Does it matter where you make it?

One of the essential issues in international marketing is country of origin. In some categories, watches for example, the country of origin pretty much defines the highest levels of both quality and price. For consumers and retailers all over the world, Made in Switzerland is the unarguable badge of quality.

For cyclists, Italy gets a similar level of respect. The home of Campagnolo, the most storied name in bicycle components, and renowned bicycle brands like Bianchi, Cinelli, Colnago, Pinarello, and Wilier, Made in Italy has a level of authenticity that newer brands can only dream of.

Even though the Italian economy is in the dumps, and a Greece-style bailout may be lurking in country's near future, the "Made in Italy" tag still has value for consumers.

In an era when everything seems to be made in China, and no one seems to put enough value in authenticity, I think that there is something rather nice in a firm getting some mileage out of its country of origin. And if you are in the bicycle business, having Italy as your country of origin is not such a bad thing.