Somewhere along the line, Made in China began to sound like a bargain. (...) When an importer told a retail buyer that an item was quoted at 65¢ and made in the USA, the buyer figured it could be purchased somewhere cheaper. When the same product was quoted at 65¢ and was said to have been made in China the buyer figured it could not be found for any less.
Paul Midler, Poorly Made in China: An Insider's Account of the Tactics Behind China's Production Game
business