we support ourselves? There are
Should you know? Does it matter? definitely arguments for ‘buying British and ‘thinking local’.
The British footwear industry has gone through Look at the growth of the farmer’s market that thrive on
some mighty big changes in the last 10 years and one of the “local sales” in a small bid to take on the giant supermarkets
biggest is the fact that we have lost most of our and their price demands – and don’t kid yourselves, those
manufacturing base to countries like China, Korea, India same demands will be made of us by the overseas factories
and alike. The biggest question I have for you is: “Is it when we have nothing ourselves to offer!
better or worse having product travelling half way So my first question to you all was “Are you aware
round the world to land at our doorstep for our of the country of origin of the shoes that you are
pleasure? And, is this really the most cost buying” I want you to tell me if you think it
effective way to do business, or do we have an matters or not? This is now my third column and
alternative that we choose to ignore?” although a few of you have written to our
Are we really concerned with global warming, magazine, not in any official way, so come on, stop
green issues and how it will affect our planet in the apathy, either take umbrage, have a dig …or
years to come? Is it simply easier to shirk our even agree with me!
responsibilities as employers, due to the many Why not ask when out shopping to buy a piece of
varied and changing employment laws and furniture, a suit, or even when ordering your shoes
legislation, and to invest in other countries’ “Please could you tell me where this is made?” You
economies, just because it is simply easier to pay may think does it matter, but certainly when buying
transportation costs? shoes it does on many levels. I bet you have never
Let’s look at the facts. The most important
factor in all of this is down to product cost. You
the retailers are being told by the consumer that
Is it better or worse having product travelling half way
price is an issue - or are you? Is it simply you
wish to capitalise more on suppliers’ investment?
round the world to land at our doorstep for our pleasure?
You say consumers demand cheaper priced
shoes (and other merchandise) with more
Is this really the most cost effective way to do business, or
fashion content, therefore more work involved in
do we have an alternative that we choose to ignore? Are
them. The only way the shoe industry (and other
industries) can cope with these demands is to we really concerned with global warming, green issues and
find cheaper ways of producing what is a high
labour and material content product. This can
how it will affect our planet in years to come?”
only be done by employing a workforce that only
needs a small income per week to survive and dreamed of asking – but then again, does your salesman
prosper. know? Many shop assistants, reps and agents will look at
It never ceases to amaze me that we can look you with mouth open, sweaty palms and won’t have a clue
halfway around the world to get our products made about where their goods started. That’s a whole other
with all the normal dilemmas of logistics, time, language debate!
barriers, quality issues etc., and we still get better value for So, have a think, does it really matter where our
money from other manufacturing bases around the globe (nor goods come from in this new world of ours that is
do we?). getting smaller by the day? I personally think it
Let’s not forget that we have a number of brave – indeed should. How is it sensible to have our product
heroic manufacturers left in various parts of the UK making transported half way round the world just because
some excellent shoes. They are doing a fine job and still we want something to be a little cheaper than it
managing to keep the prices low enough for the consumer to was last year? Any ideas what could encourage a
buy, in some cases by the bucket full. But, how long will they rethink and get the wheels of industry turning
continue to do this as they see more and more manufacturers again?
turning into merely suppliers, making staff redundant, and As I said right at the beginning, you the retailers are
closing large factory units that are worth a fair amount in ‘real saying that the consumer demands cheaper product, but are you
estate’ terms. How long will it be before the British shoe industry being entirely honest or do you simply employ bad or untrained
has completely disappeared, or in the words of Basil Fawlty – salespeople and rely on the product to sell itself? I believe that the
deceased, completely defunct, dead, is no more? consumer thinks they want cheaper product, but what they really
How long will it take us to realise that it really was a good thing want is ‘better value’ products that last, look good and are ‘sold’ to
to buy products on your doorstep, to save the planet and to keep them with care and knowledge making their purchase more
people in work, so they have some self-respect. So, they don't worthwhile and enticing - which is completely different to cheap!
simply become couch potatoes awaiting their giro - more people Come on put pen to paper, what do you think?
looking at fewer and fewer of the employed to keep the economy Replies please, to Footwear Today Editor, Cheryl Taylor
afloat for all the handouts. Sounds harsh, but that's what is Email: cheryltayloreditor@googlemail.com
14
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FOOTWEAR TODAY
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MARCH 2010 www.footweartoday.co.uk
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