Is this illegal?

[jeffgordon24]

I bought a fan from a vendor whose name I won't say and I found out it was a generic fan even though his company name is on it. Isn't that illegal to do? To me that's the same as saying he made it even though he didn't.

[dkozloski]

You can find what are called "reboxed" parts in practically any industry. I have a Cardinal Technologies Modem that if you peel off the sticker says U.S. Robotics underneath. I bought an air filter for my Mazda RX-7 from a parts house that said Fram on the box and Mazda on the filter inside. A Sears Kenmore washing machine may say Whirlpool inside somewhere.

[SoopaStar]

Jeff, what you are referring to is an OEM or VAR product. Many companies make products for other companies to resell as their own. Hewlett packard makes CDRW drives that other companies relabel. Mitsumi and other companies actually make the drives for Hi-Val. Same thing goes for automotive parts. I have bolt on pedals in my car made by a compny called Matrix, but the store that does the car audio, tinting, and bolt on sport compact stuff ( http://www.auto-fx.com ) relabels it as their own (with permission from the manufacturer). Its to give the store a larger identity and also is one helluva sales tool because you aren't paying for an expansive name like Hewlett Packard or MoMo Race Gear.

SS

[welsh wizard]

Well put SoopaStar, after all imagine what my companies computers would look like if I could not put company logo on the case ( this computer is a TIMES,QUANTUM OR SEAGATE,CREATIVE,PANASONIC,KINGSTON,INTEL OR WHAT EVER PARTS WENT INTO. Please note all due respect to the above Trademark names of each individual comany.

Sorry folks forgot to put "not" in between could and put

[This message has been edited by welsh wizard (edited 08-31-99).]

[jeffgordon24]

Well a complete computer and a fan are two totally different things. How about I advertise a cpu that says pentium on it and when you receive it you find out it's a celeron? You'd be highly pissed off, especially if you paid almost 3x the price. When someone has their name on it, then it should be made by them unless it states otherwise. I emailed the guy about it and he wasn't to concerned about it and I told him that I wouldn't buy from him again since I could've bought the same thing for $15.50 less then what he sold it to me for. Then had the nerve to email me back and get me to help him buy the fans for what I could've paid for them which was $2 less then he pays for them. He must be nuckin futs! I should offer to sell them for $12 on my website and put him out of business considering he sells them for $18 and according to him, sells alot of them at that price. Oh well, lesson learned.

[This message has been edited by jeffgordon24 (edited 08-31-99).]

[800XL]

While we are on the subject, what type of fan is this, and what is your good source? /forum/wink.gif If you feel strongly about this incident, go to reseller ratings and put in a review of the vendor. I would not sweat them putting their 'mark' on the part, but unless this is a $75 part the pricing is a pretty high markup. Stickering parts is fairly common, especially if it is something like a fan/heatsink combo. Retail PPGA Celeron fans say Intel on them, but Sanyo Denkei makes them. (Of course it says that too /forum/smile.gif)

[dkozloski]

jeffgordon24, I once bought a flyrod from Sears that was advertised as being a top-of-the line "Heddon Premier." When I got it, it had a sticker on it that said "Premier by Heddon for Sears". Peeling off the sticker revealed "Heddon Pal" which was a bottom end product. I think your case is similar and involved not just brand remarking but an attempt at deception. What makes me mad is that they assume the customer is so **** dumb that they will never figure out they have been skizzled.

[SoopaStar]

Jeff,
so you are saying...
I have an eagle Talon. It was made by Mitsubishi..its an Eclipse...but nowhere on the car does it say Mitsubishi! not even when i peel the labels off! man am Ipissed! knoww hat I also found out? the plymouth lazer is also an eclipse! Man! I bet all those peopel who thought they got an american car are steamign intheir shorts! OH1 and my Ford Probe? it has a mazda engine! but it says ford! My goodness!

Jeff, the simple fact is this is part of bussiness. That guy did absolutely nothign wrong. Its basic economics. When you can purchase a product from another company because the cost is lower than your production cost, you go with that. It saves you money. Its called outsourcing. ITs done in bussiness everyday. And probably EVERY bussiness does it in one way or another.

Sorry to make a comical response but its true. you weren't duped in anyway. And, chances are that fan is just as good of quality as any other fan. If he had produced it himself would that make it a better fan? probably not. he left the manufacturing process to a company that soley makes fans or similar components.
being generic doesn't make somethign bad.

SS

[nilknarf]

Well put SoopaStar!

While we're on th subject...

Every CRT in the world, regardless of the name on them, was made by one of about half a dozen companies! Anything you buy with a Radio Shack label on it was made by, or licensed from another company! And best of all, Apple stole from Xerox, MS stole from IBM who based their work on Xerox!!

So who really invented Windows??!!

[welsh wizard]

well if I was buying an itel cpu and it stated in buyer doc intel 300m then if I got a celeron it's tough if I overpaid, but if it stated P2 and it turned out to be a cleron then I would not only be P$$$$d of I would want my money back or report for fraud, thats not badge swopping thats planned at defrauding.

[SoopaStar]

WW-
That is fraud. And there are laws against that. What this message was origianlly stating has nothign to do with a processor swap. Those are two completely different things. Lets not start and arguement on here when what you are stating has nothing to do with the first (fan labeling) post.

SS

[netsurfer]

Well, what I think some of you may be referring to is illegally marking up CPU's. Around Southern California computer shows, various vendors have been busted for doing it. What they do is they physically overclock a CPU (perhaps in conjunction with the motherboard)... so they could say, take a celeron 300A, overclock it to 450, hack the BIOS and sell it as a P2-450... As you can imagine, the profit margin is incredible.

[socalgal]

Hi netsurfer - So Cal here too. I'd be curious to know what shows these remarking scoundrels were/are at.

I go to the shows at CSUN often, and have inquired of the CSUN hosters as to what qualifications/references/investigations are taken to ensure the vendors there are reputable and they have always checked out (at least the ones I've bought from). They have sheets of info on each vendor that one can look through. I've even done returns with them, with no problems.

But yes, it's always wise to practice prudence and caution and to be aware. Many are unscrupulous. Paying via credit card gives you some recourse.