I've recently been pointed to a couple of threads that were involving a S2ki sponsor trying to purchase geniune aero products to knock them off. I felt the need to speak my opinon on the thread. Although, what I'd rather see is everyone else's opinion on knock off aero products. This is a topic most of us know well. I know many people are for it, and many are against it. I'd like to hear your opinion.

Here is mine (this was a response I wrote to a thread in which Tim/MP Tuning was trying to start knocking off GP Sports and Feels aero parts)

http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.p...456#post3635456
http://forums.s2ki.com/forums/showthread.p...25&pagenumber=1


"Tim,

I would advise against knocking off these parts. Not just because you'd be stealing from the manufacturer and ruining any incentive that they have to keep producing new aero parts (that many of us are always looking forward to), but also because you run the risk of getting involved in lawsuits. (Not to mention the poor reflection it has on your business stealing from legitimate companies to produce a widely agreed upon inferior quality version of someone else

 

I'll be the first to respond here to say No to Knockoffs. It is stealing and it is wrong. For those who do shell out the cake for the real deal just to have a knockoff later down the road is really upsetting. Not because I paid a lot more, but because I paid for something unique and rare and now they start popping up everywhere(Airwalker sides in this instance). I for one will continue to buy authentic being it knockoffs available or not.

 

Free market society.

Welcome to Democracy.

If someone else can make it cheaper and sell it for less, GOOD FOR THEM !

Maybe the people making "authentic" parts ought to stop overpricing the products and not sell for $500 what costs them $10 to make.

 

NEcurve is right, its simple business. If you can provide the same product for cheaper, do it. GP sports and feels cant do a damn thing if their designed arent patented, chances being that they are not, and even if they were, anyone can copy it by simply making a small change. If one manufacture can provide it for cheaper, then the original company should be able to do the same.

 

I think that is the solution at the end of the day - if you don't want it copied then patent it.

 

Copying is good. IT is one part of capatilism. It provents monopolies and causes innovation.

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by s2000raj
Copying is good.

 

"Ben"

why are you going to post that? I never stated I was going to make a GP Sports nor did I ever post this anywhere on this board .. for some reason everyone is coming to me asking me for these ... as for the knock offs i only do this because some do not want to pay 600+ for a set of skirts ... airwalker sides we no longer make the replica fiberglass ones I now buy direct from California ... so hence WE DO NOT MAKE THESE IN HOUSE ANYMORE DUE TO TIME AND CASH .. I buy my stuff out of California so this means "Ben" I buy from another company

Hence Urethain Airwalker style stuff and whatever other knock offs I sell, I have been straying away from some of this stuff as I am opening a new Superstore and my focus is on that at this time. As for the GP I have no plans at this vary moment .. I ahve thought about it but have not ... so please DO NOT PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH

As for what happened with MG Racing you may know Giampiero screwed Sue out of 50k and I was not aware of this, 6 months into the company I got screwed out of 10k and is my reputation still good .... BY FAR YES ITS AT A ALL TIME HIGH ... its called customer service

Please do not put words in my mouth or anything at all about anything I tend to do ... until you see a thread or a G/B hosted as i do not tend to sell parts I DO NOT HAVE IN STOCK unless its OEM or JDM on order!

Sorry for my bitchyness I have had a very long day (most with family matters) so again Sorry I do not mean to take it out here on s2ki.

Ben next time feel free to send me a pm
Thank you for your time

 

If companies like Feels were that concerned about so-called knock-offs or potential competitors it should drive their prices to a more reasonable level. If they did so, knock-offs wouldn't exist anymore as the original's would be reasonably priced and I for one would spend some additional for originals versus knock offs but when knock offs are 50% less its hard not to be tempted to purchase them when it saves you 200,300,400 bucks and you can pump those savings into other items for your S

 

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Ben