Friday, May 27, 2016

FAKES ARE COSTING YOU AND AMERICAN COMPANIES BILLIONS ANNUALLY

FAKES ARE COSTING YOU AND AMERICAN COMPANIES BILLIONS ANNUALLY

TM Monty Python and the Holy Grail

Our consumers’ quest for the cheapest deal is costing American companies billions of dollars, taking away jobs from our American workers and causing injury and loss of time on a job.

Are you buying fakes? If you are bragging about a great online deal you got on your new power drill, impact wrench, or power washer – you may be a victim of a counterfeit product. These shoddy tools are flooding our market, costing our consumers millions in inferior products.
It looks like a Dewalt, has the same label as Ridgid, is in packaging with the same labeling as Milwaukee…  The level of IP, trademark and copyright theft is flawless. You can’t tell the difference until you have the tool or part in your hands. Then the poor engineering shows. It won’t  work, it could blow up and worse injure people. You think, man this tool is a piece of junk and take it to a repair center for DeWalt or Bosch or Stihl only to find out that bargain tool is not what you thought but a fake.

The best way to avoid getting counterfeit tools is buying from authorized distributors. Finding a “deal” on Amazon, eBay or another site may be a dangerous and costly proposition.
If the tool causes injury because it was a fake and not engineered to strict standards like a true DeWalt, Milwaukee, Ridgid, Makita or other brand then you have spent far more than you saved. Eaton has taken prevention a step further by creating a Circuit Breaker Authentication Tool. Using this device will help you determine if it is counterfeit.

Report counterfeits to Stop Fakes, a government agency dedicated to stopping the fakes that are flooding our markets. You are not alone. The Federal government has purchased millions of counterfeit parts. This has spurred regulations to make contractors accountable as to where they are purchasing their parts. 

Check out this online video: http://www.stopfakes.gov/consumer-tools https://d12vb6dvkz909q.cloudfront.net/uploads/galleries/342/monty-python-image-1.jpg
This link is to a great resource. The top 10 ways to spot a fake: http://www.stopfakes.gov/sites/default/files/Consumer_Tips.pdf

Billions of dollars in potential sales are stolen from American companies and distributors by counterfeit products. The infringements happen across the world on various platforms. Much of the counterfeit goods flooding the market are from China. These articles will educate you and open your eyes. 
http://abcnews.go.com/WNT/video/counterfeit-goods-make-china-store-31098364

While reviewing a demo video I recorded with our Ridgid representative, in the You Tube feed was a link to a knockoff Ridgid product. Immediately, Tim called the corporate office to report it. We all have to be diligent in making sure our consumers get the right and best product every time they buy from us. We are authorized to sell many of the brands that are being targeted by counterfeit companies from China and will always be sure you are getting the genuine part or tool. 

I am not preaching here, I understand wanting a cheap deal. Power Tool and Supply offers the best deal because we carry the true deal – the original brand. Hopefully, this was as eye opening for you as for me. Happy and safe shopping!