# Does Contractors buy LED lights from Chinese Factory?



## Stark Lau (May 25, 2017)

Hi all,

I am just so curious if lighting contractors tend to buy lights from Chinese manufactures or from local distributors ?


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## HackWork (Oct 2, 2009)

Stark Lau said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am just so curious if lighting contractors tend to buy lights from Chinese manufactures or from local distributors ?


Both. Supply houses sell chinese lights.


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## MikeFL (Apr 16, 2016)

Stark Lau said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am just so curious if lighting contractors tend to buy lights from Chinese manufactures or from local distributors ?


It is most common to buy from a local supply house. A local supply house is going to stand behind the product. If there is a problem, the contractor can resolve the matter, often the same day, with the local supply house. 

As Hack said, the lights could be made anywhere.

But a contractor is not likely to deal directly with a Chinese manufacturer. There is too much risk, it is too much work, and it takes too long, and if there's a problem, there is little to no recourse.


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## telsa (May 22, 2015)

Even more important: no Red Chinese player is going to be satisfied with an EC's volume.

A couple of cases, here and there, don't cut it.

Any manufacturer needs to see thousands of cases... many container loads.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Stark Lau said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I am just so curious if lighting contractors tend to buy lights from Chinese manufactures or from local distributors ?


As long as it's NRTL, most of us don't care

~CS~


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## JosephE (Apr 25, 2017)

Everything's Chinese these days, but if it's NRTL you shouldn't worry.


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## The_Modifier (Oct 24, 2009)

It depends, since you are "in the LED lighting business" 


> About Stark Lau
> What is your electrical related field/trade:
> LED lighting business
> General Location
> New York


and since I am in Canada, are the CUL or CSA approved?
:thumbsup:


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

There are many benefits from buying from a local distributor that you don't get from online purchases, true customer service being the biggest one.


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## Stark Lau (May 25, 2017)

The_Modifier said:


> It depends, since you are "in the LED lighting business"
> 
> 
> and since I am in Canada, are the CUL or CSA approved?
> :thumbsup:


They are cETL., it seems you hit the point, Lol..


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## LuckyLuke (Jun 1, 2015)

I do everything I can to avoid purchases online and deal as local as possible. Over the years I have encountered a few counterfeit items and I would rather lower that risk but knowing who my supplier is and I can walk in with part in hand when it fails. 

A certain Quebec company who changes names often contacts me now and then with circuit breaker pricing 80% cheaper then I can get locally, when I ask who supplies them they don't really seem to have a believable answer to that.

Shopping in China Town in Calgary I got a laugh out of the "medical" section of the store. Many of the products had stickers on them saying they are approved by HEOLTH CANADA.....:no:

So basically I prefer dealing local with business that hire local, I have only come across a couple customers that asked about a Chinese option to lower the costs, I never answered their calls again.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

I almost never buy any kind of lighting at the supply house unless absolutely necessary. For instance, exit and emergency lights. Econolight.com beats them on price by a wide margin.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

LuckyLuke said:


> I do everything I can to avoid purchases online and deal as local as possible. Over the years I have encountered a few counterfeit items and I would rather lower that risk but knowing who my supplier is and I can walk in with part in hand when it fails.
> 
> A certain Quebec company who changes names often contacts me now and then with circuit breaker pricing 80% cheaper then I can get locally, when I ask who supplies them they don't really seem to have a believable answer to that.
> 
> ...


That is kinda funny to me as just yesterday I bought a Sq=d breaker online. 
My supply house was $500, Amazon was $150. The supply house was 4 days out Amazon was 2 days. What would you do?


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

MTW said:


> I almost never buy any kind of lighting at the supply house unless absolutely necessary. For instance, exit and emergency lights. Econolight.com beats them on price by a wide margin.


I have pretty much quit Econo-light as their website sucks and the product is expensive. 
I have gone to Morris products.


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## LuckyLuke (Jun 1, 2015)

sbrn33 said:


> That is kinda funny to me as just yesterday I bought a Sq=d breaker online.
> My supply house was $500, Amazon was $150. The supply house was 4 days out Amazon was 2 days. What would you do?


Wait the 4 days so I am not risking my reputation by installing fake junk.


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## MTW (Aug 28, 2013)

sbrn33 said:


> I have pretty much quit Econo-light as their website sucks and the product is expensive.
> I have gone to Morris products.


Morris is almost exactly the same as Econolight.


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## MechanicalDVR (Dec 29, 2007)

sbrn33 said:


> That is kinda funny to me as just yesterday I bought a Sq=d breaker online.
> My supply house was $500, Amazon was $150. The supply house was 4 days out Amazon was 2 days. What would you do?


Ever have any problems with stuff from Amazon?


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## Stark Lau (May 25, 2017)

MTW said:


> I almost never buy any kind of lighting at the supply house unless absolutely necessary. For instance, exit and emergency lights. Econolight.com beats them on price by a wide margin.


But Econo's lights come from China too.


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## Stark Lau (May 25, 2017)

LuckyLuke said:


> Wait the 4 days so I am not risking my reputation by installing fake junk.


Amazon charges every supplies more than 15% of the rate, it is hard to believe they are selling in such a low price.


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## sbrn33 (Mar 15, 2007)

MTW said:


> Morris is almost exactly the same as Econolight.


Only the products are better.


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## readydave8 (Sep 20, 2009)

As far as buying cheap Chinese junk from non-standard sources

My bad experiences were mostly long enough ago that were from catalogs rather then internet

Gfci's that would get hot and stop working, many unpaid callbacks on that one

nm connectors that would crumble, even before finger tight

So no thanks Mr Stark


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