Buying USA Made Toys This Christmas

How're you all doing on your shopping? Still have a few gifts to buy? Yeah, me too. I'm hoping to be done in the next week or so.

On the bet that you're still doing some shopping too, I thought I'd run this article about buying toys made right here in the good ol' US of A. I was approached via email lately to see if I'd be interested in offering you an article about toy shopping or toy safety...or something along those lines (it was www.ToysAndGamesOnline.com after all!). This is that article. It's written by one of their creative writers just for you. If you're interested in buying USA-made toys to try to support our local jobs and economy, this might be a good place to start.

Happy shopping!


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Tips for Buying USA-Made Toys

We've seen a huge trend in recent years towards buying American-made products. From American made cars and American made clothes to furniture and toys - American-made is highly in demand. While this trend has leveled off slightly from its peak, just after the start of Iraq war, many Americans are still searching for American-made products. What's more, in these tough economic times, the loss of American jobs is hitting home with a lot of people, causing many to stray away from imports in favor of American-made. Shopping for American made products isn't always as easy as it sounds. Many products with a "made in the USA" label contain parts and components that are in fact made abroad. Here are some helpful tips for you to follow when buying American-made toys.

1.) Read The Label/Packaging

Reading the label and packing on the toys you purchase is step one in ensuring that the product is in fact made in the USA. Many toy manufacturers have information on their packaging that explicitly details which parts and components are made in the US and which are not. Step2 for instance actually has two different types of labels - "Made in the USA" and "Made in the USA of US and Imported Parts." The former is assigned to products that are totally and completely made in the US, while the latter may be manufactured in the US, but has parts and components that were manufactured outside of the US. Just as you read the labels in your local supermarket - reading the labels on your toys is equally important when shopping for toys made in the USA.

2.) Check Out The Manufacturer's Website

If you can't find any information on the products packaging, checking out the manufacturer's website is a great idea. Many toy manufacturers have a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) section where the American-made issue might be addressed. Other manufacturer websites might even have a specific section devoted to their selection of American-made toys. The Little Tikes website, for instance has a whole page that outlines which toys are made in the US, as well as average product ratings and details.

3.) Check Out Online Retailers

Many online retailers have picked up on the American-made buying trend and have special pages filled with American-made toys. While these sites might not distinguish between totally American made and products made in the USA with imported parts, you can call the store's customer service department. Customer service reps often have a direct line to the manufacturers and can ask any questions that you might have, getting you answers within the hour.

Whether you wind up buying American-made toys or not, it's important that you do your research. Not only does proper research educate you on where a product is manufactured, but research can also save you money! It’s also worth noting that just because a product is made in the US, doesn't mean that it won't get recalled. Stay up on the latest product recalls by visiting Recalls.gov. By becoming an educated consumer, you become a smarter consumer.