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Favorite Product Not Found in the US

Bubbasteve

Bubbasteve

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Dec 23, 2004
1,163
0
Charleston, IL
Hey all,

I have a project for my International Marketing class that requires me to find a product that is:
- Not found in the United States;
- Not a food or beverage item

I figured this would be a fun and interesting thread to not only help me out but to also showcase some international products that some of us might not be familiar with.

Thanks in advance to those who participate!
 
It's hard to find anything that's not sold on a website somewhere, and you don't always know if a website is U.S.-based. However, here are a few categories that might fit your description:

* medicines not approved for sale in the U.S. but sold in other countries

* tourist souvenirs that you can only get in person, for example, items sold only at Disneyland Paris. Another example: My wife made a scrapbook out of the beautiful admission tickets we collected as we visited temples in Japan. I assume that those come only from those temples.

* the original versions of Japanese video games and video game systems, before they reach the U.S. market

Of course, at auction sites people resell items they get elsewhere, so technically they could be available in the U.S. no matter where they originally came from.
 
Thanks for the quick responses!

I'm looking for specific examples of products, like the telebags example or the Audi (which are great examples BTW)
 
Wine gums...

2006112312wine-gums-box.jpg


The maynards version, not the cheapy, crappy, overly sugar filled pills of hyper "joy" as pedal pushed by most american brands.

Sorry, probably not the best example...
 
Betty Crocker 2-in-1 Mini Blender/Chopper

And Ketchup chips (I know you said no foods but I had to add it)

But the blender wasn't available in the US, just Canada that I found anyway
 
Tacos del pastor.

Pig meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie in front of a propane fire, then sliced super thin onto tacos with cilatro, onion, and pineapple.

It's heaven.....

Edit2: I finally read the thread and now know it's not supposed to be food, but I'm drawing a blank on something else so I'll leave this for now.
 
LeahM said:
And Ketchup chips (I know you said no foods but I had to add it)
Click to expand...

You can get those in America! I took a tour of a factory that makes chips and one of the types they make are Ketchup chips. Here's a link to the company, and I believe you can buy online.

http://www.herrs.com/Products/Products.html


As for me, it has to be the Audi A3 or S3 2 door version. They have the four door here, but no two door.
 
rhsgolfer33 said:
You can get those in America! I took a tour of a factory that makes chips and one of the types they make are Ketchup chips. Here's a link to the company, and I believe you can buy online.

http://www.herrs.com/Products/Products.html


As for me, it has to be the Audi A3 or S3 2 door version. They have the four door here, but no two door.
Click to expand...
I hate ripple-type chips. The US needs stuff like Old Dutch's ketchup chips, I hear they are starting to exist in the US Midwest, but only very limited so far.


2826035580_32b5befeaf_b.jpg



Mmm *drool*
The best ketchup chips in the world.. plus the factory is only a few hours away from where I live, so sometimes the chips are sooo fresh!



Vivid.Inferno said:
Tim Hortons!!

It's a Canadian Coffee/Doughnut place. Like Dunken Doughnuts...only wayyyy better.
Click to expand...
Yeah it does exist..
http://www.timhortons.com/us/locator/index.html

Locations in 11 states right now, hopefully more in the next few years!
 
VW GTI (new Mk VI design).

Tokyu Hands (the entire shop).

Cool Japanese clothes (all the coolest stuff is from there, and they don't even deliver internationally)

Mountain Equipment Co-op (in Canada).

Nice umbrellas like Fulton Umbrellas (UK)





I'm sure there are lots of things.
 
jknight8907 said:
Tacos del pastor.

Pig meat cooked on a vertical rotisserie in front of a propane fire, then sliced super thin onto tacos with cilatro, onion, and pineapple.

It's heaven.....

Edit2: I finally read the thread and now know it's not supposed to be food, but I'm drawing a blank on something else so I'll leave this for now.
Click to expand...

every single roach coach in texas serves that.
i love em. had them almost everyday on my architecture outings.
 
SilvorX said:
Depends where you live, where I live in Canada, our chips are made in Winnipeg Manitoba
Click to expand...

Oh really? :eek: I didn't think about the fact that they might have regional (international) plants nowadays. I just knew that they are a hometown company, because I've actually seen the way the original headquarters plant/factory works (all different products) first hand, years ago! :cool: :D
 
TwinCities Dan said:
Oh really? :eek: I didn't think about the fact that they might have regional (international) plants nowadays. I just knew that they are a hometown company, because I've actually seen the way the original headquarters plant/factory works (all different products) first hand, years ago! :cool: :D
Click to expand...

Old Dutch was sold to some Canadians back in the 50s, so they started producing chips up here. Old Dutch in Canada has alot of prestige it seems, you see their chips on television shows all the time. I've noticed some differences in the chips between Canada and US for Old Dutch, but nothing major. Now days you can find their chips almost anywhere in Canada.. which is amazing! Before.. it was like Old Dutch in the states.. mainly a regional product. Now I want some ketchup chips!
 
The OP specifically mentioned non-food/beverage products, so in that more limited spectrum I guess I wish we had:

  • Better cell phones and better service.
  • More internet infrastructure with higher speeds.
  • More acccessories for men like belts, shoes, and bags.

Now if we were to include foods:
  • More choice in British biscuits
  • Coke with real sugar, not corn syrup (I know, the Mexican Coke is there and the special Kosher one during Passover, but still it would be nice to have our own all the time)
  • Chocolates/sweets from Europe.

I'm sure there's more, but that's what I've got so far.
 
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