[ostenning]

This is a big factor. China for example has excellent fabrication and assembly services for PCBs. Does anyone know any services in the West that compete with the likes of JLCPCB?

[michaelt]

There are loads of PCB manufacturers in the west.

They just steer clear of the hobbyist part of the market which JLCPCB targets, because they can't make money making five boards for $2.