6/6/2006 - Cheap Imitation?
In our store, we stock a wide range of good quality branded Scuba gear (as most dive centers usually tend to do). I'm not going to bother naming them all, but included in our suppliers is TUSA/TABATA who makes absolutely brilliant software. While I think about it, and before I get too carried away with my usual rambling, I'd just like to say here and now that I truly do love the TUSA software for a number of reasons including quality, appearance and reliability. This post is in no way meant to offend anyone associated with TUSA or whatever, it's just my opinion and seeing as it's on my blog, I hope you can respect that.
As wonderful as I think the TUSA software is, I also think it's completely over-priced. Why, really, would someone pay over $100 for a mask when you can buy perfectly acceptable quality and style for half that? Maybe the mask doesn't last as long (by a year or two at most, in my opinion, depending on brand) or doesn't have the same grade of silicon, but ultimately there isn't that much to the masks and snorkels that I would pay that premium for them. I'd much rather buy a 'cheaper brand that's good quality' such as Apollo or Cressi or Oceanic to name a few, than spend that exhorbitant amount on a mask I'll probably get tired of in two or three years anyway.
In my local area, people are very very price conscious and would rather buy something cheap and nasty and replace it, than fork out a big wad of cash for a mask they might lose or break anyway... Which, to me, does make sense in a way. I'm not inclined to buy cheap and nasty equipment, but I won't buy things purely on brand value - I like looking for quality and performance rather than the little logo attached to the side. Besides, a lot of the gear is produced in the same factory anyway, it just has a different band name attached to it.
Which brings me to the whole point of this particular entry - cheap brand imitations.
I've used the TUSA masks in this post mainly because they have the biggest price tags, everyone respects their quality, and there are a million and one imitation TUSA masks around. If you look at Saeko Dive, they have at least three masks that are the exact same in style and colour. The only differences that might exist between them, would be manufacturing quality such as the grade of silicone used and care taken with which the frame was molded, materials it was made of, and the way it's put together in the end. Even then, I honestly can't see that much of a different between them. TUSA has this wonderful mask, the M-16 I think is the number, "Visulator" is its swanky name. Saekodive has the same mask, for almost half the price.
I've compared the two masks side by side. I've had a good look at the silicone, and the small details like buckles and clips and pins. Ultimately, I can't see that much of a difference between the two masks. I understand that TUSA has brand names and overheads to pay that Saekodive probably doesn't, because of production and design, but to me, that price difference is astronomical and the quality hasn't appeared to be all that different, in my opinion. Certainly, the people who get offered the TUSA mask versus the Saekodive rip-off almost always buy the Saekodive even though we might say it's not the same quality (which we don't know for certain, because how can you really ever be sure of quality?).
Everything is always being ripped off in some way or another. You just have to look at LEVIs versus LeVIS in the jeans industry. Or the watch industry. Hell, even the car industry has its cheap impersonations and rip-offs. Clothing. Electronic equipment.
In all of those industries though, you pay for what you get. You know that if you buy a very cheap, very shoddy piece of equipment that it will fail on you. That's a risk you take, and you are well aware that what you pay for is what you get.
I guess my frustration and irritation with the scuba software imitations that I've just highlighted is that I can't see any physical benefits of paying double for the TUSA brand, over paying half for a cheaper rip-off. Doubtlessly half the people reading this will throw their hands up in horror and declare me to be guilty of some crime or another because I condone the sale of the cheap, imitation masks over and above the TUSA masks (which, I don't) and the other half will be mortally offended at the TUSA prices compared to the possible prices.
I like TUSA. I think they have good gear and I have no problems in selling it to people with the konwledge that they have bought quality. At the same time, I can't have that same peace of mind when I sell cheaper gear to someone - how do I know that it won't fail?
This is only about masks though, and masks are a grey area at the best of times in the scuba industry given the manufacturing happens in the same factories and everyone steals designs and patents left right and center. For a mask, I could still stand there and tell you "Buy the cheaper one because I honestly don't see a difference in performance and life expectancy provided you look after them". When it comes to things like BCs and Regs, there is NO WAY I would sell cheap imitations, no matter how good they appear, because you just don't have that quality assurance you get with the branded, reliable equipment.
What's my point? Not sure, now. I've talked myself in circles again. As stated several times, TUSA does a lovely mask. Their silicon is definitely very soft and comfortable, their designs are always modern and sleek and beautiful colours (which, given I'm female, is very important!!). Still, I wouldn't pay for a TUSA mask what they ask, knowing what is available elsewhere. Even if I didn't have the cheap Saekodives as the example, I just have to look at the RRPs on an Oceanic mask or the midline Cressi masks, and I'd get the same performance of range of features out of them.
From a business point of view, if you can offer a quality product at a lower price than your competitor, you stand to win, right? Unfortunately, if there isn't much of a difference in quality then you'll be looking at price to make your choice, right? Which then stands to reason these cheaper masks which have physically got the same quality as the more expensive masks will outsell the more expensive ones by a mile, right? Right.
By the way, the biggest brands (for those who don't know) in Australia are Aqualung, Scubapro, Oceanic & Mares. I'm pretty sure it's these four anyway, and I know there's some stomping and climbing happening in the ranks because of changing industry. Please feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!
Just to reaffirm what I've already said - I really like the TUSA equipment, and I tell everyone it's the best quality because I honestly believe that fact. Their silicon is SO NICE and their colours... but ultimately, that very, very small difference in lifespan the huge difference in silicon grade offers just isn't worth paying double for, unless, of course, you're a through and through TUSA supporter (which I wouldn't blame you if you were). It's very hard to know what's the right and wrong ethically if there's a lot of wheeling and dealing behind the scenes between manufacturers, suppliers & wholesalers, but ultimately most buyers aren't really too concerned about the ethics. If you want a mask, you're going to go shopping for the best VALUE mask in terms of features compared to price, right? And consumer demand being what drives the industry, I guess the scuba centers can't help but supply the demand or miss out, and business is all about delivering what customers want.
Overall, it leaves me feeling a little dirty and sneaky, somehow, as though the quality of the center is compromised because of dealing with 'imitations'. And yet, if we didn't have those options available for our customers, our customers would think we were trying to cheat them out of money by only stocking expensive stuff, and they'd go to other retail centers for their gear.
It's hard to know exactly what's the right and the wrong in this sort of situation, and I guess that you can only be honest with your suppliers as well as your customers and say "here are your options, you choose what you want to do."
Me? I'd not buy Saeko on principle, but I wouldn't buy the TUSA because of price. I'd pick another brand with pretty colours and good customers service, and sweep the whole issue under the carpet 
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