You are missing the point. This isn’t about profit, this about American companies selling well designed products to Americans.

As much as people outside the U.S. complain about Americans being typically rude and self centered (not to mention fat), your argument is so typical from a European. Complaining about America so more people in the world would pay attention to you.

In regards to Wii sales, your point doesn’t hold water. There is more demand in the U.S., thus more shortages. Nintendo sold 10.6 million Wii units in The Americas in 2008, compared with 7.9 million units everywhere else except Japan. So, I don’t think Nintendo is going to shun its biggest market. Don’t believe me, look at the company’s annual report. It’s all in there, clear as day.

To quote Willy Wonka. “Good day sir!”

ACL

i am not american, and i think it might be wrong to say this, but americans expect too much.
in economics, i have learnt that american government alsways has a shortage (more expenses than income) but still do americans get everything.
i heard once, right at the start of the crisis, that the asian/middle-eastern countries wanted the oil-prices changed to euros, which didnt happen after all.
i think world economy is too much america-centered, and the producers take lower profits for what they are.
only recently i can see the trend of companies who dislike america, and the first company which i heard of was nintendo. their wii was really hard to get, all over the world, but as shortages in europe and asia started to decline, i read on the internet that in america the wii was still very hard to get;
the low dollar currency made that nintendo would much rather get paid 250euros instead of 250dollars.
we europeans always have to see that in america, the prices are much lower, but still prices wont rise in america, because the americans will complain, and not see how much everyone else in the world used to pay more than they had to.

“…how long is it going to take for these U.S. companies to figure out that Americans want more than just the garbage they are selling to Wal-Mart?”

The companies will figure out that Americans want more than garbage when we finally stop buying garbage. The companies don’t care at all about clothes; they’re a business and thus it’s in their best interest to sell what people want. Obviously the people have shown that they value cost over quality so the companies have supplied us with inexpensive clothes. Blame our society and culture, not the businesses.

I doubt very much that I would have ventured off the itinerary you kept while in Japan. Must have been a real treat.

Anyways, speaking about our long-lost American vintage that has now found a new home in Japan. From 2002 – 2005 the Billykirk design studio was near little Tokyo in DT Los Angeles and around the corner from us was Freaks Vintage owned by this Japanese guy named Tomo. Tomo was as sharp as a tack and was as knowledgeable on American vintage as anyone. He relished in scoring top notch East West Music Company leather jackets, rare Levis and NOS items. He had it down to a science. He had people planted all over the South and South West that would hunt for American vintage and ship it back to him. Texas, Oklahoma, and Nebraska were always quite bountiful. Once he had amassed a good cache it would be blocked up, plastic wrapped and put on a boat. C’est la vie!

I haven’t seen any The North Face Purple Label apparel…though the Lizard accessory collection is very slick!

I dunno…the Japanese have a wide range of styles. I wouldn’t call them homogeneous, ever.