Rod "copies"

[GlennB]

I realise that a lot of 'name' brands are franchised out these days. Sabbatier chef's knives made in Taiwan, Nike stuff made in China and so on... There's also loads of bootleg copies of name stuff around.

Is it so with rods? I notice people on Ebay happily selling brand new John Wilson Avon quiver systems, and similar, for not much more than half retail price. Is the retail markup so huge that these prices are reasonable, or could they be bootleg copies?

 

Cheers

[chesters1]

anything that can make a profit after manufacturing costs will be forged ,china doesnt recognise patents of any description so over runs are abundant .

the tackle trade is very fickle and realise that "new" brands quickly fade so they get the biggest profit at first then drop the prices (to probably the "real" one ) top get a bit more ,they then flood the market to get a smaller % but still a profit before they come up with a "inproved" or better one.

they make a smaller profit abroad but the same DOESNT apply to us ,buy cheap levi`s etc ,made in the same factory with the same cloth on the same machine by the same people and all hell breaks loose (ask Tesco for instance) the same applies to perfume and most other things ,in our country prices are fixed by big business who have decided to cut prices in some countries will be balanced by high ones here ,we have ourselves to blame by paying these prices ,if we didnt theyed drop .

cars were the same but now the huge companies have realised that we can just buy them abroad has made the prices drop but only slightly just to make it a little more effort to inport .threats were also made with warranties etc.

so these wellmay be genuine rods probably sold at the correct price which if they had sold them at the correct price in the first place would all have been sold

ther`s also profit in inporting bulk quantities from abroad ,for instance new shakespear intrepids regularily appear on ebay ,looks good for the price but totally illegal over here (copyright reasons) i take great pleasure in sending the urls to LEEDA and hopefully their legal team procecute ,they have no problem "you" in buying them abroad for your own use but sellings a no no ,i sent a few urls of german companies to let them ponder on

 

[ 18. April 2004, 09:44 PM: Message edited by: chesters1 ]

[The Diamond Geezer]

quote:

---

Originally posted by GlennB:

 

I notice people on Ebay happily selling brand new John Wilson Avon quiver systems, and similar, for not much more than half retail price. Is the retail markup so huge that these prices are reasonable

---

In a word ...... YES

 

In the UK RRP means Recommended Rip-off Price, don't~cha know

 

DG

 

[ 18. April 2004, 10:08 PM: Message edited by: The Diamond Geezer ]

[Peter Waller]

Don't always blame the retailer though!

Yes, the profits are huge.

I recently bought Bob James rod from an e-bay trader, for one fifth of the recommended retail of £250.00. In discussion with the bloke on the phone I reckon that he paid £35.00 for them and yes, he had obtained them from the importer legally. And its a fair bet that the importer made a few quid too!

[RUDD]

As I have stated before, the company I work for Imports for LEEDA.

LEEDA dont own the factories in the far east, the factories just make whatever is ordered.

 

The price mark up is huge.

I paid just under 30.00 a rod for three models of the MAP Parabloix range when the retail price was 300.00 per rod!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I even got them cheaper than the trade price and got recorded delivery chucked in for free.

 

Alot of stuff on Ebay is also HOT, off the back of a lorry. The importers have received their insurance money and dont seem to bothered.

 

I was once offered some Middy rods by a shady lorry driver.

I rang Middy to check the retail price and they told me no price had been set as the rods would not be available to buy for 6 months as they were in the development stage!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I put the phone down quick.

 

I would of thought there are fakes on the UK market but would you know you had purchased one?

it is very possible that the far east factories create over runs (more than ordered) and sell them to dodgy exporters/importers.

 

Trading standards and HMCE are always on the look out for such things and do find them on a regular basis.

[Dick Dastardly]

The above posts give the real reasons for these massive price differences.I used to have several trade accounts.Once a year they would hold clearance sales of discontinued items.These allowed you to purchase at really low prices.Once because I wasnt being greedy and was selling some rods off cheaply I was acussed (by a local tackle trader) of selling stolen goods.In fact more acurately he just told everyone I was.A bit of sour grapes which he later justified as "just buisness mate"!!!

 

As for "copies" or "fake" tackle yes this does exist but in very small amounts.I once worked for a tackle shop (as a rod builder) who wanted me to laquer up some cheap blanks and add the sticker of an expensive manufacturer.Not my thing Im afraid or should I say glad to say!

 

Another "type" of con is changing the cosmetics of a rod,renaming and re-pricing it for the new season despite the same blank being used.A lot of major tackle "manufacturers" do this.

 

Nothing will ever change this but be aware of the massive price differences so that you will not automaticly think that all cheap tackle is nicked!

[Scott]

Many years ago I was talking to a guy that had parts made for old British M/cycles out in the far east. He ordered 5000 mudguards that would fit either Triumph or Norton bikes, he paid for all the tooling costs etc, when his order was ready they told him they had made 10,000.

He had the choice that either he bought the original 5000 and then knew that the other 5000 would be sold off cheaper or he bought the lot.

 

Thats the way a lot of the tackle companies out there will work, once the tooling, setting up costs are paid for making extra versions is so much cheaper. Making 20,000 rods wont cost twice the amount of making 10,000 rods, the same for reels etc etc thats why there are lots of cheap products appearing.

[chesters1]

same with TV`s, get a telly for £100 but try and buy a new tube for it (even trade) and its more than the telly even re-gunned tubes (reconditioned) along with the labour to fit them is uneconomic ,just chuck it away and get a new one