Ask the CEO of Tupperware Brands, and he'll tell you Americans are cheap.
Rick Goings accused U.S. consumers of not valuing "quality" while explaining Tupperware's disappointing sales in North America, during an earnings call Tuesday....
"They buy price," Goings said of Americans. "Europe buys quality, Japan quality."My friends in import/export tell me much the same thing. Americans are interested in price and quantity rather than quality, whereas international buyers are interested in quality and are willing to pay the price to get it. But I'm not sure that this is anything that new, i.e., Wal-Mart inspired.
Rather, it's likely that Wal-Mart has been successful seemingly because Americans want inexpensive goods and don't care if they are cheap, too, since "stuff" is not expected to last long anyway.
International buyers have a different mentality, wanting high quality products that will last them for some time. In other words, non-Americans tend to be savvy shoppers, while American enjoy shopping. Utility is a cultural thing, apparently.
