The China Conundrum (Part Two)

by wendellPosted on June 25, 2011 Posted in Counterfeit Lamp Awareness, FixYourDLP — No Comments ↓

So, it is time to replace the lamp on your high definition DLP television set or projector and we found what we think is a smoking deal on a replacement. But before we start boasting we need to make sure that we did in fact find a deal and not a cheap knock-off posing as a legitimate product. As we know, there are four types of DLP lamps on the market; original brand name replacements lamps, OEM replacement lamps, imitation replacement lamps, and blatant counterfeit replacement lamps. We have already discussed original brand name replacements and OEM replacement lamps in our previous article.

Now let’s talk about imitation lamps and blatant counterfeit lamps.

These are often times the most misunderstood part of replacement DLP lamps. Imitation lamps are lamps that companies have reverse engineered and then reproduced to look and perform like the original replacement lamp. These companies then sell these lamps under their own brand name. Because reverse engineering a patented product is considered theft of intellectual property these companies cannot ensure that they are building the product to specification. These lamps are by far the cheapest but their defect rate is much higher than both the original brand name replacement lamps and the OEM replacement lamps.

The final lamp on the market are the blatant counterfeit lamps. Again these companies have reverse engineered and then reproduced their lamps to look like the original. Unlike the companies producing imitation lamps, these companies are putting the original brand name on their fake product despite the fact that they are not affiliated with the original manufacturers in any way, shape, or form. These companies are not only infringing upon the original company’s patent but they are also unlawfully using registered trademarks. These lamps are often sold as originals meaning that you will pay full price for a sub-par product.

If you are going to purchase a replacement lamp you want to make sure that you are purchasing either an original brand name replacement lamp or a licensed OEM replacement lamp. You should avoid imitation and counterfeit replacement lamps at all costs. Imitation and counterfeit lamps are not only bad for the patent and trademark holders but they can be dangerous to the consumer. Counterfeit and imitation lamp manufacturers are in it for the money. Therefore they will cut corners on safety mechanisms to ensure a pretty profit. DLP lamps operate under high temperatures, with high pressure, and around other expensive electronic devices. You do not want to take chances with an faulty and unverified counterfeit or imitation lamp manufacturers.

So how do you know if you are purchasing an undesirable lamp?

First, you want to make sure that you purchasing from a reputable company. Read their reviews and testimonials. Do you hear stories of their lamps “popping” or “blowing up” inside of devices? If so this is a tell-tale sign that your vendor is selling cheap Chinese lamps.

Second, you want to communicate with the vendor. Give them a call or send them an email and ask them if their lamps are authentic. If you don’t receive a response or you aren’t comfortable with response you receive then move on to the next reseller.

Third, know how much the authentic should cost. By having a realistic baseline price for the authentic lamp you will know whether or not your sale price is too good to be true. Remember, skimping today to save $30 could lead to having to purchase another lamp at full price tomorrow.

Now that you are in the know – make sure that you don’t get left holding the bag when an imitation or counterfeit replacement lamp goes bad.

The China Conundrum (Part One)

by wendellPosted on June 21, 2011 Posted in Counterfeit Lamp Awareness, FixYourDLP — No Comments ↓

So its time to replace the lamp on your high definition DLP television set? You do quick Google search, compare prices on Amazon, and go with the cheapest vendor. You process your credit card and sit back and smile because you found a replacement DLP lamp for half the price of the manufacturer’s suggested retail price. It’s a slam dunk right? Not so fast, before you purchase your next DLP lamp there are some things you need to know.

Over the last few years Chinese counterfeiters have dumped an abundance of knock-off DLP projector lamps on the market via websites like eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist. These counterfeit DLP projector lamps can present health, safety, and monetary risks to the unsuspecting customer. So how do you know if you just purchased the real deal or a cheap knock-off? Well, lets start at the beginning…

When you need to purchase a replacement DLP lamp you have one of two options. You can either purchase the DLP lamp directly from the manufacturer or you can purchase the DLP lamp from a reseller. Because manufactures are in the business of selling high definition television sets, and not their parts, it usually makes more sense to purchase from a reseller. A good reseller can give you a broader perspective, a better price, and great customer service.

But not all resellers are created equally. There are currently four types of DLP lamps on the market and before you buy your next DLP lamp you should understand the pros and cons of each. Only basing your decision off of price can present health, safety, and monetary risks. The four types of DLP lamps being sold are; original brand name replacements lamps, OEM replacement lamps (Original Equipment Manufacturer), imitation replacement lamps (i.e. knock-offs), and blatant counterfeit replacement lamps.

Lets talk about the first two options; original brand name replacement lamps and OEM lamps.

The original replacement lamps are the exact lamps that your high definition television set came with. They are typically a common name brand such as Sony or Phillips. These lamps typically provide the best option because they were hand picked by the engineers who designed your television set. The original replacements are usually the more expensive option.

Next there are OEM, or Original Equipment Manufacturer, lamps. Despite their name these lamps are not the original replacement lamps. They are however licensed by the original manufacturer to create and brand their own replacement lamps. As such these lamps are built according to specification and tested for quality. While not as good as the original brand name replacements, these lamps are far from shoddy. These are a little bit cheaper than the original brand name replacement.

So if our Google search provided us with a original brand name replacement lamp or an OEM then we have a good reason to be proud of ourselves. But buyer beware because what you think is an original or OEM could in fact be a cheap imitation or counterfeit posing as a legitimate product. In our next article we will show you how to avoid these fakes.

Beware of Counterfeit DLP Projector Lamps

by wendellPosted on June 15, 2011 Posted in Counterfeit Lamp Awareness, FixYourDLP — 4 Comments ↓

When we think about counterfeit products, images of cheap handbags, watches, and sunglasses instantly come to mind. In reality everything from clothing, to medicine, to critical military equipment are being counterfeited and sold as legitimate products every day. Sadly, DLP projector lamps are no different. Over the last few years Chinese counterfeiters have dumped an abundance of knock-off DLP projector lamps on the market via websites like eBay, Amazon, and Craigslist. Counterfeit DLP projector lamps are not just about the manufacturer loosing revenue, counterfeit DLP projector lamps can present health, safety, and monetary risks to the unsuspecting customer.

Over the last decade we have seen an explosion in counterfeited products. The combination of overseas manufacturing, a global economy, and the internet have created the perfect environment for counterfeiters. To make matters worse, there is big money in counterfeiting products – it estimated that this underground industry generates over 600 billion dollars a year for dealers. The profit margin is higher than many legitimate business options. Sadly, when a counterfeiter is caught the punishments are usually minimal. But there are real, long-lasting consequences for the unsuspecting customers of counterfeit DLP projector lamps.

Counterfeit DLP projector lamps can be dangerous. Counterfeiters are in it for the money – if a counterfeiter can produce a DLP projector lamp cheaper by cutting corners on safety mechanisms then they will. Counterfeit products are not evaluated for safety therefore you don’t know what you are bringing into your home, school, or office. There are documented cases of counterfeit DLP lamps blowing up inside of high definition television sets. There are documented cases of the plastic casings melting to DLP projectors thereby preventing the lamp from being removed. Without safety regulations who’s to say that a cheap DLP projector lamp won’t burst into flames during your next sales presentation? The thought alone of hot flying glass, mercury, and fire should be enough to steer clear of these low quality products.

The brand names, trademarks, and patents of a company are considered to be intellectual property. Companies spend a lot of time and money to develop and market their brands to the public. When a counterfeiter creates a quick imitation DLP projector lamp and sells his low-quality product under the cost of the legitimate product he is setting off a chain reaction of problems that are harmful to the original business.

First, by cutting corners, the counterfeiter is creating an unrealistic pricing point in the mind of the consumer. Second, the counterfeiter is forcing the original company to either compete by cutting jobs or by cutting quality. Third, when the counterfeiter’s cheap replacement fails, the customer associates the lack of workmanship with the original company and not with the counterfeiter.

Counterfeit DLP projector lamps are bad news for everyone involved. As a consumer, it is up to us to avoid counterfeit DLP projector lamps and products. The only way to minimize demand for counterfeit products is to avoid buying them all together. The next time you are in the market for a replacement lamp for your DLP projector remember these steps:

Do your research – If a product’s price appears to be too good to be true then it probably is

Purchase from a reputable source – Companies that have built long term relationships with their customers are the least likely to carry cheap counterfeits

Ask about the return policy – Any reputable company will have clear guidelines for how they handle returns. If they boast a “no refund” or “no return” policy then run for the hills!

Now that you are equipped with the proper knowledge – have fun shopping around!