If you’ve ever sold, produced, or represented a product or service built in this country you’ve at one time or another been confronted with competitors from foreign markets. It’s a cold reality that can’t be ignored. Is competition from foreign markets ever good? Well on a whole competition is extremely good……that’s when the playing field is level and all the participants start out with the same opportunities. Competition among companies in this country has resulted in some of the best technological advances we’ve ever seen. We are a better world and society because of the advancements brought about because of competition.
When I first started in the business of iron beds, I was importing containers of antique iron beds from England. But after a short period, I became aware in doing so, I was missing the competitive side of American beds that had been made here at the same time. British beds weren’t as high in quality as those being made at the same time in this country. As I’ve mentioned many times…the materials we used, specifically the higher grade of steel and iron ore coming out of the Pittsburgh steel mills made our beds much stronger than those being made in England. But British beds also were much more prevalent and widely distributed. I also started to realize the rest of the world didn’t have access to the American made beds. So why was I importing beds from another country that weren’t close to the quality of those we actually made in the 1800’s. It was pretty much a “no brainer” to realize American made beds from the 1800’s, were a much better route for me as a dealer to sell.
So in this instance competition from a foreign import, definitely had a positive effect on my business. I’m now the largest dealer of original old antique iron beds in the country…..dealing only in beds made in this country.
I hope you’ve found this blog informative . I invite you to revisit my website
to answer any and all questions you might have about antique iron beds.
I also invite you to take a look at our company Face Book page for multiple photo albums on Custom Finishes, Canopy Conversions and a comprehensive “Before & After” King Conversions album.
