Major "USA" Deception

[Stuey]

Okay, so I got a new catalog in the mail today and started to flip through it while waiting for the wife's train to arrive.

There are quite a few tweezers with two order #s. There is an "ACU" suffix to stand for "Accutek pattern" and another suffix, "USA" to stand for "Technik pattern."

Umm, okay. On the bottom of the page, there is an asterisk that says: "*USA - Ultra Satin Anti-Glare Finish."

ULTRA SATIN ANTI-GLARE FINISH... and they slap a USA suffix to the damn product number!!!!!

Example

I am not sure where these are made, but the price tag suggests that it's not here.


Someone needs to be slapped over this.

 

[eschoendorff]

You did well... and read the fine print. Let's be honest, no entity is going to stop companies from doing things like this. It is up to us to read the fine print before we buy.

Caveat Emptor!

 

[Vinko]

What's even worse is that, as far as I know, a significant part of the product doesn't even have to be made here (that is, manufactured here), to get the moniker "Made in the USA".

One guy I know with a GSA (Gov't Service Acct -- which means he can sell to the Gov't), has told me that "finishing" of a product, packaging, labor, and marketing can make a product over 51% made in the USA, therefore, you can call it that.

US Customs has more info on their website on what constitutes Made in the USA if anyone's interested.

 

[Stuey]

That's the thing - these guys aren't even claiming that it's made in the USA!! They're adding a USA acronym to the product number, which could very easily fool people into thinking that the tool is made in the USA.

 

[philw]

Vinko, you were given bad info. Unless the FTC changed their law, which I don't think has happened, then all or virtually all of the product has to be made in the USA. Finishing doesn't cut it.....that's what Stanley tried to pull the first time.
Here is the 2nd time they were busted, it involved the MAC 0 degree ratchet.


FTC Alleges Stanley Made False Made in the USA Claims About Its Tools

Will Pay $205,000 For Allegedly Violating Previous FTC Order
The Stanley Works, a U.S. toolmaker, will pay a $205,000 civil penalty to settle Federal Trade Commission charges it falsely claimed its Zero Degree ratchets were Made in the USA. The claims allegedly violated a 1999 FTC order issued against the company to resolve earlier allegations that it had made false Made in the USA claims. The 1999 order prohibits it from, among other things, misrepresenting the extent to which any professional grade hand tools, including wrenches, ratchets, sockets, and chisels, are made in the United States.

“Many consumers rely on Made in the USA claims when choosing products. They expect those claims to be truthful,” said Lydia Parnes, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Companies that market products as Made in the USA must verify information from their suppliers before they make that claim.”

According to the complaint, the Zero Degree ratchets, made under Stanley’s MAC Tools trademark, were marketed as Made in the USA, when the foreign content was actually a substantial part of the product. For a product to be labeled Made in the USA, it has to be all or virtually all made domestically. A manufacturer may still label a product as Made in the USA when the cost of any foreign parts and foreign labor involved in making the item is negligible.

The settlement announced today imposes a $205,000 civil penalty – a significant portion of the profits made from selling the mislabeled wrenches – and prohibits Stanley from violating the 1999 order. By filing this new complaint, the expiration date of the 1999 order is now extended to 20 years from the date the new complaint is filed.

 

[a390st]

The made in the USA thing all depends on the product. With bicycles, it can be made in China and assembled, painted, and packaged in the US and be labeled "made in the USA". It all depends on the percentage of work done where. With tools, they are much stricter. I think it is because someone raised a stink about some dishonesty and something was accomplished. Depending on the product they may have to label it "made in USA with *** components", or just may be allowed to say "made in USA". I wish every industry was forced to be as honest as the tool industry.

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

I read about a case, on another board, where a company was busted for "made in USA", when they meant, the CITY of USA, in the COUNTRY of China (yes there is a town called that).

If it said USA on it, then I would report it to the FTC. To get companies to improve, we have to stop letting them slip by!

 

[Coach James]

I've had no luck finding a city in China named "USA".

There is this related to japan though.
http://www.snopes.com/business/genius/usa.asp

There is, however, a town in Texas called China.

Coach

 

[Vinko]

The publication that I was thinking of came from this site:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/newsroom/publications/trade/

But I can't find the "Made in the USA" requirements file anymore.

Looks like they totally revamped their site.

This is the FTC's publication, but I thought the Customs' publication was more detailed.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/buspubs/madeusa.shtm

 

[Ye Moderne Locksmitherie]

Paris Texas ?

Made in USA ( oosa ) Japan.... an old post-WWII story my dad told me when I was a kid.