Further, when a US domestic company wants $25,000 to make an injection mold, and a Chinese company wants $1,800.00 to make the same mold (or $14,000 for an electronic design versus $1,500.00; or $39.92 for a part versus $6.94) it is a very difficult thing to turn down when you have very limited resources. It is not a matter of simply spending more: it is a matter of being able to do it all or not doing it at all.
I imagine some here will give me h%ll for even considering the possibility, but them's the economic realities of the situation.
"If I am already in China a big piece of the economic incentive to pirate my product will disapear."
I wouldn't bet the farm on that. Any successful product line can be ripped off, regardless of where you've sourced it. The profit is certainly still there. The Chinese have next to no regard for contracts, intellectual property or patents, and have been known to do the "pirating" themselves, and then go looking for a US distributor.
"This is a difficult question for me. I am considering moving a portion of my operation to China in the next 12 - 18 months. My reason is fairly simple: My product will be made in China whether I do it or not. If I am already in China a big piece of the economic incentive to pirate my product will disapear.
Further, when a US domestic company wants $25,000 to make an injection mold, and a Chinese company wants $1,800.00 to make the same mold (or $14,000 for an electronic design versus $1,500.00; or $39.92 for a part versus $6.94) it is a very difficult thing to turn down when you have very limited resources. It is not a matter of simply spending more: it is a matter of being able to do it all or not doing it at all.
I imagine some here will give me h%ll for even considering the possibility, but them's the economic realities of the situation."
Please don't do it!!
Why not go to a nonCommunist country for cheap labor.
I wish there were an entreprenor who would have a "Not-Made-In-China" catalogue or website. I would be their first customer.