Seems straightforward to me on several counts:
You manufacture a product - one that will be handled by people who wash hands (if you are lucky), it is a bass so this is not unexpected.
You are in an age where customer expectation of quality is high, we are used to Japanese, Korean, Chinese, German kit (cars, electronics, guitars and basses)
You live in an age where the Internet makes it easy to show customer experience and product quality to the world.
Business 101 here......
Kia car, secondhand, may cost £1000 more than a Ric. The warranty is 7 years. Go figure. Guess the paintwork only has gentle conditions to operate in.
Free market, so free to take my money elsewhere. I think someone should take a look at what Chinese built guitars offer, quality is up there with both my 'premium' non Ric USA basses. My Chinese bass cost £150 s/h, it is 'perfect', top quality woods, ebony fingerboard. What price USA exclusive IP.