Looks like this guy has good feedback. I would buy from him.

 

for consumer like us, we like him. For vendor, they hate them.

I bought the Nismo oil cap from him for $30 shipped. 2 hours after paypal to him, i got UPS tracking # right away. That is like 50% off if i buy from any local dealer or online vendor.

 

This is what the bigger guys don't understand or have forgotten in their climb up the business market ladder. The little guys who are running their businesses out of their homes, can sell for less because they have almost no overhead. The bigger guys have a place they lease out for storage, provide other services, have employees etc. So I can understand why the vendors can't sell authentic products at a lower price, while the little guys can. Additionally, I buy and sell on eBay all the time. While there are fake products, there are plenty of "real" products on there as well. Simply discounting an identical product because it is lower priced is foolhardy. That's like saying you should buy your 350Z at MSRP at one dealership becasue it's "real" instead of an identically equipped 350Z at another dealership selling at invoice assuming something must be wrong or they aren't real 350Zs. A lot of these little guy vendors are trying to sell products by volume to build a customer base that the big guys already have. They are selling at cut rate prices, and once they build a name you will typically see their prices go up. This business model is in practice everywhere. One example I remember is buy.com. When they were new, no one could touch their prices, they were crazy low. Now that they have a huge customer base and have built a name for themselves, their prices are much more mainstream and rarely lower than some of the lesser known vendors out there. This is what free market competition is all about.

 

Some great points made, and I understand what you are saying. But you do not understand MAP pricing nor the concept behind it.

But regardless, I am not here to debate or get in a heated argument with anyone, just trying to educate people and chime in on what many manufacturers, retailers, as well as myself believe in

 

P.S. I believe myself to be a very small fish in the automotive industry. I have been involved in setting up professional open wheel races (A1 Grand Prix USA), own and operate an online magazine, as well as do online retail sales as we as Bay Area local wholesale.

In no way do I see myself as a "big guy" who has already climbed the ladder. I have just been around manufacturers and retailers on a personal level before a business level so people tend to disclose a lot of information that normaly they wouldn't talk about to their other venders.

You just have to think about what I have been saying and think about the bigger picture

 

I'm not here to argue either, just making some observations. I didn't mean to infer your status, so please don't think I was. I do understand the concept of MAP, and know that some places do not adhere to it even though they should. I also know that manufacturers sometimes refuse to sell to those vendors if they find out.

I know in one case that a service manager for a local Nissan dealership sells real Nismo stuff on eBay that would cost quite a bit more if you bought it on site. I'm sure what he is selling is legit even if it is probably not completely kosher how he is selling them so cheap.

 

Haha I know, thanks for keeping things civil.

I know a lot of people would blow their tops trying to argue with me

 

Golf club manufacturers used to sell their clubs only at pro shops. You were lucky to get a 10% discount off MSRP (if you were a member of a private club). Eventually, small entrepreneurs bought a few sets of clubs and sold them at a much cheaper price. The law of supply and demand took over and now you can buy name brand clubs at 40% off MSRP.

Vertex and Nismo won't go out of business in the US.....they will eventually sell enough volume (at a substantially lower price) to justify their presence here.

 

Nismo = highly doubtful.

Vertex = possible.

Vertex is still fairly small scale in the USA. The Vertex market is already fairly small, loosing product sales due to companies such as Shine Auto mass reproducing their designs which took Ueno's blood and sweat to properly design can have profound impacts in the long run.

 

btw, how much it cost for the authentic Vertex?

 

WOW.. Nismo exhausts for $600... hmmm..

 

yup. You missed the boat.

 

A full Vertex kit, 4 piece, complete bumpers runs $1799 MSRP.

 

if they sell around $1200, i don't think people will go for replica at all (at least I wouldn't. )

 

Ok here we go, here's some pictures to backup what I have been ranting about in various threads across this forum and many others.

This is perfect because it is a Nismo example.

Here is an authentic Nismo spoiler:


Notice the placement of the spoiler in conjuction with the edge of the trunklid, it fits perfectly against the edge of the trunnk face where the Nissan emblem goes and the ends of the spoiler meet the end of the taillight.

Now, here we go with a knockoff:








Now, look at the gaps of the knockoff and the fitment problems. Either way the spoiler is no good because if you move it back, it wont lineup with the tail lights like it should and if you keep it mounted the way it is now, you have that hideous gap.

JUST SAY NO TO KNOCK OFFS

 

Sorry, pictures courtesy of anxmatrix, I hope you do not mind me posting up your pictures. I just wanted to make a point about your unfortunate incident and lour others away from knockoffs.

 

hehehe..wait until i get replica of Central 20 spoiler. Will do another review JUST FOR YOU. lolz

BTW, anxmatrix case is different. The body shop f it up. They put it in the wrong position. Let go your fight. You can't win replica battle. hehehe

 

Haha, I don't see how his case is differant. The spoiler is literally short. If he moves the spoiler back to where it should be then the ends of the spoiler WILL NOT match the taillight like it should if it was real.

 

Vertex Full Kit = $1799


Vertex Half Kit =$1299


Hi everyone,

Just in case you were wondering I am the Marketing Executive for Vertex USA. I came across this thread from UrbanTacticz (one of our dealers). I have read this thread, and all of you brought up all valid points that we (distributors) understand about the general target market for our products. There are a few things however you should take into account when you are purchasing from the following:

NOTE: From my point of view only (I am not speaking for all manufacturers)

1) Direct Dealer/Distributor (I don’t need to get into much detail with this)
When purchasing from a direct dealer/distributor of an Authentic Product, you are purchasing knowing your product that you buy (at least from Vertex) is
a) Guaranteed to Fit with Predrilled holes (thoroughly inspected in Japan)
b) Made out of 100% HAND LAID fiberglass
c) Light and durable for street and track use
d) 100% Japanese made
e) Backed by a certificate of authentication and serial numbers


2) Ebay Seller
Yes Yes Yes, the famed Ebay Seller, selling most every aftermarket performance part below retail and of course --- BELOW WHOLESALE COST! As most of you know, all of us (as Vendors) take a deep look at what Ebay is doing to our industry. Mind you, this is probably the best market to save money for the consumer. But do you really know what you are getting is the real deal? I have read your responses regarding the NISMO products that are being sold and they sound pretty genuine. However how do you know these products are not defective in some way shape or form? How do you know these are not a very nice duplicate?

For example, let's take into account...Tanabe Springs. Packaged and badged the same, these springs where sold on ebay for way below wholesale cost. What looked to be the authentic product was actually a well constructed fake from China. What the consumer got instead of the performance from Tanabe springs, is a cheaply imitated knockoff. Spring rates and ride heights were inconsistent, etc. I've verified this with Tanabe USA and they have been very successful at tracking and dealing with Ebay knockoffs of their products.

Now I know small stuff like Nismo shift ***** are probably none of your concern, but let's say...... on a Hot Summer day, the threads in the Ebay **** weld in w/ your factory shifter. Would you think the same thing can happen with a Real Nismo ****? Probably, but your chances will be less likely.

In terms of cost, it doesn't take a lot of common sense to see that these guys might not be making much money. If they advertise and sell products below wholesale, are they not making any profit? Of course not, they buy in bulk cheap imitated goods and sell at dirt cheap prices on Ebay. Who in their right mind will sell below cost?

It is not the concern that these “Ebay Sellers don’t have to deal with overhead costs, etc etc and that this enables them to sell products w/ a way lower profit margin” – that’s not the point. If you think about the lifecycle of authentic products, there is cost in R&D, Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Assurance, Advertising, Selling and Distribution. From that end, would you think manufactuers of authentic products will ever sell their products below wholesale to anyone? Just think about it. That’s why this industry (and all others) have a pricing structure like MAP pricing, etc.



3) Knockoff Products
The debate between Authentic and Replica can go on forever! But, here's my 2cents about knockoff products. You will get poorly fitting product. Knockoff kits do not come with predrilled holes therefore compromising the fitment of the kit to be installed on a car. In terms of body lines, there are usual gaps with the front bumper to fender and headlight and taillight lines are usually not lined up according to factory spec. This comes with poor inspection of the kits when they are manufactured.

However there are some kits that fit very well (I admit that) but I can almost guarantee you, this will not last forever as manufacturers of these kits will concentrate on generating sales volume faster. Therefore quality will suffer. In addition, nothing innovative (in terms of design) will emerge from this.

In terms of durability, I am happy to say nothing is as durable as an THE AUTHENTIC PRODUCT! Knockoffs are made cheaply and are considered brittle when compared to the Authentic product. If you're a fan of D1, how many drivers have you seen scrape against a wall and the bumper falls off but does not shatter? They just mount it with duck tape and move on. Same impacts sustained from knockoff products will almost shatter every time with the same bumps and bruises as the Authentic products.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm not saying Authentic Products are indestructible. What I am saying is that they can take a lot more abuse than the replica product.

Here are examples of knockoff products:
Replica Fitment examples:










Vertex Fitment examples:




Well that’s just what I think of this topic. It’s very heated as there are a lot of point of views from all ends of the spectrum. I’m not trying to attack anyone on here, I’m just trying to get my points across. You can disagree or agree with me, that’s fine. That is what makes us as people tick. But please, try to understand this industry. Speaking as a distributor for Vertex USA.... seeing profits low in the US, will discourage our Japanese counterparts from looking at the USA as a profitable market. If the majority of consumers of this market do not support the Authentic products that come from Japan (or even the USA for that matter), there will be not as much innovation, selection, etc. in this industry. Now, can we really afford that?


Thanks for reading.

Pete
Marketing Executive
Vertex USA
Speed Alliance
www.vertexaerokits.com
www.speedalliance.com

 

I sure missed that one...