B&M selling clones as authentic??

[Canadian_Vaper]

So, I have been going to this same B&M store in my area, and I can't complain about their juices, because I love a lot of the flavors they make, and I buy all of my concentrates and my nicotine from them, so they do have their strong points. My problem is the fact that they're selling clones as authentic. When I say this, I mean they really try to get people. Selling AR mech mod clones that you get online for $10 they're selling for $80 and claiming they're authentic, when you can't get a new authentic AR mod online for less than $100 ANYWHERE. They sell clone RDA's as authentic as well. I know that this is happening because I've done a lot of research finding differences between clones and authentic, and am pretty good at telling the difference. I had been looking to get a box for a while, and saw the new tuglyfe clone online with the tugboat RDA for like $35, so decided to buy it. A week or so after mine arrived in the mail, I went to the shop to check out some flavor concentrates and saw that they had gotten the same tuglyfe mod that I had. I figured I'd check out the authentic since mine was a clone, and wanted to see the differences. Just looking at it, it looked exactly like my clone. I opened the box to look at the inside, and it was EXACTLY the same. Hot glue holding the wires in there. The mosfet chip was the same. The sled was the same. The button was the same. It was the EXACT same thing I ordered. They were selling that box for $100 and the RDA for $50. They were selling clones for $150, and I bought mine for $35...... They even went as far as to sell some of their "authentics" for less than I could find them anywhere online. What should I do? I know for a fact that they aren't authentics, and I think it's BS that a company is going to sell things to people knowing that they aren't what the people are expecting. Not only that, but EVERYTHING they have is extremely over priced. I was looking into getting a new sub ohm tank, and figured a Kanger Subtank Mini was my best bet for the money while researching online. I wanted to give the B&M the business because it's a local business, and I like to support them as often as possible, which is why I still buy my concentrates there still. Well, long story short, the subtank I could buy online for $20 was being sold there for $60!?!?!?! It's just crazy to think that a local business like that could be so shady when it comes to prices and when it comes to selling things that aren't what they are making them seem. I just don't know what I should do. Should I just let them do it and let people figure it out on their own? Should I say something? I've never had to deal with this before, and honestly, I think it's wrong that they're doing this to people...... Help me out here, guys lol

When I was a newb I ran into the same problem, bought a tank, 40$ was lead to believe it was authentic, coil was starting to taste grungy and ordered a few online, guess what they didn't fit, I ordered from a reputable online shop for the coils, went back to the store and showed them my predicament, they just told me I had to get the coils for that model from them... Box said joyetech, everything looked like a real tank, told them their prices were too high walked out........ Ended up buying the tank online, guess what the coils I got online fit no problems, the tank i got from them looked exactly the same however it was about 1mm shorter and 1/2mm thinner....

I was ripped off, ended up joining a local vape group, spread the word about what happened, went to other vape shops told them the same, apparently I wasn't the only one to complain about them, now they are one of the least popular shops in my area....

They've stopped selling clones as authentics from what I've heard but they will never get any business from me or most vapers I know in the area because of it...

 

[kbeam418]

Why are you singling out one Chinese RETAILER almost as responsible for their deception?
Fasttech
GearBest
Focalecig
Chinabuy
and Dozens of other China Resellers offer decent product direct to Retail customers.

Lay Blame Squarely - Some people are just thieves.

Fasttech in not a Manufacturer, but a Supplier that must purchase through manufacturer reps. and supply chains just like any other business. Perhaps they do a better job.

Because Fasttech has a bad reputation. Not saying Fasttech is all bad but they do sell clones. Last I checked Kangertech sells directly to those retailers so yes I do blame those china retailers!

 

[VHRB2014]

All my junk is clone.

I`ll police my own space, but what goes on outside of it, Id be a fool to think I can tackle that.

 

[Cacique]

There's nothing bad with clones as long as they're not being advertised as authentic. Fasttech distinguishes the two so you can buy whatever you want. Some products are good and some products are crap, goes for both authentics and clones.

 

[Sidsgothem]

was it a clone or counterfeit?

a clone is typically sold without the logo

and a counterfeit has a logo as if it were authentic

anyways i'm not entirely sure...there are alot of issues with china made things...especially when it comes to patents....especially over mods...it's actually a copyright / trademark / trade dress issue they usually have...but they're virtually the same result.

i haven't had a clone or counterfeit encounter so idk how they work or if they're even worth it...or as good as an authentic...but claiming a clone/counterfeit is authentic and hiking price for profit knowing they're fake is fraudulent....but i'm sure if anything happens to that B&M they'll claim they couldn't tell the difference and was deceived by the wholesaler who they bought it from in china...and they'll claim it was an honest mistake because...no one would head over to china to create a criminal investigation over a mod....so nothing would really happen...i guess just avoid the spot.

has anyone messed with any clones/counterfeits? are they decent?safe etc? if so i may try a few out...just scared they'll kill me lol...

i had a friend get a nemesis clone once...he told me the wires shorted or something within a week o.0

 

[Bunnykiller]

if they are selling clones as authentics, its false advertising and they can be held responsible for fraud...
normally clones come in cheap non descript boxes.... ask to see one in a box

 

[daviedog]

was it a clone or counterfeit?

a clone is typically sold without the logo

and a counterfeit has a logo as if it were authentic

anyways i'm not entirely sure...there are alot of issues with china made things...especially when it comes to patents....especially over mods...it's actually a copyright / trademark / trade dress issue they usually have...but they're virtually the same result.

i haven't had a clone or counterfeit encounter so idk how they work or if they're even worth it...or as good as an authentic...but claiming a clone/counterfeit is authentic and hiking price for profit knowing they're fake is fraudulent....but i'm sure if anything happens to that B&M they'll claim they couldn't tell the difference and was deceived by the wholesaler who they bought it from in china...and they'll claim it was an honest mistake because...no one would head over to china to create a criminal investigation over a mod....so nothing would really happen...i guess just avoid the spot.

has anyone messed with any clones/counterfeits? are they decent?safe etc? if so i may try a few out...just scared they'll kill me lol...

i had a friend get a nemesis clone once...he told me the wires shorted or something within a week o.0

What wires?

 

[crxess]

Because Fasttech has a bad reputation. Not saying Fasttech is all bad but they do sell clones. Last I checked Kangertech sells directly to those retailers so yes I do blame those china retailers!

See, you are incorrect in your knowledge. Both Kangertech..........and Fasttech Sell Kangertech Brand Equipment. The difference is #Sku's required to order.
You see, a Dealer Can purchase small quantities of Authentic's from Fasttech, but Not Kangertech.<Been there and know for fact>
Dealer does not need to, nor is Duped into purchasing Clones of these items from Fasttech.

Most of the Bad reputation You claim Fasttech has has been generated By Vendors upset that they are loosing over priced sales to another Vendor<Fasttech>
Few are people clueless as to doing business with a Chinese company.

Thousands of Board members use Fasttech throughout the year and hundreds of thousands world wide.

Any Dealer or Person that claims, Fasttech Sold me Fakes(without my knowledge), is lying or stupid. They have built their reputation on just the opposite - Transparency.

 

[herb]

Because Fasttech has a bad reputation. Not saying Fasttech is all bad but they do sell clones. Last I checked Kangertech sells directly to those retailers so yes I do blame those china retailers!

Fasttech has an outstanding reputation and carries more e cig related stuff than anyone else in the world.

They have very very good CS and people have been doing business with them for many years , nobody comes close to the variety and prices Fasttech offers .

 

[Vaslovik]

If you know it's a clone and you know they are lying, just don't buy it. Why even go in there if they operate like that? Juice? I started making my own because of B&M's that were shady and treated me badly. What I make at home is better than anything I got from them, and now I don't need them for anything. A far preferable state of affairs if you ask me.

 

[Cacique]

was it a clone or counterfeit?

a clone is typically sold without the logo

and a counterfeit has a logo as if it were authentic

anyways i'm not entirely sure...there are alot of issues with china made things...especially when it comes to patents....especially over mods...it's actually a copyright / trademark / trade dress issue they usually have...but they're virtually the same result.

i haven't had a clone or counterfeit encounter so idk how they work or if they're even worth it...or as good as an authentic...but claiming a clone/counterfeit is authentic and hiking price for profit knowing they're fake is fraudulent....but i'm sure if anything happens to that B&M they'll claim they couldn't tell the difference and was deceived by the wholesaler who they bought it from in china...and they'll claim it was an honest mistake because...no one would head over to china to create a criminal investigation over a mod....so nothing would really happen...i guess just avoid the spot.

has anyone messed with any clones/counterfeits? are they decent?safe etc? if so i may try a few out...just scared they'll kill me lol...

i had a friend get a nemesis clone once...he told me the wires shorted or something within a week o.0

Clone and counterfeit IMO have one difference. The counterfeit is a 1:1 (identical) being sold as an authentic. Most sites that I've visited seem to mark their clones as that, even if they are 1:1 and are sold at fair prices.

As for everything else, clones are GREAT. Several of my drippers are clones, and I love them. You just have to search to make sure you get one from a good manufacturer. Clone mech mods also work well, at least for the tubes. What I wouldn't buy cloned would be a regulated mod, as then you don't know what you have on the inside.

Also, your friend doesn't seem to know what he's talking about unless the info was misunderstood. Nemesis are tube mech mods, so no wires in there. It's a metal tube with a 510 threaded top cap and a button at the bottom or side, that works by magnets or a spring. Clone tube mech mods can be great and inexpensive, but just like the RDAs, gotta look around a bit to find a good working one, as some clones, from any manufacturer, can come out wonky. Authentics sometimes come out wonky too.

 

[kbeam418]

Ok I take that back, I've always heard bad things about Fasttech but never knew why. I guess it's the slow shipping.

 

[Bronze]

I do not support clone makers and counterfeiters and deceitful retailers. It's cheating in my mind. I would stop doing business with them and tell them exactly why.

 

[Cacique]

I think so too. I've read that some people have gotten scratched up gear too, but I recently placed my first order and I'm more than happy with it. 1 of the drippers became my daily driver right off the bat and everything looks great and works great. I think it all took around the average time things take to get here from China, about 3 weeks. Sometimes mail can just be slow, but we gotta remember it happens everywhere and some of this stuff is coming from the other side of the planet.

Only thing I haven't tried out yet is the mech I got but I just gotta sit down and figure out a good build for it. I'm usually pulling 80-90 watts on a dual claptons so having a bit of a hard time figuring out something that'll give me similar flavor.

 

[borderlinepro]

advertise as is, and price accordingly... products will be products

 

[Skitzo88]

So I guess after reading everyone's comments, I won't be going back to the shop. I'm not going to go in there and cause a scene or even talk to them about it because I'm pretty sure I'll get the whole "we didn't know" routine, and it'll all stay there at the same price, and they'll just be butthurt about someone calling them out. I have a gallon of VG, some 100mg/ml nicotine, and 5 different 120ml LoRann flavorings coming in the mail. I've been making my own juice for a while, but I suppose now is as good a time as any to really get into it and save me some money. Thank you all for the hints and tips, and hopefully with time, they'll realize their mistakes and will make things right.....

 

[JMarca]

Ok I take that back, I've always heard bad things about Fasttech but never knew why. I guess it's the slow shipping.

Yeah the 12 day shipping option for free on most orders is horrible I tell you. Fasttech has great prices, large inventory, mostly free FAST shipping to the US. Stop regurgitating what you read on the internet, alot of that stuff comes from butthurt vendors who wish they moved the volume they do on a daily basis in a single month.

 

[Steamix]

Because Fasttech has a bad reputation. Not saying Fasttech is all bad but they do sell clones. Last I checked Kangertech sells directly to those retailers so yes I do blame those china retailers!

Yep, FT sells clones.

The difference : They're straight about it.
'style' ..... denotes a clone.
'Authentic' ... is the real goods.
And they're straight about having the authentication stickers cut out or scratched off on some authentic goods.
There's a reason for that too: Some manufacturers tell their distributors and retailers the prices they're supposed to sell their products for. Sounds good at first glance 'cuz the retailer has a fixed/forseeable margin.

Move more ( items ) for less ( price per item ) could result in a better overall bottom line.

So FT buys through fronts from the manufacturers. To protect these, the codes get obliterated.
Could well be that some makers turn a blind eye on that practice as well. Helps them to dodge irate appointed retailers .

Yes, I had clones that were so shoddily machined, that I had to put some sanding paper and a Dremel to it.
Also got plenty that are almost impossible to tell apart from the real deal.

But s long as FT or any other vendor are straight about it - no sweat.

As to sticking me with a clone claiming it's the genuine product...
many posters before me made it clear that you better keep the bail money handy