Thursday, June 10, 2010
What's wrong with bootleg products? That the owner of the brand does not get compensation? That they are done in worse labor conditions? That they cheapen the brand? Perhaps all of the previous plus loads of other reasons. Still, bootleg products keep the brand visible in countries where people cannot afford the original ones.
Bootlegs are not necessarily cheap. I saw the other day a pair of Puma shoes sold in the market for around 60 euros, quite a hefty price for a pair of shoes that as original cost around € 100. Then, why would anyone buy these shoes from market?
Now, let's move to an even more ridiculous case. House brands. House brands are like these previous fake Puma shoes without the Puma logo. Usually they are cheap, and at most expensive they are still affordable. However, then we have also house brand watches. However, first a case of a bootleg one.
Some 4 years ago, I bought from Siauliai street market a Rolex Oyster Perpetual Date Time watch, or what ever it said. There was no date, but it did show time. It took a few months for the wrist band to break and in 1,5 years the silver color had faded away. Still, the watch worked, which definately makes it to qualify worth the 4 euros I paid for it. And it was lots of fun - no way a status product, but more of a party watch. I opened it once to look inside, and the Swiss made movement was quite plasticy. Quite much what I expected. Now, the item lays somewhere deep in my drawer after eating 2 batteries in 3 years. Quite a substandard efficiency, I would say.
This one was a bootleg watch. I knew it, the seller knew it, and everyone who saw it closer than 2 meters knew it. It did not really damage my idea of Rolex as a brand, nor did anyone really make money with it. However, what if I would sell you "Real diamong Swiss gold watch" with brand Calvaneo, Yves Camani, Koenigswerk or such?
House brand watches sold exclusively in internet - especially in eBay - are a bid of a dubious issue. Usually, they are replicas of brand watches when it comes to design. Usually, they sound like a real, expensive brand. Usually, they are made in China. Then what is wrong here?
Otherwise nothing, but they are sold as real brands. "Real Koenigswerk watch, Retail price 1449 GBP". How can you state a retail price for a product that is sold exclusively in eBay auctions? Also, some watches are stated to have real diamonds (coming with a certificate), while other sellers sell the same item as "with real Swarovski Crystals". There is in fact a quite fine list of these eBay watches: http://www.trustedwatch.com/community/blacklist. Another way to see which watches are not worth a price higher that your super market watch is to check here: http://www.uhrmacher-balster.de/welche-uhrenmarken-werden-nicht-repariert.html

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