Do you have to have the real thing?

[DeletedUser394]

I remember reading somewhere (probably here) that millionaires often buy knockoffs and $30k millionaires buy the real thing.

There's a difference between a ferrari and a hyundai, but I bet 9 out of 10 people can't tell the difference between a real Hermes bag and a fake one.

I don't buy knockoffs. If I buy brand name, I buy it second hand. Nobody knows it's second hand, and what do I care, I get a great deal off some idiot that over leveraged himself by trying to pretend to be someone he isn't.

 

[jon.a]

a fake rolex is pretty easy to spot, and you'll look like a chump if you get callled out on it, which is what rolex guys will do. I honestly don't understand why anyone wears a watch anymore. it's such an old person status symbol.

Me and Mrs jon were in a week long class about 20 years ago. Several of the other students wore Rolex's. They were comparing their watches and quite literally bragging about how poorly they kept time. We joked about them for years.

 

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[biophase]

Well to be fair, I simply liked the way they looked, that's what prompted me to ask this questions. I figured if I could get a pair I like for 8 bucks and someone else paid 200, what's the difference?

The difference is that you are probably not getting the same pair. So you cannot say that you got a pair for $8 while someone else paid $200 because you aren't getting the same thing. The lens on the $8 pair may be plastic, while the $200 pair may be glass. The $8 pair may not be 100% clear, polarized, UV blocking, etc... While they may look exactly the same, they may not be in function. But if you don't care about that, then it really doesn't matter.

There are times where the cheaper knockoff version actually works better than the real version. Which is the case of Rolex or many other high end watches that don't tell time better than cheap knock offs. In these cases, I really don't know why you would purchase the expensive version except as a status symbol.

I should say that I usually buy RayBans or Oakleys because they are the cheapest sunglasses at Sunglass Hut! But the sunglasses that I really like are the ones for sports with interchangable lenses. When I scratch up the gray ones, I put the orange ones on and use them for shooting. When those get scratched up, I put the clear ones on and use them as safety glasses.

 

[biophase]

Many times you will like the look of something expensive because those companies spend time and money on R&D. The polls and research have gone into their design which is why you look at the $5 sunglasses rack and many just look plain. The knock offs copy those because they look good. Notice that the knockoffs are not copying their functionality, but just their looks.

 

[smartman]

a fake rolex is pretty easy to spot, and you'll look like a chump if you get callled out on it, which is what rolex guys will do. I honestly don't understand why anyone wears a watch anymore. it's such an old person status symbol.

 

[liquidglass]

Personally I would say for some things like a rolex for example either buy the real thing or just buy another nice watch. There is a very large difference between many items that are knock-off and legit.

Knock-offs are for ten cent millionaires (read: faux millionaires or millionaire impersonators) they want to appear to have something they don't and be something they aren't rather than doing what it takes to reach the level they are attempting to portray.

Remember knock-offs are there to mass produce the "look" not the quality that comes with the real price tag. Plus when I own something I want to be able use it without remembering that it's a knock off that's not as good as the real thing. Plus I buy things because I want them not because I'm trying to fit in with some external quantified idea of what "wealth" looks like. I don't buy things so other people think I'm wealthy, you shouldn't either.

No offense meant to the OP here. But, your knock off ray bans won't the be the quality of the real ones. The polarization (if it is even present) may be lowered or reversed (read below post for the test) they'll be made out of cheaper materials and bonding agents so they'll fall apart quicker. If you're buying them because you lose one pair of sunglasses a week I get that, but if you're buying them for the image, just get the real ones.

Click here for polarization test
-This tests if they are polarized, I've seen cheap knockoffs that are polarized.....but in the wrong direction aka defective lenses. I can say with 99% certainty the knock offs will either be non-polarized or reverse polarized. Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

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[DrkSide]

I don't buy knockoffs. If I buy brand name, I buy it second hand. Nobody knows it's second hand, and what do I care, I get a great deal off some idiot that over leveraged himself by trying to pretend to be someone he isn't.

I buy secondhand whenever I can which is normally everything that is a durable good except for clothes which is hard to find ones that fit.

a fake rolex is pretty easy to spot, and you'll look like a chump if you get callled out on it, which is what rolex guys will do.

So you get called a chump? Why am I hanging around people that even care what kind of watch that I am wearing?

 

[SGBoise]

I'm going to go in a different direction. Being cheap to save money is a poor man's way of looking at it.

I say this from experience. I've always done things myself, bought used items from craigslist etc, etc. But problem with that is that I wasted so much of my time that I could have used for growing my business.

You can buy a knockoff or even some used items, but they will break in 2 weeks. Then you have to spend time buying another knock off. Or you can spend some more on genuine/new products and they will last you years to come if not forever.

Be frugal but when it counts.

 

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[CarrieW]

I wanted a juicer for quite some time.. I always want lots of things that rarely get used more than once or twice. I know what they cost new. I just kept my eyes open for a few months and I got a $200 juicer for $20 almost brand new. I have used it faithfully for almost a year and its mint now that I know it will get used I want a $500 masticating one. Ill use this one until I can get the one I want for 50% or more off. I waste no time searching. Once I know what I want I wait and it finds me there is a huge difference between being cheap and being frugal....

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[johnp]

I remember reading somewhere (probably here) that millionaires often buy knockoffs and $30k millionaires buy the real thing.

Haha.

I knew this kid up in NYC. Used to be my partner. He's a sales guy. Prob makes more than 30k but he isn't rich. He always wears the most expensive suits. Drives brand new BMW in lease (white) because he has to have a BMW. He stated submitting pics of himself in his expensive suits to contests on fashion sites..

I remember looking at him thinking about MJs 30k millionaire line in his book. There I was dumping money into my business and buying knock off chicken so I could afford to eat while my partner bought all of the nice shit because he had to have it. He didn't last....

 

[liquidglass]

Well to be fair, I simply liked the way they looked, that's what prompted me to ask this questions. I figured if I could get a pair I like for 8 bucks and someone else paid 200, what's the difference?

Nothing to do with trying to look like I'm rockin' namebrand. As if anyone would care.

Not trying to knock you here OP, but think about what you just said. "I liked the way they looked" but you're "...trying to look like I'm rocking name brand" So you liked them because they looked like Ray Bans even if they are cheap and don't perform well but you don't care if anyone else thinks they're ray bans. The consumerism mentality in you caused you to see these glasses and go "i like those!" (because they're popular, they're expensive, wealthy people wear them) so in short, even if it's subconscious....yes you do care if it looks like you're rocking name brand. Those glasses represent an image to you that you'd like to portray. So you bought knockoffs to achieve said image. There's nothing wrong with wanting to project an image, just don't pretend it doesn't exist and you're trying to find the 10 cent solution to it.

I've bought many cheap sunglasses and continue to do so even with a $200 pair that stays in my car. Because I don't want those to get stepped on or scratched out on the water. So the other pairs are cheap ($20-$50) but they aren't trying to imitate a popular brand, they're just lesser known brands that don't have a status symbol attached to them. If I want a well known brand name, I buy the real thing because I expect the full quality and experience that comes with the legit item.

 

[Tommy92l]

No, that's not the case. I liked the way they looked in terms of the shape, it had NOTHING to do with social status, or what random person I could impress by thinking I'm wearing glasses. I liked the shape, that is it. If they were sold for 3,000 dollars, I'd still want that shape, if they were sold for 45 cents, I'd still want the same glasses.

I don't follow trends. Sure, I have some things like an iphone, facebook, whatever, but no - anytime someone walks in with something a little different, I don't go run out and buy it because everyone else does. And I certainly cannot afford, nor what I want to buy anything to impress people.

 

[Bigguns50]

I really don't know why you would purchase the expensive version except as a status symbol.

I worked for a hard money lender and one of the 'loan officers' bought an introductory level Rolex for around $10,000. He bought it to impress people he would try and get investment money from.

I guess it worked....he did get a lot of investor's money to loan out.

Then he started personally guaranteeing the loans and getting an extra 6 points in his pockets each month from each loan.
Then he had a 4,000 sq ft house built on a lake for himself (no gf, wife, dog,...not even a fish)
Then a shit ton of stuff to fill his new house (which really was beautiful)
Then a new 911.
Then the whole efin' market crashed and bang ... lost everything.

I told him it was the watch. Yep...bad timing.
True story.

 

[DeletedUser394]

Funny thing I remembered this morning.

One of my favorite lyrics currently (sadly) is from a 2 chainz song.

It goes something like this: 'See them shades you got on called Ray-Bans? Well them shades I got on cost 8 bands, damn.'

 

[jon.a]

Well to be fair, I simply liked the way they looked, that's what prompted me to ask this questions. I figured if I could get a pair I like for 8 bucks and someone else paid 200, what's the difference?

Nothing to do with trying to look like I'm rockin' namebrand. As if anyone would care.

I've had my Ray-bans for almost 20 years. Not too expensive that way.

 

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[ProblemSolver]

a fake rolex is pretty easy to spot, and you'll look like a chump if you get callled out on it, which is what rolex guys will do. I honestly don't understand why anyone wears a watch anymore. it's such an old person status symbol.

I am 32 years old. I have been wearing a watch everyday for the past 128 days. I never wore one prior to that. I got one for Christmas and really liked it. Nothing fancy, just a $100 Swiss watch. It is decisively faster for me to check the time by looking quickly at my wrist than having to pull my phone out of my pocket and press a button to turn the screen on. I always wondered myself why people wore watches but now, after such a short time, I feel naked without one. If you've ever left your wallet at home when you go somewhere, its kind of like that for me when I am not wearing my watch.

 

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[Simon Ashari]

I'm going to go in a different direction. Being cheap to save money is a poor man's way of looking at it.

I say this from experience. I've always done things myself, bought used items from craigslist etc, etc. But problem with that is that I wasted so much of my time that I could have used for growing my business.

You can buy a knockoff or even some used items, but they will break in 2 weeks. Then you have to spend time buying another knock off. Or you can spend some more on genuine/new products and they will last you years to come if not forever.

Be frugal but when it counts.

This.

I buy new cloths, but when they are on special. I get them new, they are conveniently in the department store and I save money. It is amazing how cheap the clothes get. Surprised people pay full price for them.

As for sunglasses, I buy cheap plastic $10 ones. I actually wear mine to protect my eyes. So these $10 ones do the job and are comfortable to wear.

 

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[Simon Ashari]

Then he started personally guaranteeing the loans...

What a fool.

I told him it was the watch. Yep...bad timing.

True story.

Great line.

 

[AubreyJ]

I am a BIG fan of Ray Bans. I have had a lot of crappy $10 pair of sunglasses, but none of them work as well as my Ray Bans. I personally love the look of them, they work great at blocking out the sun while not making my vision too dark, and I have a really large head, and the Ray Bans are really comfortable for me, so I am a Ray Ban customer for life. I've been wearing the same pair of aviators for 5 years and they are still in great shape.

I think that sometimes the brand doesn't matter as much, because regardless of what brand the product is, it will still function the same way. But, i do believe that sometimes the better brand gives you a much better product. If the name brand product is better, I personally have no problem spending more money for it, especially if it is something that I use everyday. But, if the product is the same regardless of the brand name, I'll buy the cheaper one every time.

 

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[DrkSide]

What surprises me is the fact that on this forum for and by entrepreneurs, nobody (except me) addresses the fact that copying product designs is illegal and unethical.

This is a fact of business. If you create something that makes money the copycats will follow. People will copy your business looking to ride your coat tails as well as undercut you with the thought that people only buy the lowest priced product. This is discussed quite a bit on the forum especially on the inside.

I liked the way they looked but didn't understand why they were 200 dollars

There is a big business that follows this principle. An example in a totally different realm is a couple months ago I was working on my truck and I needed a wiring harness. OEM was one price and their was another company that was much cheaper. It was wires and some plastic plugs where I didn't see the value that the OEM provided so I bought the cheaper. Yes, they were thinner wires and cheaper plastic but for a non wear item that did not matter to me. OEM did provide a better product but not a 1000% better product that the price reflected.

 

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[TheBigPill]

My .02

I used to fly professionally (military and commercial aviation). I've had a number of different sun glasses both store bought and military issued. None of them did what I needed them to until I found a cheap pair (about $5) at a drugstore. Here's the two main reasons:

1. Lenses got too dark in sunlight. When in the cockpit and looking outside the glasses became too dark which made it harder to see traffic. Optimally, what you want is a reduction in glare with a corresponding increase in contrast. This allows traffic to stand out without impeding vision.

2. After looking outside and coming back in the glasses would be too dark making it difficult to see the instruments.

Those cheap glasses performed better that many a more expensive pair. IMO there is no over arching rule. Sometimes less expensive things work better. Other times they don't.

 

[Tommy92l]

For a present my sister got some Ray-Band Aviators, very cool glasses.

I loved them and went on ebay and bought a knock-off pair for 8 bucks. They aren't here yet so I haven't seen the difference, but this made me think.

Is there really THAT much of a difference? Like, what sets a rolex apart aside from its name? Maybe this is different with reliability in electronics like TV's/Ipods, or bigger things like cars, but what about Glasses and watches?

 

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[HenkHolland]

As an entrepreneur I have great respect for designs and brand names that are the property of a company or an individual.

Therefore, I have strong objections against selling and buying of illegal copies of popular products. Sometimes the fancy term replica is used for such illegal copies. No matter how you call it, it remains theft.

 

[CarrieW]

My husband and I argue back and forth about a new vrs preowned cars. He wants one. Im going to let him get 1! Lol n I will never personally buy a brand new car...

I buy clothes make up n things like that new although I get clearence n second hand clothes all the time.

Furniture is even debateable for me lol I love antiques.

Paying full retail price for anything physically pains me. (Unless its for the kids or needed very fast)

I can't imagine spending a few hundred dollars on a single article of clothes or shoes or purse.

I got very nice leather boots almost new for $5! .



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[Tommy92l]

Well to be fair, I simply liked the way they looked, that's what prompted me to ask this questions. I figured if I could get a pair I like for 8 bucks and someone else paid 200, what's the difference?

Nothing to do with trying to look like I'm rockin' namebrand. As if anyone would care.

 

[CarrieW]

Yea my hubs has his for going on 2 yrs now... when he was younger n lost things regularly he lost a few expensive pairs went to the cheapos for awhile. He used to always lose his frickin phones too... this is the longest phone and glasses he has probably ever owned lol. Still out of 4 phones in the family his is the only one we carry insurance on lol. I don't even carry it on the kids . Back to the specific topic of sunglasses those are definitely worth the price. At least according to the hubs. The quality is a lot better

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[CarrieW]

This is an awesome thread!

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[liquidglass]

No, that's not the case. I liked the way they looked in terms of the shape, it had NOTHING to do with social status, or what random person I could impress by thinking I'm wearing glasses. I liked the shape, that is it. If they were sold for 3,000 dollars, I'd still want that shape, if they were sold for 45 cents, I'd still want the same glasses.

I don't follow trends. Sure, I have some things like an iphone, facebook, whatever, but no - anytime someone walks in with something a little different, I don't go run out and buy it because everyone else does. And I certainly cannot afford, nor what I want to buy anything to impress people.

Like I said Tommy, I'm not trying to step on your toes here and there's nothing wrong with liking something other people like.

Example: my car is the specific car that I want to fit in my lifestyle right now (i love the specs, the shape, engine, everything!) But I realize the reason I like my car is because other people like these types of cars, so I see the kind of people that drive them in addition to that I feel like it fits my personality. But if it was no-name car someone made in their backyard I wouldn't pay the same price for it or expect the same quality.

You like the shape because it's a popular brand of sunglasses, it might fit your personality as well, but if it wasn't popular you wouldn't be as "into the shape" If you were buying it for quality you would have paid a few more dollars for a lesser known brand to give your eyes the proper protection without the brand recognition.


Biophase said it very well right here! Rep and like to him!

Many times you will like the look of something expensive because those companies spend time and money on R&D. The polls and research have gone into their design which is why you look at the $5 sunglasses rack and many just look plain. The knock offs copy those because they look good. Notice that the knockoffs are not copying their functionality, but just their looks.

 

[HenkHolland]

What surprises me is the fact that on this forum for and by entrepreneurs, nobody (except me) addresses the fact that copying product designs is illegal and unethical.

 

[Tommy92l]

Liquid, I'm still disagreeing. If the shape wasn't as popular, I'd STILL like them

 

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