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Kessler and Bright Tangerine on the Knockoff Industry – ON THE GO – Episode 62

July 30^th, 20172

by Fabian ChaundyJuly 30^th, 2017

In this second half of our convertible ride with Eric from Kessler and Rob from Bright Tangerine we discuss the rise of the knockoff industry.

Whether it is action cams, cranes, sliders, gimbals or any other camera accessory du jour, chances are there is a cheap alternative available from new and relatively unknown companies from the Far East. While this in theory should benefit the end user and help form a healthy and competitive market, the truth is that some of these products can rarely stand up to the quality standards set by established manufacturers.

As Rob rightly points out, companies like Bright Tangerine or Kessler can never compete with knockoff products at a pricing level when production costs are so much lower overseas. However, it is in customer service where more established companies can find the favour of potential buyers.

It often happens that products manufactured and shipping from the far East have a less than optimal after-sales infrastructure in place, making it very difficult for customers to return products for repair or replacement. One can really see the value of a company that places a lot of importance in customer care when situations like these arise.

Eric also mentions that it is quite common for the design teams of some of these competing companies to simply produce whatever kind of product seems popular, without really coming from a background in the industry or investing in the Research and Development necessary to innovate. This not only refers to capital, but also to time necessary to cultivate a the relationship with a customer base for the purposes of future design.

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