-
Counterfeit Vinyl, something to think about?
Counterfeit Vinyl, something to think about?
Well i would say yes… We have seen it done in many many different forms from top end Perfumes, Clothing, Money, Software and more… So why not Vinyl or similar products?
Vinyl is… well… just vinyl to us lot. a product used within a relatively small industry in comparison to some. so why bother? Well small or not, vinyl sales worldwide.. ide imagine to be in the Hundreds of Millions. so counterfeit vinyl appearing could really eat into a huge chunk of that…
throw in the fact we are a small industry… fake this and fake that isn’t really going to be top of the Customs & Excise officers hot lists, i wouldn’t imagine. Hell, its taken long enough for hard and fast action to be taken on bootleg music and software amongst all else.so anyway… why am i making a song and dance about something that "maybe happen?"
Well… Here is the FACT….
Counterfeit Vinyl is already upon us and being sold in the UK.who said "yippee!" to themselves there? 😉
Think again! WE… US… will be the ones taken for a ride here.we will be buying crap vinyl thinking it is a top end Brand name.
we push this onto "OUR" customers, only for it to fail!
where do YOU go now? because it will be up to "US" to compensate our customers for the crap job we have just dealt them, and all as a result of Counterfeit Sign Vinyl.How do i know? well….
I having been looking for some particular types of vinyl which i could NOT locate in the UK, or even Europe for that matter. So i contacted a Chinese/Japanese company that continually send me product samples and have done the past 10 years as a result of UKSB.
I simply told them the type of vinyl i was interested in and asked did they have a European / UK distributor?
Couple of weeks later in come my samples. some Very nice vinyls, some exactly what i was after.
The shocker to me was that they were already available in the UK and more so… Manufactured by A top end Vinyl brand that i already use, amongst many.
I contacted my own supplier of the same brand asking could i source it via them and what others did they have similar. they didnt know what i was on about! it took a visit from them and i gave them cuttings from my samples. as they too, liked the vinyls.
they came back to me a week later telling me that "The manufacturers" had been sent my samples and they came back confiming that they do NOT make this type of vinyl and that it was NOT geneuine. They instantly knew because the logos on the release paper was not running at the correct angle they have theirs. they said there was other little tell tale signs but the logo running wrong direction was the instant give away.My understanding is that The manufacturer is now taking legal action. my own take on all this was it was nothing new…
So… This is something for us lot to think about the next time we are offered a top end brand vinyl at a VERY competitive price !!!!
Is it the Real deal? 😕
.
-
18 Replies
-
interesting, it would start to explain a few things, but really how are we to know ????
i have just about given up with dealing with the also ran suppliers so hopefully will not get any, but could make competing difficult. -
ahhh I knew there was something i meant to add to that post! :lol1:
I posted this topic because I’ve been meaning to for some time.
Month or so…
But you mentioned branded water marks on a new reflective vinyl, in another thread tonight. that and the counterfeit issue was what spurned me on to making the post. :lol1:Water marks on the vinyl surface i would "imagine" help in many cases
between classes/series of vinyl. but like any GOOD counterfeit product, even that i imagine, can be copied. "but for now, i dont think thats the issue" i think the general market being flooded by crap cheap copied vinyl is whats worrying.
I personally think we should see branding on the surface of most, if not all reputable high end makes/series of vinyl. cosmetically pleasing or not, I am all for it..
-
Maybe its up to the likes of EBay etc to be made aware of counterfeit vinyl’s being sold? I’ve had quite a lot of customers in the past advising me they will supply their own ‘manufacturer’s’ vinyl – once I hear ‘EBay’ – I have nothing more to do with it and explain to them that it isn’t what is claims to be, as its far to cheap – If it’s too good to be true, then it is. I was bitten with that once and never again. I’ve spoken with many Chinese and Japanese distributers as I have tested some of their own vinyl’s and as far as my tests have gone, they are good (for the money) – but when a distributer tells me its ”A true manufacturer’s vinyl” I won’t have anything else to do with that company – just because it says ***** on the liner or on the tool branding, doesn’t mean its real.. What’s the point of spending less on the vinyl, promising to be ‘real’ then pay out for the import tax and over-sea’s delivery, to find its fake, (surprise surprise) when you can buy off well known distributors in UK – and if they sell you it, at least you have backup rather than the supplier disappearing on a internet sales site..
Think at end of day its common sense and making your customers realise if they do buy ”to good to be true’ vinyl’s there will be consequences. The trouble with ‘branding’ on the surface of vinyl’s is that some companies do not want people /competition to know what vinyl they have fitted, as it helps the competition to know what to use?.. – but in the flip side to that, is it will stop the selling of 1 vinyl, then switching to another.. will give confidence to the customer to see some sort of BS (?) mark on the vinyl somewhere – like toughened glass – Good idea Rob
-
Greetings
does anybody out there have an opinion on a vinyl that is being offered on the Irish market by a reputable distributor?
It is called "Simply Vinyl", a 7 year polymeric 60 mic. cutting vinyl.
It is costed at approx 70% of the cost of the Scotchcal 50 series.
The release liner and the vinyl itself could be described as "light" to handle.
I am reluctant to use it for any long-term work
until I get some feedback.
Regards,
Barry -
Greetings
does anybody out there have an opinion on a vinyl that is being offered on the Irish market by a reputable distributor?
It is called "Simply Vinyl", a 7 year polymeric 60 mic. cutting vinyl.
It is costed at approx 70% of the cost of the Scotchcal 50 series.
The release liner and the vinyl itself could be described as "light" to handle.
I am reluctant to use it for any long-term work
until I get some feedback.
Regards,
Barry -
hi barry, this was talked about on here at the start of june the thread/topic was(what day to day vinyl do you use) have a search for it.it makes very intresting reading!! and covers the question you’ve asked.
-
Thanks John for the nod to the previous posts
re the Simply Vinyl.
I will use up what I have for promo work and will revert to the Scotchcal 50.
I am over in Mayo and note the presence of
a few "tricolour" marked contributors!
Regards, Barry -
Has anyone had a chap selling vinyl out of the back of a van call on them? 😮
-
quote Barry Williams:Thanks John for the nod to the previous posts
re the Simply Vinyl.
I will use up what I have for promo work and will revert to the Scotchcal 50.
I am over in Mayo and note the presence of
a few “tricolour” marked contributors!
Regards, BarryI have used a bit of it for short term corri board type stuff, seems ok so far, but would be wary of it for anything better.
Took John O’Sullivan’s recommendation and bought some stuff from MDP in NI. Can’t believe the prices and service, 100 quid goes a lot further than with my usual suppliers. Bit p***ed off tbh with the rip off prices I have been paying for all the application stuff and sundries.
Ordered at 3pm and it was in the workshop at 11am next morning. Free delivery too if you order 100 quids worth.
Cheers John O’Sullivan!! 😀 -
quote Harry Cleary:quote Barry Williams:Thanks John for the nod to the previous posts
re the Simply Vinyl.
I will use up what I have for promo work and will revert to the Scotchcal 50.
I am over in Mayo and note the presence of
a few “tricolour” marked contributors!
Regards, BarryI have used a bit of it for short term corri board type stuff, seems ok so far, but would be wary of it for anything better.
Took John O’Sullivan’s recommendation and bought some stuff from MDP in NI. Can’t believe the prices and service, 100 quid goes a lot further than with my usual suppliers. Bit p***ed off tbh with the rip off prices I have been paying for all the application stuff and sundries.
Ordered at 3pm and it was in the workshop at 11am next morning. Free delivery too if you order 100 quids worth.
Cheers John O’Sullivan!! 😀Glad you found them good to use. Cheers Harry
-
quote Denise Goodfellow:Has anyone had a chap selling vinyl out of the back of a van call on them? 😮
Them chaps call all the time over here they sell vinyl! and carpets! and farm gates 🙄 nothing unusual about that 😀
-
[quote="Harry Cleary"][quote="Barry Williams"]Thanks John for the nod to the previous posts
Hi Harry,
don’t know where you may have been getting yourself ripped off among the Irish suppliers.
I have checked MDP’s site and do not find their price for Perfect-tear app tape any better than it from my own supplier in Dublin.
Also I must have been very fortunate over the past 20 years in the vinyl-cutting business as my suppliers have never supplied a product that failed.
Typical price for a 48"log of tape is c €80-.
I would be interested to know what/where you buy–
Regards,
Barry
PS- did you ever get the Mutoh printer into service? -
quote Barry Williams:quote Harry Cleary:quote Barry Williams:Thanks John for the nod to the previous posts
Hi Harry,
don’t know where you may have been getting yourself ripped off among the Irish suppliers.
I have checked MDP’s site and do not find their price for Perfect-tear app tape any better than it from my own supplier in Dublin.
Also I must have been very fortunate over the past 20 years in the vinyl-cutting business as my suppliers have never supplied a product that failed.
Typical price for a 48″log of tape is c €80-.
I would be interested to know what/where you buy–
Regards,Not so much the pricing of individual items as the final add up cost. Eg. the free delivery, don’t want to name my Dublin supplier, but for years if I ordered some sheet material and vinyl, they where sent out as two separate delivery charges, which was hard to swallow but I thought there was no way around it. Really adds on to the bill.
I just found I got much more bang for my buck with MDP.quote :Barry
PS- did you ever get the Mutoh printer into service?The Mutoh est Morto! 🙁
-
"Morto est" -:( Harry-
I finally solved the "freezing" problem with mine-
an incorrect voltage setting during manufacture.
Regards,
Barry -
The Latin scholars might even say Mortuus est!!!B
-
quote Barry Williams:The Latin scholars might even say Mortuus est!!!B
😀 😀
-
quote Denise Goodfellow:Has anyone had a chap selling vinyl out of the back of a van call on them? 😮Had one round this morning.
Talked the talk and was offering ‘genuine’ Imageperfect digital print media in 54" at 5-7yr (MD5 equiv) as well as various other products all loose in the back of a liveried sprinter. Not wrapped or boxed…but all branded liners & core stickers.
Thought "Hmm – good chance of fakey, fakey when I saw the way they were stacked without a care and the silly prices he wanted." Could be wrong, but I wasn’t impressed.
Passed on the offer…
-
I’ve only ever used ‘Brand Names’ and it’s delivered direct or with a rep.
In fairness I have used …. sub standard names, many years ago, and decided then only to use it for a specific job… but only for a couple of years and very selective for the end use.
My theory is to use who I know, I feel more confident with the end product then. 99% of my work is on an ‘Edge’ and using 380 sprocketed.. I cannot afford to ruin a good longstanding reputation really.
Titch.
Log in to reply.
