08-3-2690 Purchaser questionnaire (final)

Information collections for import injury investigations (producers, importers, purchasers, and foreign producer questionnaires and institution notices for 5-year reviews)

PURCHASER Q

Uncovered Innerspring Units from China, South Africa, and Vietnam

OMB: 3117-0016

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PURCHASERS’ QUESTIONNAIRE
UNCOVERED INNERSPRING UNITS FROM CHINA, SOUTH AFRICA, AND VIETNAM

This questionnaire must be received by the Commission by no later than September 10, 2008
See the Instruction Booklet for filing instructions.
The information called for in this questionnaire is for use by the United States International Trade Commission in
connection with its antidumping investigations concerning uncovered innerspring units (innersprings) from China, South
Africa, and Vietnam (Inv. Nos. 731-TA-1140-1142 (Final)). The information requested in the questionnaire is requested
under the authority of the Tariff Act of 1930, title VII. This report is mandatory, and failure to reply as directed can
result in a subpoena or other order to compel the submission of records or information in your possession (19 U.S.C.
§ 1333 (a)).
Name of firm
Address
State

City

Zip code

World Wide Web address
Has your firm purchased innersprings (as defined in the instruction booklet) from any source (domestic
or foreign) at any time since January 1, 2005?
NO

(Sign the certification below and promptly return only this page of the questionnaire to the Commission)

YES

(Read the instruction booklet carefully, complete all parts of the questionnaire, and return the entire
questionnaire to the Commission so as to be received by the date indicated above)

CERTIFICATION
I certify that the information herein supplied in response to this questionnaire is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge
and belief and understand that the information submitted is subject to audit and verification by the Commission.
By signing this certification I also grant consent for the Commission, and its employees and contract personnel, to use the
information provided in this questionnaire and throughout these investigations in any other import-injury investigations conducted
by the Commission on the same or similar merchandise. (If you do not consent to such use, please note the certification accordingly.)
I acknowledge that information submitted in this questionnaire response and throughout these investigations may be used by the
Commission, its employees, and contract personnel who are acting in the capacity of Commission employees, for developing or
maintaining the records of these investigations or related proceedings for which this information is submitted, or in internal audits
and investigations relating to the programs and operations of the Commission pursuant to 5 U.S.C. Appendix 3. I understand that
all contract personnel will sign non-disclosure agreements.
I AGREE TO THE ABOVE CERTIFICATION

Name and Title of Authorized Official

Signature of Authorized Official

Date

E-mail address

Phone

Ext.:

Fax

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 2

PART I.--GENERAL QUESTIONS
The questions in this questionnaire have been reviewed with market participants to ensure that issues of
concern are adequately addressed and that data requests are sufficient, meaningful, and as limited as
possible. Public reporting burden for this questionnaire is estimated to average 20 hours per response,
including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering the data needed,
and completing and reviewing the questionnaire. Send comments regarding the accuracy of this burden
estimate or any other aspect of this collection of information, including suggestions for reducing the burden,
to the Office of Investigations, U.S. International Trade Commission, 500 E Street, SW, Washington, DC
20436.
I-1.

(a) Please report below the actual number of hours required and the cost to your firm of preparing
the reply to this questionnaire and completing the form.
hours
dollars

I-1.

(b) We are interested in any comments you may have for improving this questionnaire in general
or the clarity of specific questions. Please attach such comments to your response or send them to
the above address.

I-2.

Provide the name and address of establishment(s) covered by this questionnaire (see page 3 of the
instruction booklet for reporting guidelines). If your firm is publicly traded, please specify the
stock exchange and trading symbol.

I-3.

Is your firm owned, in whole or in part, by any other firm?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Extent of ownership

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 3

PART I.--GENERAL QUESTIONS - Continued
I-4.

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in importing
innersprings from China, South Africa, and/or Vietnam into the United States or which are engaged
in exporting innersprings from China, South Africa, and/or Vietnam to the United States?
No
Firm name

I-5.

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

Does your firm have any related firms, either domestic or foreign, which are engaged in the
production of innersprings?
No
Firm name

Yes--List the following information.
Address

Affiliation

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 4

PART. II--PURCHASES
II-1.

Report, as indicated below, your firm’s purchases (either directly or through a sales agent or broker)
of innersprings. Report separately, as indicated, for purchases through long-term contracts
(contracts of more than 12 months in length) and purchases through short-term contracts and spot
purchases. Also, report based on delivery date, not order date.
(Quantity in units, value in U.S. dollars)
Item

2005

2006

2007

Jan-Jun 2007

PURCHASES OF INNERSPRINGS PRODUCED IN THE UNITED STATES
Purchases based on a long-term contract basis
Quantity1
Value
Purchases based on a short-term contract basis or spot purchases
Quantity1
Value
PURCHASES OF INNERSPRINGS PRODUCED IN CHINA
Purchases based on a long-term contract basis
Quantity1
Value
Purchases based on a short-term contract basis or spot purchases
Quantity1
Value
PURCHASES OF INNERSPRINGS PRODUCED IN SOUTH AFRICA
Purchases based on a long-term contract basis
Quantity1
Value
Purchases based on a short-term contract basis or spot purchases
Quantity1
Value
PURCHASES OF INNERSPRINGS PRODUCED IN VIETNAM
Purchases based on a long-term contract basis
Quantity1
Value
Purchases based on a short-term contract basis or spot purchases
Quantity1
Value
PURCHASES OF INNERSPRINGS PRODUCED IN ALL OTHER COUNTRIES2
Purchases based on a long-term contract basis
Quantity1
Value
Purchases based on a short-term contract basis or spot purchases
Quantity1
Value
1

If reporting quantities in any other measurement than “units,” please specify here:

2

Please name these other countries:

Jan-Jun 2008

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Certain Polyester Staple Fiber (731-TA-1104 (Final))

Page 5

PART. II--PURCHASES --Continued

II-2.

If the relative shares of your firm’s total purchases of innersprings from different sources (both
domestic and foreign) have changed since January 1, 2005, please list the country, state whether the
relative share from that country has increased or decreased, and state the reason.
Country

Increase/Decrease

Reason

II-3.

If, in question II-1, your firm indicated that it purchased innersprings from only one country, please
explain the reasons for doing so.

II-4.

Please describe changes in your firm’s purchasing decisions, if any, since the Commission issued its
preliminary decision in these investigations on February 13, 2008.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 6

III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES
Please note that the questions in this section refer to domestic innersprings and innersprings
imported from ANY source (both subject and nonsubject countries). If your response to any
question differs depending on the country of origin, please report separately for each country and
note this in your response.
III-1.

Which of the following best describes your firm as a purchaser of innersprings (check all that apply,
noting the specific end uses if known)?
END USER

III-2

(

)

DISTRIBUTOR (

)

Other

)

(

(a) If your firm is a distributor or reseller of innersprings, what are the major types of consumers to
which you sell innersprings?

(b) Do you compete for sales to your customers with the manufacturers or importers from which
you purchase innersprings?

III-3.

If your firm is an end user of innersprings, please indicate what percentage of the total cost of the
mattress is accounted for by the cost of the innerspring (and NOTE: this number should not be 100
percent).

III-4.

(a) If your firm is an end user of innersprings, has the demand for your firm’s final products
incorporating innersprings changed since January 1, 2005?
Increased

Unchanged

(b) Has this had any effect on your firm’s demand for innersprings?

Decreased

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 7

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-5.

(a) Please list in order of importance any products that may be substituted for innersprings.
(1)

(2)

(3)

(b) For each possible substitute product, please give examples of applications and end uses for
which they are substitutes.

(c) Have changes in the prices of these products affected the price for innersprings?
No

III-6.

Yes--To what degree do changes in their prices affect the price for
innersprings? Does this effect have a time lag? If so, how long is
the time lag for each substitute product? Does this vary by type of
innersprings or final end use?

(a) How has the demand within the United States for innersprings changed since January 1,
2005?
Increased

Unchanged

Decreased

Other (describe)
What were the principal factors affecting changes in demand?

(b) How has the demand outside the United States, (if known), for innersprings changed since
January 1, 2005?
Increased

Unchanged

Other (describe)
What were the principal factors affecting changes in demand?

Decreased

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 8

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-7.

(a) Have any changes occurred in any factors affecting supply (e.g., changes in availability or
prices of raw materials; energy or labor; transportation conditions; production capacity and/or
methods of production; technology; export markets; or alternative production opportunities)
that affected the availability of U.S.-produced innersprings in the U.S. market since January 1,
2005?
No

Yes--Please note the time period(s) of any such changes, the factor(s)
involved, and the impact such changes had on your shipment volumes and
prices.

(b) Since January 1, 2005, have you experienced any short supplies, unavailability of specific
products, or were you placed on allocation? Please indicate the specified products, companies,
and circumstances.

III-8.

(a) Is the innersprings market subject to business cycles or conditions of competition distinctive
to innersprings?
No

Yes--Please explain.

(b) Please describe any changes in business cycles or conditions of competition for innersprings
since January 1, 2005.

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 9

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-9.

Are you aware whether the innersprings you are purchasing are U.S. produced or imported?
Always

III-10.

Never.

Usually

Sometimes

Never.

To your knowledge, are your buyers aware of and/or interested in the country of origin of the
goods you supply them?
Always

III-12.

Sometimes

Do you know the manufacturer of the innersprings that you purchase?
Always

III-11.

Usually

Usually

Sometimes

Never.

Have you made significant changes in your purchasing patterns (e.g., frequency) in the last three
years?
No

Yes--Please explain.

III-13

How many suppliers do you generally contact before making a purchase?

III-14.

Have you changed suppliers since January 1, 2005?
No

Yes--Please list the suppliers, indicate whether each firm was added or
dropped as a supplier, and give the reasons for the change.

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 10

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-15.

Are you aware of any new suppliers, either foreign or domestic, that have entered the market in
the last three years?
No

III-16.

Yes--Please identify the firms.

Do you require your suppliers to become certified or prequalified with respect to the quality,
strength, or other performance characteristics of the innersprings they sell to your firm?
No

Yes--

percent of purchases in 2007

Yes--all purchases

Please provide a general description of the certification or qualification process and the time
required.

III-17.

Briefly describe the factors that you consider when qualifying a new supplier (e.g. quality of
product, reliability of supplier, etc.) and estimate the time it takes to certify or qualify a new
supplier.

III-18.

Since January 1, 2005, have any domestic or foreign producers failed in their attempts to certify
or qualify their innersprings with your firm or have any producers lost their approved status?
No

Yes--Please identify these firms, the countries where they are located, and
the reasons why they failed the certification/qualification process.

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 11

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-19.

(a) For the factors listed below, please rate each in terms of its importance in your purchase
decision for innersprings.
VERY
IMPORTANT

Availability …………………………
Cost of carrying inventory…………..
Delivery terms
………………………
Delivery time ……………………….
Discounts offered
…………………...
Diversity of
suppliers………………...
Extension of credit ………………….
Less-than-container-load
shipments…
Minimum quantity requirements…….
Packaging
…………………………...
Package discounts bundled with other
bedding
components…………………
Price ………………………………...
Product consistency ………………...
Product range ……………………….
Quality meets industry standards
……
Quality exceeds industry standards
…
Reliability of supply ………………..
Technical support/service …………..
U.S. transportation costs ……………
Other (specify):
…………...
…………...

SOMEWHAT
IMPORTANT

NOT
IMPORTANT

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 12

PART III.--MARKET CHARACTERISTICS AND PURCHASING PRACTICES--Continued
III-19.

(b) Please list, in order of their importance, the three major factors generally considered by your
firm in deciding from whom to purchase innersprings for any one order (examples include
current availability, extension of credit, prearranged contracts, price, quality exceeding
specifications or industry standards, range of supplier’s product line, traditional supplier, etc.).
1.
2.
3.
Other factors or comments:

III-20.

What characteristics does your firm consider when determining the quality of innersprings?

III-21.

How often does your firm purchase the innersprings that are offered at the lowest price?
Always

III-22.

Usually

Sometimes

Never.

(a) Please list the names of any firms you considered price leaders in the innersprings market
since January 2005. A price leader is defined as (1) one or more firms that initiate a price change,
either upward or downward, that is followed by other firms, or (2) one or more firms that have
a significant impact on prices. A price leader does not necessarily have to be the lowest priced
supplier. For those firms identified as a price leader, please specify the time period in which a
price change was communicated, whether the price change was upward or downward, and
whether it covered a specific geographic region or a specific product type.

(b) Please describe how the above firm(s) exhibited price leadership.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 13

PART IV.--COMPARISONS BETWEEN IMPORTED AND U.S. PRODUCED PRODUCT
Please note that the questions in this section refer to domestic innersprings and innersprings
imported from ANY source (both subject and nonsubject countries). If your response to any
question differs depending on the country of origin, please report separately for each country and
note this in your response.
IV-1.

Please indicate the countries of origin for innersprings for which your firm has actual
marketing/pricing knowledge.
United States
China
South Africa
Vietnam
Other countries (Please specify

)

IV-2. Are innersprings produced in the United States and in other countries interchangeable (i.e., can they
physically be used in the same applications)? Please indicate below, using “always” to indicate that the
products from a specified country-pair are always interchangeable, “frequently” to indicate that the
products are frequently interchangeable,“sometimes” to indicate that the products are sometimes
interchangeable,“never” to indicate that the products are never interchangeable, and “no familiarity” to
indicate no familiarity with products from a specified country-pair.1
Country-pair

China

South Africa

Vietnam

Other countries

United States
China
South Africa
Vietnam
1

For any country-pair producing innersprings that you reported are sometimes or never
interchangeable, please explain the factors that limit or preclude interchangeable use. In your response
relating to “other countries,” if the degree of interchangeability differs for different nonsubject countries,
please note this below.

2

Please note the country/countries of origin of the innersprings that are included in the “other
countries” category.

Business Proprietary

U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 14

PART IV.--COMPARISONS BETWEEN IMPORTED AND U.S. PRODUCED
PRODUCT--Continued
IV-3.

Do you or your customers ever specifically order innersprings from one country in particular over
other possible sources of supply?
No

IV-4.

Are certain grades/types/sizes of innersprings available from only a single source (domestic or
foreign, including both subject and nonsubject countries)?
No

IV-5.

Yes--Please identify all relevant countries (including the United States and
both subject and nonsubject foreign countries) from which you or your
customers prefer to order, and indicate why innersprings from these
countries is preferred over product from other countries (please note
the specific product in your response).

Yes--Please identify the source and the grade/type/size.

If you purchased innersprings from one source although a comparable product was available from
another source at a lower price, please explain your reasons for doing so (please specify by country,
including the United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign countries). Possibilities might
include transaction characteristics such as length of time to fill orders, minimum order size,
reliability of supply, etc.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 15

PART IV.--COMPARISONS BETWEEN IMPORTED AND U.S. PRODUCED
PRODUCT--Continued
IV-6.

For the factors listed below, please rate how innersprings produced in each country you identified
in your response to the first question in Part IV compare with innersprings produced in each of the
other countries you identified (including the United States and both subject and nonsubject foreign
countries). Copy this page as necessary to cover all possible country combinations and please
attach any comments you care to make concerning your responses, especially in comparisons where
you rate product from one country superior or inferior to product from another.
Electronic submissions: For each country comparison manually copy and paste IV-6 in a
new page in this document as necessary. (At the end of IV-6, insert a page break (Menu:
Insert-Break-Page break), copy IV-6 and paste in the new page.)
compared to
(specify country)

(specify country)
SUPERIOR

COMPARABLE

INFERIOR

Availability …………………………
Cost of carrying inventory…………...
Delivery terms ………………………
Delivery time ……………………….
Discounts offered …………………...
Diversity of
suppliers………………...
Extension of credit ………………….
Less-than-container-load shipments…
Lower price1 ………………………...
Lower U.S. transportation
costs1……..
Minimum quantity
requirements……..
Packaging
…………………………...
Package discounts bundled with other
bedding components…………………
Product consistency ………………...
Product range ……………………….
Quality meets industry standards
……
Quality exceeds industry standards …
Reliability of supply ………………..
Technical support/service …………..
1

A rating of “superior” on price and U.S. transportation costs indicates that the first country generally has lower
prices/U.S. transportation costs than the second country.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 16

PART IV.--COMPARISONS BETWEEN IMPORTED AND U.S. PRODUCED
PRODUCT--Continued
IV-7.

(a) How often do innersprings produced in the United States meet minimum quality specifications
for your uses or your customers’ uses?
Always

Usually

Sometimes

Never.

Additional comments:

(b) How often do innersprings imported from China, South Africa, and/or Vietnam meet minimum
quality specifications for your uses or your customers’ uses?
China

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

South Africa

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

Vietnam

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

Additional comments:

(c) How often do innersprings imported from nonsubject countries (countries other than China,
South Africa, and/or Vietnam) meet minimum quality specifications for your uses or your
customers’ uses? Please specify each nonsubject country.
Country

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

Country

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

Country

Always

Usually

Sometimes

Rarely or Never.

Business Proprietary
U.S. Purchasers’ Questionnaire – Innersprings (731-TA-1140-1142 (Final))

Page 17

Part V--SUPPLIER IDENTIFICATION
Please identify below the names and addresses of your firm’s five largest suppliers for innersprings during
2005-07. Please also provide the name and telephone number of a contact person and the share of the
quantity of your firm’s total shipments of innersprings that each of these customers accounted for in 2007.

Street address (not P.O.
Supplier’s name
box), city, state, and zip code
No.
1

2

3

4

5

Contact person

Share of
Area code
2007
and telephone
purchases
number
(%)


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File Modified2008-09-03
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