Wow bobman what a conversation killer! Now I want to talk about the ADA aquariums and soils for freshwater. After a little digging I was offered the same dimension tanks with similar construction from.....CHINA for about a 1/4 TO 1/3 the current retail sales price. So the question becomes where does the ADA product originate and who actually manufactures it. If you notice AquaMaxx has the same tank styles along with ADA, Mr. Aqua, GLA, AquaLabs, AquaTop and Landen. I have only found about three actual manufactures with about a dozen faces for front companies from China. Now on personal inspection I have a hard time telling the difference between any of the low iron tanks. In a store that sells ADA the markings clearly showed Chinese origin. The price points are miles apart depending on where you shop. Is the ADA tank some how superior? Possibly but is it hard to tell the difference in most cases. I guess the precieved value may be driven by service of the product after the sale. Most of these tanks have 90 day warranties or less.
I was offered the specialized soil for much cheaper from China and can get private lable to my design. Same with the stainless Super Jet canisters. I must admit that either the ADA line has been knocked off in China or the same company that produces them for ADA is selling them out the back door with either no lable or their own lable on the product. It is a confusing market for me even though I have years of manufacturing and distribution under my belt. Do I just follow the crowd for a cheap product or do I look at total U.S. product at a higher cost to the consumer and will the consumer even care?
Your post demonstrates that the cheaper product has won you over. So as a potential provider of said aquarium items are you telling me not to compete and just cave into the less costly alternative? I would love to bring American made products back to the forefront but everywhere I look there are barriers to that development.
I was offered the specialized soil for much cheaper from China and can get private lable to my design. Same with the stainless Super Jet canisters. I must admit that either the ADA line has been knocked off in China or the same company that produces them for ADA is selling them out the back door with either no lable or their own lable on the product. It is a confusing market for me even though I have years of manufacturing and distribution under my belt. Do I just follow the crowd for a cheap product or do I look at total U.S. product at a higher cost to the consumer and will the consumer even care?
Your post demonstrates that the cheaper product has won you over. So as a potential provider of said aquarium items are you telling me not to compete and just cave into the less costly alternative? I would love to bring American made products back to the forefront but everywhere I look there are barriers to that development.
Last edited:
