New Zealand Gold Prospecting & Metal Detecting Forums Archive

To me it is a parallel import of a counterfeit product and I agree with what you say but I also think that I only stated half the case above...its a minor technicality I guess the way I put it as I am well aware that it is a copy and clearly an attempt to deceive but then again so are many parallel imports in the clothing lines clearly intended to deceive and be passed off as designer label goods etc.

the interesting irony is the fact that many of the so called brand names ARE the same product haha imported by them and labelled with their labels!

Who is to say that the Minelab look alike and the Garrett look alike dont have the exact same componentry in, both companies importing formt he same factories - this world of globalization is also a world of deception and deceit and often by buying designer made or by a brand name we are actually not buying something which is better!

To cut a long story short if for no other reason than curiosity I would like to give the product a try to see for myself before I shoot it to flames...or scrap metal but like everyone here I guess I also dont want to risk my dollars...just in case..

Edited by user Tuesday, 7 May 2013 2:28:36 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I was once told buy an engineer that computer components come in several grades; that is the exact same thing out of the same factory off the same assembly line are not the same. They are tested and the ones that do not work at all go into the scrap bin, those that work poorly go into the low grade, those that work ok in the mid grade, and those that work perfectly in the high grade. He said if you buy a quality brand name computer you get the mid grade, and if you buy a budget computer from the warehouse or wherever you get the poor grade. He claimed the high grade stuff was pretty hard to get and mostly went into commercial/industrial uses. For example he had worked at a TV station and said they bought a very basic not particularly fast computer and it cost something like $8000. The reason being that it was made up entirely of high grade components because it had to be reliable and could not cut out mid broadcast. Same goes for running machinery, space shuttles etc. So based on that I would think is it pretty unlikely that chinese versions of the the same thing are 'just as good.' My guess is that at best you are getting components that did not meet the manufacturers requirements.

I am not arguing but one thing is for sure - I wont buy Levis as I really dont know where they come from and when a brand name is famous and therefore reputable they will of course stand by their product - If however they import from China and plonk their label on the product then rest assured that they can stand by it and refund to a dissatisfied customer who happens to find fault in the product. Personally if I wanted Levis I would only ever buy one pair! I would buy El Cheapo Postie Plus Jeans after that and swap the labels but then I do tend to be a cheapskate - not because I am not uncivilised (I am actually) but because I sure in hell cant tell the difference and who else can?

As for the detectors - I would give them a go happily but the Trademe vendor should be heftily fined for fraud. Maybe, just maybe compared side by side no one might be able to tell the difference in the detectors - out of curiosity I would like to know just how good they are.

What Robert says about different grades or qualities of componentry is quite correct - this is evident in companies making cheaper home handyman products and at the same time making professional and trade products.

I believe the guy selling items under the Garret name should go for a rocket as it is indeed misrepresentation BUT what I am saying is that does NOT mean that it is necessarily worse or better in quality and performance. An example of this were genuine Landrover replacement Series 1 axles I purchased at huge cost at the time and they both broke so I purchased pattern parts at half the cost and they proved superior.

I dont think that a parralel importer of the genuine article could sell them less than the franchise holder after all the franchise holder would have an arrangement with the supplier but not only that MOST suppliers will not sell to anyone who intends importing into another country where they have an agent for the very reason you mention - failure of parts and servicing. Factories like their products to be sold through the Franchise holder or authorised dealer.

Edited by user Tuesday, 7 May 2013 6:03:12 PM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

well boys im bidding on david12 other $1 reserve garrett thd probe and im going to buy it to simply see if it works for the price its worth the risk of buying a $399 one from a nz distributor. who knows until we try it i dont think its illegal to do what hes doing if they work and are not counterfit, i will let you guys know how i get on........ if the nark doesnt shut him down lol.... i think its abit rough to convict him as a counterfiter if you havnt bought anything from him, i doubt trademe will kill his auctions as theres no proof. im also keeping an eye on the feedback from the last one he just sold for $75.00 the guy hasnt posted yet..........

your links suck they dont work

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Edited by user Sunday, 6 October 2013 12:27:38 AM(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

To add a bit to what Lammerlaw said, many manufacturers have a minimum price that dealers/retailers are allowed to sell their products. I assume they do this so that their dealers do not compete the price down so low that they are not worth the effort to sell. My experience has been that in New Zealand it isn't much of an issue because by the time the importer pays GST, customs fees and freight it is getting pretty close to the mark before any profit is added. If you want to know what the minimum allowed price is, just see what Kellyco sells detectors for. as far as I can tell they sell everything at the lowest allowed price and then throw in a bunch of free crap to sweeten the deal.

A similar, but less ethical tactic that some manufacturers use is essentially price fixing. Before I started importing metal detectors I was looking at bringing in some climbing/mountaineering gear. the brand I was looking at cost double in New Zealand compared to the States. I thought it odd that every outlet in the States that sold this brand was the same price, didn't matter if it was mail order or from a shop, and every shop in New Zealand was pretty much the same (higher) price. I was thinking I could import gear and sell it mail order and do a good business undercutting the 100+% mark up in the shops. Well all was revealed when I contacted the company; they didn't want anything to do with someone doing a bargain mail order business, they had a regional distributor that you had to go through (no buying directly from the factory), you had to have a retail shop, no strictly mail order, and they told you what price you had to sell at. Now it isn't exactly a monopoly because you could buy gear made by another manufacturer, except that I am fairly sure you would find the same distributor handled all the major brands. And this is why I believe the price of everything from auto parts to groceries is over priced in New Zealand; it simply isn't a free market. So I am completely in favour of people buying things off the internet from overseas, because New Zealand consumers are getting screwed every time they go to a retailer. Except metal detectors, you should buy those from your local dealer :)

No no no.

Parallel importing is not a selling of knock-off's. Parallel importing is legal (at present). Parallel importing can side-step manufacturers using anti-competitive steps to rort the consumer - Adobe and Apple spring to mind, with prices for their products here much higher than the price elsewhere plus the freight/admin costs

Chinese Knock-Off = Counterfeit goods labelled as the real thing, or labelled to appear to be the real thing (same colour, design, shape) but with slightly different spelling on the branding.

You need to use the correct terms.

doesnt look like i can post links to the site with garrett look alikes but they have Garrett written on them and spelt correct and are US$44 and free shipping

Yes that is true but although the Milwaukee had 'Made in China' on the side in small print I cannot complain if it breaks down now as it has proven to be a winner taking into account that I have used it for heavier purposes for which it was intended.

Although not the same I had heard that National Panasonic are no longer who people think they are and nor are Black Diamond as they have been bought out but the brand name retained...none the less I still buy Panasonic and cant complain.