53 responses to “Original vs. Fake!”
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Originals always come with a quality and a promise of good after sales service. Fake may be cheaper but are way inferior in quality and don’t last long.
Good article Rachna!
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Thank you Meenakshi!
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I have personally seen HP`s replacement policy on cartridges. They promise to replace a cartridge if it has stopped working before the promised number of prints. They did just that for me when my printer acted funny soon after I bought a new cartridge. The only problem is that such service centers are far and few in the city. You might waste half a day finding them and getting your replacement. Sometimes they might ask you to come back as they might not have the stock 😦
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They apparently have a Dial-a-cartridge service that I’ve mentioned above and they promise to deliver a cartridge home in 6-8 hours. That takes care of our angst. We can call customer care and check if the service person can be sent home.
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Informative post Rachna. Any where original is better. By opting for fakes, we tend to spend twice as much .
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Thank you Pattu. After carefully studying all the aspects, I feel similarly.
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How is a pirated CD/ VCD poor quality compared to original?I am not supporting piracy,but,in my opinion there isn’t any difference between the two in terms of quality.Unless,there are enough laws in place to prosecute the guilty ,this subject will remain a topic of discussion in conferences
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With due respect, I tend to disagree. The crystal clear picture quality and sound of the original just cannot be matched by pirated CDs that are being sold on streets. Even the best downloaded movies from the net cannot compare to the pleasure of watching the original. It is another thing that people compromise an experience to save pennies. Law enforcement is important for sure. It is like the chicken and egg story. Will it be laws that goad us to do the right thing. I think ethically too we must abstain from supporting counterfeits.
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Please trust me.
I have worked with this industry for two decades…from manufacture of CDVCD to recording ,sales,marketing upto loading of software.
I was involved with marketing of software of Hollywood studios including Disney,MGMLikeLike
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I bow my head in deference because you are wiser and have relevant experience.
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Let me make it clear.I don’t support spurious products.My quote was related ONLY to quality of pre recorded devices ……CD/ VCD
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I have seen that paying extra for the original is always wise since one can’t ever be sure of the quality of a fake. For that reason, I spend huge amounts in AMC of my appliances and electrical goods too. At least I can call the company if there is a problem, even if I am just paying for the comfort feeling that I have a genuine back up. Sometimes it is hard to spot the fake though, since they are getting smarter with labeling and packaging.
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True Zephyr! There are no guarantees and the product is of course substandard and sometimes harmful. On the face of it, it looks economical, but it really is not! I also prefer AMC and genuine parts of any appliances that I use. Yes, conning the customer is a problem and for that many of them have product registration, security seals, codes etc. More needs to be done here for sure.
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I opened this post hoping to read about the meet but instead found it to be a info packed post 🙂
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hehe Bhagyashree, others have captured the meet really well. You may read Sid’s posts along with others in the experience tab of the meet on Indiblogger.
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Perfectly put, Jack!
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Great article and reminder to us all how going the “cheap” route hurts both producer and consumer in the long run.
Blessings!
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Thank you so much for your comment, Martha!
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great post Rachna… I am laughing at the proverb above ” Mehnga roye……” my dad would say this all the time, especially if we ever happened to talk him into going to Chor Bazar in Mumbai 🙂
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Thank you Poonam! A great quote surely :).
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I don’t think manufacturers (whether of goods or intellectual property) have done a good job explaining to the consumer that obtaining fakes at cheaper or no cost is akin to stealing. Most people wouldn’t break into other people’s homes and flick stuff – they understand that stealing is wrong. They just don’t make that connection about stealing from the manufacturer.
Plus, policing is pretty abysmal in many parts of the world, including India, and so all this is so rampant here.
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Perhaps companies need to do a better job of explaining stealing to the customers. But then ethics has always been a slippery issue with Indians. As a culture, we try to find an easy and cheaper way at the cost of the right thing to do whether it is products, services or even wiggling out of a traffic ticket. Policing is an issue for sure. The counterfeiters bribe them to keep them appeased. It again boils down to the issue of corruption and ethics being tied together.
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🙂 I am loving the new look on your blog, Rachna!
Great meeting you again. Now we really must plan our own meet! 🙂
Loved the post 🙂 Such an important message!
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Thank you Vidya. Moved to self hosting after being inspired by Corinne, Zephyr and you. Great meeting you too. Sure, we will plan a lovely get together. It was so much fun.
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i used to go after fake products too years back . . but then a few reality bites brought me back to the senses . . nothing more cost effective than the original product from the brand . . nice article 🙂
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Thank you Maliny!
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We did have fun. Great read. 🙂
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Thanks Indrani :).
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Nicely written as always.
The goods are not necessarily divided into original branded and fake. There is another category cheaper substitute. While the garishly rich and the neo affluent would buy branded goods irrespective of high cost, the many who are not well heeled or poor would prefer cheaper substitutes with equal quality without of course the brand name. For example Paracetamol is sold in several names often to distinguish them by adding another component not necessarily important. The generic substitute costs a fraction of branded goods but is no less effective.
There are those who are status conscious and snobbish variety who cannot pay the high price of branded good. There are the willing prey for the fakes sold with branded name There are the gullible who thing branded is always superior and hurt themselves by paying more. Not all unbranded or cheaper substitutes harmful. All shoes one buys need not be Bata or jeans of Levis. Equally good quality is available at cheaper rates. The price of branded materials has no relation to cost of making. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value” Thomas Paine
Care however should be taken we buy quality goods and quality is not the exclusive preserve of branded goods .Celebrities through advertisements add brand value but not to the quality of the good. Avoid harmful fakes but go for cheaper and equally effective substitutes would be my tip.
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KP Sir, I agree about the generic drugs. I had done an article about that as well. When the components are the same, it makes no sense to pay more for a brand name. Yes, all shoes need not be Nike or jeans Levi’s. But, there is a quality difference that I can talk from personal experience. I am a regular walker and I do take care to go for good quality branded shoes. A long time back I had bought a cheaper brand which was quite lousy. I also have a pair of jeans from Lee which is almost a decade, but the fit, quality of stitching, material is excellent. I cannot say the same about cheaper jeans that I have bought at other retail stores. The zippers are stiff and sometimes tacky. So, I would buy a good brand. And, they aren’t that expensive either. I don’t see any merit in buying expensive designer clothes, bags or dress shoes. I am happy with less expensive stuff there. But, what one needs to avoid is harmful fakes that can cause damage in the long run just like you pointed out. I agree that overheads and advertising costs add a lot to the end price that every consumer might not be willing to pay. A company has to strike a judicious balance there. Thank you so much for your insightful comment.
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Very informative post Rachna. Fakes are everywhere to be found. And it sometimes is difficult to even spot it. I once bought a renowned brand’s cream from a chemist which is also a very well known chain and it turned out to be fake.
And btw, I received the notification about the new post so I guess your old feed is working fine 🙂
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I agree Jas! I have been conned too. It is a parallel industry of fakes. Thank you for letting me know about the feed :).
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A wonderfully informative post! True, original is the best and fakes are poor substitutes.
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Thank you Shilpa! Glad you could connect with the post.
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Nice to have met you der Rachna.. so, so long, eh?
I personally liked the HP Original premise – it was very informative and liked the way they connected with a cost conscious nation like us.
Earlier i had gone thru a similar campaign on online piracy that didn’t really cut ice with me.
This one rocked! 🙂
Lovely post Rachna… glad to be back 🙂
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Good meeting you too at the meet, Raj! Happy to see you hear. I have personally been a victim of plagiarism. It hurts when your original work is ripped off. Thank you for your comment.
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Nice information Rachna.
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Thank you Indu!
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Very well summed up.
We will hopefully meet at the next event.
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Thank you Rajesh! Look forward to the same.
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Some call it duplicate, instead of fake. I think if it as good as the real one and does no harm (in the name of safety) then why not. Like you said the “original” guy has priced it high due to his additional overhead expenses.
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Personally I feel piracy is wrong. And, if we continue to buy pirated VCDs, we are harming an industry and even ourselves by promoting the mafias behind them. I also don’t support con jobs like duplicate medicines, cosmetics, cartridges etc. What I do support is generic drugs because they don’t do any harm. I would rather not buy a duplicate T shirt or shoe but buy an original and cheaper brand if I can’t afford the very expensive one that I’ve been coveting. I do agree that companies also need to understand the pulse of their customers. By pricing reusable accessories very high, they are pushing the customer towards looking for similar, cheaper options.
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you forgot to add about the LIVESTRONG band which originally cost Rs. 100 but you get that in market for Rs. 10 .. same goes for adibas .. sorry i mean adidas shoes or redbook .. typo reebok shoes as well 😛
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hehe And bad shoes can seriously harm our feet!
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Sadly, when it comes to books, I don’t know how you stop people from buying the cheaper, footpath versions unless the printers who copy your creation have their printing press confiscated. I think online selling – like flipkart, Pothi etc have helped bring prices down as shops in busy shopping centres have to factor in the rent they pay etc. Just two aspects of a monumental problem.
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Agree Kayem It is difficult to stop these cyclostyled version of books. Like you pointed out, good deals on online portals and online libraries are a step forward in that direction. I don’t think that people deliberately prefer fakes. They only go for it when their perceived price differentiation is too wide.
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Hi Rachna. Well analyzed and presented….Not just Indians, the whole world LOVES ‘SALES’ 😀 ….As you said, there is a price because there is quality….
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Thank you Jaish :). Indeed, we do love a bargain.
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I strongly support original in both words and actions. Beautiful layout Rachna. Your blog looks superb. Best Wishes.
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Thank you so much, Kavita :).
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I am bereft of words to describe the post and its contents, all reproduced to the T, missed interacting with you in the meet!
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Thank you Sunita. Would love to meet you next time.
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Hello,
I’m Rachna
Welcome to Rachna says, my first abode on the internet where I share snippets of my mundane life, as I navigate empty nest with my husband. You can also get my recipes at my food blog, Rachna cooks.
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