Most components are made in China. The engineering and assembly is what makes the biggest difference in quality. The Chinese can build high quality products. They also can make low budget products which is the option many take to maximize profits.
Many of the cheaper brands are made in the same factories by the same workers. Slight changes here and there, a different logo, etc... Multiple brands made on the same shift based on demand from each individual customer.
I remember working at a food plant that made peanut butter, pancake syrup, etc... We'd run different brands from the same tanks/batches. All we did was switch the labels. Sometimes the jars or bottles. Same product just different name.
True and also unethical business is still rampant in China. They are one of the best if producing top notch machineries, but realisticly they are lazy on the research and development department, which could also cut cost on there products.
Those factories in China which have ties with big international company is easily distributing unauthorize selling of the exact same items less the logo and inspection from lets say samsung or nike, since those finish products from China will be shipped out somewhere by Samsung to make it as the original. Vice Versa i can just order from China where Mars Hydro is made with MOQ with a different logo.
I mean why would led growlight factories in China order leds or driver back to Samsung, if they can source it locally, since most likely it was produce in China?
my Dad is Chinese, i only need to be in China once to know all this stuff from packing tapes, to printing and so on.
Cant blame China, its actually a good alternative for cheaper products. I mean there is a market for it, so someone has to produce it. Taiwan then Koreas pioneered knock-offs and copy cats in Asia, and look at them now
Then again i would still rather buy U.S/Japanese/Euro base products, base on experience whom i worked in regards to quality control, its zero tolerance compromise probability wise