Beemaster's International Beekeeping Forum

BEEKEEPING LEARNING CENTER => EQUIPMENT USAGE, EXPERIMENTATION, HIVE PLANS, CONSTRUCTION TIPS AND TOOLS => Topic started by: bayareaartist on May 25, 2005, 01:01:11 am

Title: about equipment from china
Post by: bayareaartist on May 25, 2005, 01:01:11 am
I know I might get flamed about this one, but I am still going to ask it.

While I was looking on the web, I come upon this link.

www.orientbee.com

and I sent them an email. I ordered a catalog and I was wondering if anyone has done business with this outfit before.

thank you,
Donn
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Michael Bush on May 25, 2005, 10:36:01 am
I worry enough about Americans ripping me off and I have some kind of recourse here in the courts.  I didn't see any prices?  Am I missing something?  What about shipping?
Title: BUY AMERICAN
Post by: Bruce Hanson on May 25, 2005, 01:56:06 pm
We are now getting millions of pounds of inported honey from China now and now you want to buy your bee equipment from them too,how about bringing coolies over and let them work your bees too!!!enought is enought
Title: nip this in the bud
Post by: bayareaartist on May 25, 2005, 02:34:27 pm
You know, I have been reading this and other forums for awhile now, and to begin with I am a potter, so lets talk about Chineese competition.

The chinees can make and ship and sell BETTER LOOKING, BETTER MADE pottery than most of the potters here in the USA. I don't care if the pottery is handmade, even here in the USA, most of it is junk and is a waste of the material.

I realize it. I deal with it. I know what my public likes.

Now similar to potters, I get the idea most of the beekeepers are solitary people. Spending way too much of thier time alone in thier own minds worrying about things they have no control over.

Time to get yourself out of your mind.

Now, you cannot tell me that if you had the chance to buy woodenware for 20 to 30% what we pay here you would ignor that?
I want you to go and look in your closet, look at your clothes, are you sure they are all made in the USA, how about your shoes?
Your powertools? your houshold appliances? your silverware?
I can go on, but I won't.

I am from the midwest, Lincoln Nebraska, and the sandhills, Micheal is probably one of the only people ont he board that knows about the sandhills. So I understand the mindset. But we are talking about survival here.

Big imported honey is here, it is a global economy. It is time small beekeepers realize they will have to package themselves differently.
Small scale beekeepers cannot compete with international imports.
So you have to look to a different model.
Look at the artisnal cheese industry that has grown up in the country in the last 10 years. They make cheese that rival and beat the europeans for quality.

Beekeepers who want to make part of thier income from Honey will have to look to promote themselves on a regional level. Get together as a group and do this, I know a lot of you do this, but I mean a concerted effort, but this goes against the solitary beekeeper mentality, I bet you couldn't get 10 medium sized beekeepers in a room and get them to agree on a business model even if I layed it out and pointed to it and SAID, this will make you more money.

Lastly I think people should learn to read the posts, several times.
Then ask yourself, what is the post asking? Not what you think the poster wants to debate, If I wanted a debate on importing stuff that would have been in the post.

In the end I am just a curious Artist who likes the idea of keeping bees for the playing with the genitics of it.
Thanks.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Anonymous on May 25, 2005, 03:47:45 pm
Wow.  Think I'll go out and sit with my beehives for a while...  It's nice a peaceful out there.   :roll:
Title: Re: nip this in the bud
Post by: Robo on May 25, 2005, 05:19:44 pm
Quote from: bayareaartist

In the end I am just a curious Artist who likes the idea of keeping bees for the playing with the genitics of it.
Thanks.



Well your in luck, the only thing I know the Chinese for (as far as beekeeping anyway) is their grafting tools. :wink:

The good news is you can get them here in the US for $3.50.
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=646
Title: Still say buy American
Post by: Bruce Hanson on May 26, 2005, 11:32:30 am
I guess I'm just an old fashion type of guy that still thinks buying USA made products is helping out your fellow countryman.silly me Iknow thats just me.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Jerrymac on May 26, 2005, 12:12:17 pm
Not just you Bruce. And I will also give my business to the little local guys even if it is more expensive.
Title: Re: Still say buy American
Post by: Robo on May 26, 2005, 03:24:02 pm
Quote from: Bruce Hanson
I guess I'm just an old fashion type of guy that still thinks buying USA made products is helping out your fellow countryman.silly me I know thats just me.

I wouldn't call it old fashion,  I still like to consider myself young (mid-30s) :D. I would call it noble or dare I say patriotic.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Bruce Hanson on May 26, 2005, 07:33:41 pm
HELL YES ,,CAN I GET A AMAN             PATRIOTIC IS NOT A DIRTY WORD!!
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: leominsterbeeman on May 26, 2005, 08:59:36 pm
AMEN!  

Oh, can I still say "Amen"?
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Chastened on July 10, 2006, 01:36:26 pm
DO NOT DEAL WITH ORIENTBEE UNLESS YOU WANT A LOAD OF PROBLEMS.  I SPEAK FROM EXPERIENCE.  YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Kathyp on July 18, 2006, 04:12:51 pm
looks like a little free market stuff going on there!  that's never a bad thing.

i'd rather support local businesses and i like to look and touch when i can.  especially since i am so new at this.  

even so...open commerce = contact = exchange of ideas = desire for more contact and more freedom to trade.....which eventually leads to a desire for more freedom overall.  at my advanced age  8)  i have seen china go through some pretty big changes.  they are far more engaged and open now than they were "back in the day".  they still have a long way to go.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: Jeff L on July 21, 2006, 12:52:59 am
I agree with Jerry, Bruce and Robo. Support the locals even if it costs a little more. Good service, good info, plus you make new friends. IE: Sacramento Beekeeping Supplies.
  The last time I looked China was a communist country. Free trade??? Nothing is "free" under communist rule! You do what the government says or else. The "else" is a BAD thing. Buy local.
J.
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: eejit on August 02, 2006, 08:51:12 am
Yet to hear how all you folks got on when you looked in ur cuboards and found them full of chinese goods?

Can I hear an amen?

I didnt think so.
Title: Re: nip this in the bud
Post by: Finsky on August 02, 2006, 09:36:41 am
Quote from: Robo
The good news is you can get them here in the US for $3.50.
http://www.betterbee.com/products.asp?dept=646


I use to make from birch twig a grafting "tool".  I got it from nearest tree. Sorry!
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: melliphile on August 02, 2006, 09:54:44 am
Chastened,  could you elaborate on your problems with Orientbee?  Just curious...
Title: about equipment from china
Post by: BEE C on August 15, 2006, 06:41:05 pm
This may not be patriotic or politically correct but...I work for a commercial apiary run by a beekeeper who came over from china ten years ago, and he doesn't buy anything from china for his business.  Pragmatism I think is the reason, if there is a problem with anything you buy, how would you return it?  He also goes on rants about the sorry state of beekeeping in China, banned pesticides being used, sugar added to the honey, not to mention that the chinese gov does not have a good record of human rights or workers rights.  My boss is not anti chinese at all but there is a hidden cost when you buy something from a country that treats its workers like slaves.  I would ask you to think about that when you buy anything from china.  Yeah its cheaper, but at whose cost? the workers working long hours in poor conditions.
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: wtiger on January 22, 2007, 03:49:56 am
China really needs to follow WTO rules and float their currency before I would willingly buy their goods.  They've already ran most of the manufacturing sector out of buisness here in the US with the help of our own government and large retail chains.  I don't thing I step a foot into a walmart but every 6 months; because of this.  That and most of it is junk.
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: Kirk-o on February 16, 2007, 06:15:36 pm
I go out of my way to buy local it helps the guy survive.He is the last honey guy around here I buy local
kirk-o

Buy American  Eat Apple Pie and Register to Vote
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: imabkpr on February 17, 2007, 12:39:01 am
You say buy american. look around people.those days are gone. The problem is not with the seller. Its with the buyer. If we all refused to buy non american products they would not be here for sale.

A few years ago I listened to a teamster business agent (truck drivers union)  talk to a large group of teamster members about this same thing "buy American " He sounded like a cheerleader at a ball game. Raved on and on, passed out bumper stickers,all types of sighns and hand bills etc.
saying BUY AMERICAN

When i left the meeting hall a few of us stood outside talking when this person came out of the hall, he handed out some more sighns went to and got in his car that had a bumper sticker on it saying "buy american"  THE CAR WAS VW BUG.

We have a country a lot closer to the U.S.A. than China  that need watching.   
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: wtiger on February 18, 2007, 06:52:01 am
Cars are on of those things where I would avoid buying American.  The automakers Unions have totally screwed GM and ford.  Only their high end cars and trucks are worth buying.  Everything else is junk. in my opinion and experience.  Heck if you buy a foreign vehicle anymore it's more likely that it was built in the US than if you buy a Ford or GM.  Now that's pretty sad.  Oh and I don't edvocate buying only american.  Just buying products that weren't made in a country where virtual slave labor is the norm and communism isn't the name of the game.
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: Jerrymac on February 18, 2007, 07:06:53 am
About that free trade stuff,

http://news.yahoo.com/s/csm/20070216/ts_csm/atrade;_ylt=AuHPFuRF5mrpMPL4mdemB1LMWM0F
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: pdmattox on February 18, 2007, 08:59:37 am
Americans want high wages,health insurance and other good job benifits.  They also refuse to pay the price of the products that were produced under those conditions. 
just a observation.
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: imabkpr on February 18, 2007, 11:03:36 am
Americans want high wages,health insurance and other good job benifits.  They also refuse to pay the price of the products that were produced under those conditions. 
just a observation.


Isn't that part of the american dream? Make big money, have good insurance, retire early. Move to florida.  Charlie 
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: Jerrymac on February 18, 2007, 12:04:39 pm
I never understood inflation. Nor do I understand the reasoning behind minimum wage laws. What good does it do to raise the wages if the result is price hiking?

What good does it do to make $100.00 bucks an hour if your morning cup of coffee cost you $88.50 and the donut is $20.00.
Title: Re: about equipment from china
Post by: Michael Bush on February 18, 2007, 03:29:57 pm
>What good does it do to raise the wages if the result is price hiking?

Exactly.