Question

[WordWalker]

When we become a nation largely consisting of affiliate marketers, drop-shippers, consolidators and/or directory publishers, who will manufacture and/or provide the actual products and services?

Just wondering...

 

[mrjohn]

The Chinese.

I don't mean that as a joke, either. Look on eBay at the amount of stuff that ships from Hong Kong, or goes through New York after coming from Hong Kong. If it weren't for Hong Kong companies, I would have stopped using printer ink years ago!!

 

[malcarada]

I also believe Asia will be, and already is, one of the biggest exporters in the World, not only China, but also Japan and Korea.

The US and EU have the cutting edge when it comes to research and development, but not manufacturing, mainly due to prices from Asian factories against which you can not compete.

 

[DubDubDubDot]

When we become a nation largely consisting of affiliate marketers, drop-shippers, consolidators and/or directory publishers, who will manufacture and/or provide the actual products and services?

You might be severely overestimating the number of people who legitimately work in these areas. More people are looking to the internet because of fewer offline employment opportunities, but "making money online" requires a higher level of skill than today's entry level webmasters realize.

I share your concern about manufacturing, but only busting up the unions can correct that.

 

[baiducat]

chinese ie s worldwide factory.

 

[has2hands]

I share your concern about manufacturing, but only busting up the unions can correct that.

Very short sided view...the unions and their memberships are declining every year...less and less impact...it is more than unions that are the problems.

Manufacturing jobs meant a middle class existence for most folks...the middle class in America is an endangered species....past 8 year administration came in with a truck load of nails for our coffins and used them exceedingly well.

America has been gutted in the middle!

And yes, Asia will continue to provide our daily needs and wants until their middle and lower class continue to grow and aspire. Then, their wages will be too high, and I guess Africa will be the next manufacturing center.

Paul

 

[abdussamad]

You might be severely overestimating the number of people who legitimately work in these areas. More people are looking to the internet because of fewer offline employment opportunities, but "making money online" requires a higher level of skill than today's entry level webmasters realize.

I share your concern about manufacturing, but only busting up the unions can correct that.

LOL working online is far easier than a real world job. The money is better too. That is why more and more people are looking for work online.

 

[DomainTalker]

China will overtake Japan this year, as the world's 2nd largest economy (behind the US)...

...Its estimated China will overtake the US economy within 15-20 years...They are a powerhouse - and just getting started!

...And, then there is India...


Manufacturing capability throughout Asia (including India) is VAST - literally awe-inspiring!!....Far larger now than any western nation....and growing so fast your head would spin...

The new, and rising, middle class is Asian - and, they SAVE money, rather than use debt, as in the West.....That means, increasingly, the customer - as well as the manufacturer - is increasingly Asian...

Whilst Western economies struggle after the Financial Crisis - and are crippled with debt, low property prices, and, high unemployment - the Asian economies sailed through the Crisis - are in a net surplus financial position - and are now busy growing & getting stronger.


So....the answer to the OP's question is....look East, young man....That's where the money will be for the next 150 years....

....And, find a way to provide value-add services to them.

.

 

[DubDubDubDot]

LOL working online is far easier than a real world job. The money is better too. That is why more and more people are looking for work online.

Yes, but poorly skilled webmasters can make enough to be considered well off in your part of the world. Take India for instance. Doctors there make a little over $4,000 USD per year. So all webmasters there have to do is make $12 a day online and they are making more than a doctor (although this is more difficult than it seems for these people because of culteral differances).

The decision to work online isn't so simple here in the western world. Offline jobs pay far more than what entry level webmasters are generally able to make. Even stocking grocery store shelves at night is going to pay around $15,000 per year and usually have health, vision and dental benefits.

 

[abdussamad]

Yes, but poorly skilled webmasters can make enough to be considered well off in your part of the world. Take India for instance. Doctors there make a little over $4,000 USD per year. So all webmasters there have to do is make $12 a day online and they are making more than a doctor (although this is more difficult than it seems for these people because of culteral differances).

The decision to work online isn't so simple here in the western world. Offline jobs pay far more than what entry level webmasters are generally able to make. Even stocking grocery store shelves at night is going to pay around $15,000 per year and usually have health, vision and dental benefits.

Oh I see I thought the person who I replied to was referring to asians working online. I agree it must be harder for you in the west because of your higher cost of living. But at the same time you also have more opportunities. You have a larger amount of capital available, a lucrative domestic market and access to things like paypal which makes a massive difference.

I have to go through ad companies like google to sell advertising. I can't directly market ad space to end users. I can't even sell links on my site to end users. Also there is no paypal here for person to person transactions so no quick flipping of websites or domain names and no freelancing projects either.

BTW a doctor may start of at the income level you talked about but they earn 3-4 times more as they gain experience and make a name for themselves.