manufacturedhomelivingnews.com Manufactured Home Living News
MHLivingNews has long backed the notion that consumers are routinely better off doing business with smaller businesses that tend to be more responsive to their needs than large firms that often feel empowered to ignore their clients’ best interests. On 11.30.2022, just days ago, the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) released a statement with videos that urged action on the antitrust front. While it isn’t manufactured housing specific, hundreds of manufactured home independents are reportedly NFIB members.
MHLivingNews is not necessarily embracing this call to action for ‘new’ antitrust action because the case could be made that current antitrust laws, if they were being properly enforced by members of both major parties. With that brief introduction, here is what NFIB and some of their members have to say
Per the NFIB press release provided to MHLivingNews is the following.
New Video: Small Business Owners Discuss Need for Antitrust Legislation
Owners explain the frustrations of working with large technology companies and the need for antitrust legislation to level the playing field
Owners explain the frustrations of working with large technology companies and the need for antitrust legislation to level the playing fieldWASHINGTON, D.C. (Nov. 30, 2022) – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small business advocacy organization, released two new videos featuring small business owners discussing their experiences with large technology companies who use unfair business practices at the expense of small businesses and consumers.
The dominance of big tech companies, such as Amazon and Google, has allowed for anticompetitive, problematic business practices that harm small businesses and limit consumer choice. The American Innovation and Choice Online Act, S. 2992, sponsored by Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), seeks to ensure a level playing field for businesses on the internet by prohibiting large technology companies from engaging in certain unfair practices.
Deeannah Seymour, a small business owner whose products are sold at over 45,000 retailers nationwide, explains the frustration of selling her products through Amazon: “After we realized what they were doing with our company and with our product, we felt compelled to speak out. [Amazon’s business practices] are not only illegal but are a huge consumer safety issue. They’re selling expired products…Consumer safety is a huge issue because anyone can open a store on Amazon and sell products, and there’s no recourse and no accountability. That would never happen at another major retailer…[The American Innovation and Choice Online Act] is so important not only for my small business but for all the other millions of small businesses across the U.S.”
Mark Faulkner, a small business owner from Nebraska, shares his experiences: “What we have in America right now is an unfair, uneven retail landscape. Walmart, Target, any of these big, brick-and-mortar retailers provide their own challenges, but, frankly, they’re a dream compared to Amazon. The practices that Amazon has going on – the vendor interactions, the lack of recourse and accountability, and the lack of professionalism in the marketplace – is something that would never happen at other, traditional retailers…It’s unfortunate that many companies who have had the same experiences that we have do not feel comfortable speaking out because they fear retaliation.”
NFIB sent a letter of support to the U.S. Senate in support of S. 2992, the American Innovation and Choice Online Act. According to a recent member ballot, 84% of NFIB members want Congress to take legislative action to stop the unfair and anticompetitive practices of large tech companies.
View Deeannah Seymour’s video here:
View Mark Faulkner’s video here:
##
Another voice for small business is the Job Creators Network (JCN). Both NFIB are technically nonpartisan, but their politics often are arguably more in alignment with the GOP political stances.
Not only do the majority of #smallbusiness owners rate the economy as poor, but they also think it’s only getting worse and the conditions for small businesses are worsening along with it.
(2/3)— Job Creators Network (@JobCreatorsUSA) December 2, 2022
No Surprise: A new report shows consumer confidence hits a four-month low amid persistent inflation and rising interest rates. The Biden Admin needs to get it together.
How much more #Bidenflation do they think people can take? https://t.co/9NogWlbHef
— Job Creators Network (@JobCreatorsUSA) December 1, 2022
MHLivingNews and our MHProNews sister-site have spotlighted the harms caused by monopolists for years. Some of the links and quotes below illustrate why this is an issue for the vast majority of citizens, save monopolists and their close allies. In shopping for a manufactured home consider the parent company, the firm that built the home.
If you are considering or in a land-lease scenario, these arguably oligopoly style monopolistic practices obviously matter. Says who? How about one of those who is busy gobbling up hundreds of formerly independent community owners!
Employees are also harmed by monopolization. See the two reports linked below to learn more.
What is the connection between billionaires, consolidators, and big corporations to rising housing costs, and more specifically, to affordable manufactured homes?
Private equity has been widely reported as being a contributing factor driving up housing costs. More manufactured home specific, James A. “Jim” Schmitz Jr. and his colleagues have said that to get more affordable homes and manufactured homes, there is a need to fight monopolies.
Since the entry of Berkshire Hathaway into the manufactured housing market, the production of manufactured homes plummeted. While there is an argument that there are several factors, there is also an evidence-based argument that ‘sabotage monopoly’ tactics has played a role in driving down manufactured housing while the industry has also been increasingly consolidated. Coincidences? Or are those trends clearly interrelated?
Manufactured home shoppers are encouraged to read the following and linked reports to learn more. Informed shoppers, and informed residents of manufactured home communities that are being pressed by predatory brands are logically more able to navigate the hurdles while gaining or keeping the benefits of more affordable manufactured home living. ###
That’s a wrap on this installment of “News through the lens of manufactured homes and factory-built housing” © where “We Provide, You Decide.” © ## (Affordable housing, manufactured homes, reports, fact-checks, analysis, and commentary. Third-party images or content are provided under fair use guidelines for media.) (See Related Reports, further below. Text/image boxes often are hot-linked to other reports that can be access by clicking on them.)
By L.A. “Tony” Kovach – for MHLivingNews.com.
Tony earned a journalism scholarship and earned numerous awards in history and in manufactured housing. For example, he earned the prestigious Lottinville Award in history from the University of Oklahoma, where he studied history and business management. He’s a managing member and co-founder of LifeStyle Factory Homes, LLC, the parent company to MHProNews, and MHLivingNews.com. This article reflects the LLC’s and/or the writer’s position, and may or may not reflect the views of sponsors or supporters.
Connect on LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/in/latonykovach
Recent and Related Reports:
The text/image boxes below are linked to other reports, which can be accessed by clicking on them.
Lifestyles of the Rich and Frugal: Manufactured Mansions Take Their Place in the California Sun
