As expected some prefer global brands, while some go for local products, but all will put their money in quality and durability irrespective of the brand name. At an affordable price is what clinches it Choosing between global and local products shouldn’t be much of a dilemma, I reckon. There are basically two things to consider before buying a product — quality and the price. Everyone wants good quality at minimum cost. These days, a number of local brands are rolling out premium quality products, while still trying to curb the price for the local market, so I prefer buying local brands if I don’t have to compromise on the quality of the product, which — unfortunately — may not always be the case, in which going global is the only rational option. — r2oh2o   Nepal is a developing country and much progress has not been done yet in the industrial sector. But thanks to the remittance brought into the country by the hardworking youth of Nepal who work and live in the foreign lands and also due to globalisation, Nepalis are updated when it comes to fashion. So when it comes to clothing and accessories, I would like to choose global brands as they are easily available through online shopping and various other sources. But when it comes to buying daily necessities like food items, oil, and even soaps, I go for local products. These are the things we are going to need a lot throughout our life and it can be made and marketed easily in the country itself. So I would not like to depend on other countries for those things. I hope with globalisation soon people will be able to produce more and better products in the country and we would not have to depend on foreign products. — Shakya   As a consumer, I’m really thankful to today’s connected world that we are able to choose from different local as well as global brands while buying products. Due to this we are able to compare and choose the best among them. But usually global brands are far ahead than local brands. And, in my case, rather than following a brand name, I choose a product that is satisfactory to me because there are various things we have to take care of, such as price, quality, durability, et cetera, beside the brand name while choosing a product. And the sad fact is that most of the products we use is of global brands but I really want to see local brands fostering and competing with global brands. — Prativa Rai   Yes, buying products has become easy. We can order anything online or via phone from any corner of the world and request delivery as per our convenience. This reduces hassles and is less time consuming, which is really helpful especially for working people. In terms of buying products, I prefer both global and local products depending on the quality and cost. We have a misconception that all global products give excellent result than that of local product (most of them may but not all). Local products can give the results as expected. We can try and encourage people to use local products since its cheap and best. Instead of replacing local products with global, we can prioritise local products and use global products as option (like how we enjoy local momo instead of luxurious restaurants/café). Promoting local products should be emphasised is what I believe. — Shradha Neupane, Boudha, Mahankal   When I buy anything, I look at the price tag. I like a product only if it is cheap. I consider the quality as well. When I go to the market, I see lots of products of different brands and take time to choose. However, I choose the right item of a good brand. — Jenny   There is saying — think globally but act locally. We must give priority to our local products for improving our nation’s gross domestic product income. It is like pouring money in own pocket — one day it will definitely be helpful for us. In my personal opinion, spending money on global brands is worthless which when the same products are available in locally because both brands have the same use. — Nabin Joshi, Mahendranagar, Kanchanpur     Trend has developed where goods are consumed by their look rather than quality. Though the global market has a greater coverage, I am into local products when it comes to shopping. I really find them good to be consumed at an affordable price and with good quality. Though I am not that good at bargaining, when it comes to local goods they have always provided me with the texture I ask for. A brand is no longer what consumers tell each other, but it is what we tell consumers. I feel global items have wider scope due to their appealing advertisements. So, in the context of Nepal we can’t expect its brands to be well-known. It’s always better to prioritise local products which encourages our local market and who knows global items will be replaced by local products in future with our emphasise over it. It might be the reason I consume locally available goods than to consume international products that reach us after high taxing process. — Sneha Baral, Pokhara   Quality products and brands are the main necessities of people of this technological world. I also prefer quality products for meeting my daily requirements. In my opinion, I will choose global brands if I am given a chance to choose between global and local brands. In my point of view, globally accepted products have higher quality and last longer with less harm to our health in comparison to local brands. Similarly, these products also connect us with technological field and give us a special feeling that we are living in this 21st Century enjoying all fundamental facilities as they use technology to compete in global market. These products are reliable, comfortable and accessible to use according to my experience. Lastly, it doesn’t mean that I am influencing negative thoughts about local products in people’s mind. I also like local brands as they use locally available resources to meet the requirements of local citizens. But I prefer global brands more than local brands as per my experience. — Kusum Subedi   Regarding the quality and the content; local products are far better than the others. As local products are easily available in the local markets; they promote local business, tourism attraction, employment opportunities for local people, develop cottage industry, enchance the economic status, and many more. Moreover they support the financial crisis of the nation. — Deepa Adhikari, Baidam, Pokhara-6   One needs to be conscious mainly about price and quality when it comes to buying any product rather than going for where they are made, locally or globally. However it doesn’t mean that I ignore the next two features of products which have been mentioned above. Besides one should also look at the composition as well as date of expiry if they are needful. For me, place of origin is also a matter of concern whenever I’m about to get any product from any market. On top of that, I also love products that have been produced in my country because my father taught me to do so. Well I choose to have those products which are global in nature, belonging to any multinational company but I am also aware about my health in that regard. — Pratik Shrestha, Buddhanagar, Baneshwor   My preference is global products because they have good quality and a fixed price. These globally branded products won’t harm us, our health and our skin. Visiting local markets gets us confused because the prices of the products of local brands depend on the place and the costumer. They are even ready to sell a product of Rs 3,000 at Rs 1,000 in the name of discount. Instead of buying two products which you are forced to throw after a week, it’s better to buy a product which has quality and is long lasting. I think we should get smarter and buy a product from a renowned shop instead of just picking a product from local market to enhance our living standard. — Rabin Dharma   When it comes to choosing between local and global products, I would choose local products. I believe local products are better and suitable for us than the global products. Though global products are taken as branded products, I think local products should be taken as such kind of products. Majority of people in our society has the concept of consuming global products for the sake of good lifestyle and class but what about the local people? I do believe in that concept but if we choose local products, we can live and gets more benefits. Firstly, the local products are supplied and manufactured from a certain region within the country. So, it is familiar to us as it has its culture and identity. These products are unique and make them attractive. Also it increases employment opportunities too. If people start using local products in large amount then industries can run in a proper way. On the other hand, using global products will only benefit them. — Richa Jha, Pokhara   If it comes to choosing any product, I will always go for local. Global brands are no doubt more attractive with higher quality and add to social prestige providing better value for money. However, all global business houses are giant multinational corporate organisations doing business overseas in hundred countries, places and destinations. They have huge turnover and the profit margin is also significantly large. But I would like to support local brands even if they are sometimes a bit expensive, low in quality and difficult to procure as they do not always get enough market space due to severe competition from gigantic global brands. My reason for supporting local brands are that I know how difficult it is now for local businesses to survive withstanding huge competitions from global brands and products; and also due to the fact that they provide local employment and retail for local business houses. If we do not allow them to survive today; we will be in the line for our own destruction tomorrow. Global brands are eating out livelihood around the planet and we need to understand this for the survival of our next generation. To me east or west; local is the best! — Saikat Kumar Basu   Consumers around the world really care about the brand’s origin. But in my context, it’s no surprise that when it comes to fresh products, local brands are the clear favourite. Local companies often have a deeper understanding of consumer’s interests, ideas, and tastes in their market and can respond more quickly to the changing needs. They are typically adept at developing products that appeal to these particular preferences. Whereas global brands, in contrast, often capitalise on economy of scale offering similar products. — Apeksha Bhattarai         These days global and local brands are widely available everywhere. When it comes to choosing a specific product I prefer local products. Local products are made using locally available materials. The use of local products is beneficial for the economy of the country.  The locally made products such as skin care, face wash et cetera are good for our skin too. Not only this the use of local products helps to utilise means and resources of the locality properly. The use of local products help to increase the popularity of local products in the international level. Local products are believed to ensure higher nutritional values when compared to imported global products that have suffered from lengthy transport time. The sincere concern for reducing carbon footprint can be alleviated by buying local brands rather than global products. The use of local products helps to sustain the rural heritage and lifestyle of people living in rural areas. The use of local products helps to decrease price hiking. The use of local products help to strengthen economy of the locality as well as of nation. The use of local products helps to decrease in imports. So, local products should be focused and encouraged than global products. — Suja Baral, Pokhara   As a customer I always search for qualitative products while buying anything. By observing the quality  of goods I always prefer local products produced in my locality. People of Nepal think that global products are more qualitative due to their high price; we think that the goods produced in foreign countries can be of good quality by just looking the cover. We never know the actual component which is in that product. But we can know the component of local goods not by only seeing its cover; we can visit the manufacturing company and observe it too. Likewise the locally produced goods are composed of locally available resources. So we can easily trust locally produced goods. But of the global products, we don’t know what they are made of. Also the local products can be available at low price but global products cost higher which most of the people can’t afford. So, I think local products are more effective, qualitative and affordable than global products. — Ekata Poudel   We usually buy products from reputed shops thinking the products have high quality. Society says global products are original while local products are not thought to be of quality. So, most of the people prefer global products. But I prefer both. There are only some products that I choose of the global brands as they are trusted by number of people but local products are also qualitative and original. So, it varies according to products whether the local products are qualitative or the same global products are qualitative. — Barsha Baral, Pokhara   Variations in product and perfect competition market has made us, the consumers, easier to gain reliable goods. While choosing a specific product, I always go for global market. In local products, we do not know whether it’s qualitative, and what its the real cost is. In the market anyone for sure can find many globally recognised products of different brands in reasonable prices. So, I love to get a good varieties of products that has quality. — Prayash Paudel   Promoting and using local products is the duty of us. Neglecting them in the name of good brands is not a good trend because we can see a good quality and discount in local products. As local markets are our own, I love to visit them for buying any good. — Mohair Sharma   The globalisation has made the world a small village now. It has been the most advantageous part for the countries like Nepal and their citizens to develop economically and raise their standards of living. It is in the sense the different products are available in different price ranges. So, all division of people have access to different products depending on their purchasing power. People can choose any products from a lot of varieties. They can switch themselves to different products after knowing the utility of one another. And when it comes to me, I choose products according to its genre. When it comes to dresses I don’t look for brands if it’s eye-catching. And being a girl, I have varieties of options in case of outfits. If I have to buy food I prefer well-known brands as it is directly related to health. Whereas, when it comes to electronic appliances I choose on the basis of their function, utility and reliability. — Lalita Dulal, Maitidevi   I prefer local brands over international brands and especially in case of specific product such as tee-shirts. Made in Nepal tee-shirts are way too cool than those imported. Wearing local branded tee-shirts give such a pride, comfort and joy which can never be replaced by wearing foreign brands. Especially in summer, tee-shirts are the best choice and more so if they are local. Their quality rivals with the international brand and price is very much affordable for those tee-shirt enthusiasts with thin wallets. In addition to that, purchasing products of local brands inspires the spirit of entrepreneurship among all kinds of people be it youths or old people. Local brands represent local people, materials and various resources, which when optimally utilised, it leads towards economic freedom and independence especially for marginalised people and women who are semi-skilled or unskilled. By far, local brands are the symbols of self-sufficiency, which can and will alleviate our huge trade loss with our close neighbour India. — Ajay Tamla   I prefer global products because of its style, durability, efficiency, cost et cetera which are far better than local products. But as an honest citizen, I should prefer local products because if I use local products the resources I spend on product, will be within the country and it will benefit in the long run. Spending on local products also help locals to be independent. And if I spend my resources on local product, our country will be strengthened and developed. Eventually, we could produce better products. — Mandeep Sagar, Jeetpur   Both local and global brands are easily available in the market where consumers can choose as per their choice, taste and convenience. As such we can’t stick to only one product as every product whether local or global is different, worthy and have demand in its own respective ways. For me it’s not that I only rely on one brand. If I am satisfied with the choices which are available in the market I don’t mind going for both local or say global products. I don’t buy things seeing the brand label. For instance: If I am buying some food products I prioritise in its quality at first. Likewise every other product which I buy has to be worthy enough so that I can spend my money in it, whether it’s global or local. I am not a brand conscious person but I do give preference to products which have high demand and good reputation in the market. I basically go for good quality products rather than giving preference to one. — Tejaswi Pahari, Jawalakhel QUESTION OF THE WEEK We say that education is every person’s right. And yes, the literacy rate is going up. But are we really educated? Has the education we have received made a difference in our lives/behaviour? Or are we just literate? What in your opinion is an educated person as opposed to a literate one? Why? ­Send your replies in not more than 200 words by Friday, June 2, 2:00 pm to Features, The Himalayan Times, e-mail: features@thehimalayantimes.com