The Best Knock-Offs

Old May 3rd, 2005, 11:21 PM
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The Best Knock-Offs

I've read all about the knock-offs sold in China, but where are the best ones?? Beijing, Shanghai, or HK?? By best, I mean the quality and the price (the cheapest). I'm interested in jackets, purses, shoes, watches, as well as pirated DVD's.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 04:03 AM
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I'm told the best quality are those made in Korea. In Hong Kong when we were at the markets a lot of the vendors had designer bags on display but my wife asked to see the "good stuff". We were then led away about a block, up a few floors of a building and behind a locked door there we were- all the good stuff - Dior, Ferragamo, Hermes, YSL, Channel, etc.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 04:49 AM
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Hope this doesn't offend but to the trained eye (esp. for watches in my case) one can spot a fake right away. Its not that hard. Personally I would rather have a REAL Seiko 5 which is available on ebay for < $50.00 with s/h than a fake Rolex for around that price with a $4.00 Chinese movemnet, cheap base metal and a crystal that will crack if you bump it just slightly. And don't wash your hands with it on either. To each their own. JM2C.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 05:00 AM
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Can't address the last comment about watches but a good quality knockoff designer bag is hard to differentiate from the originals. As I always tell my wife- if you pay the exhorbitant prices for the real thing a lot of people will think its a knockoff anyway- so why bother paying hundreds of dollars when you can get the same benefit for about $20. Anyway my wife has fun buying these bags- she gives them away as gifts and can afford to buy a bunch and match all of her outfits.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 06:22 AM
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I have tons of real bags...but have shopped for the fakes in Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Bangkok, more for the fun of bargaining than anything else. In Beijing I remember asking for the "A" quality, which were not on display. In Hong Kong, I too was led up into a small room in a building a block away. The main thing is if you want a "good" fake you need to know what you are looking for, from the rivets to the zippers, if one thing looks off to me, I won't buy it, even for a gift...But it is a fun experience so enjoy! An interesting story, in Beijing 5 years ago with my mom, I was wearing a North Face that I bought at EMS here in the states, it started raining, so my mom bought the "same jacket" off a vendor for $15. We got back to the hotel that night and decided to compare the jackets for fun. First, we noticed my jacket was made in China!!! So, that got us interested.... Then we compared the jacket, the zippers, the lining, etc. and everything was the same! We asked around (at the hotel, students studying in China, etc.) and found that if you knew what you were buying a lot of the Northface shell jackets were in fact real, taken from the production line at various points (so you had to make sure you got a nearly finished product, i.e. with a lining, etc.). The only difference was a zipper pull was missing that we found out was put on the jacket when it reached the states. I had many offers from the vendors to buy my pull from my real jacket!!! And the other reason I know the jackets were "real" my now husband and I wore the China northfaces in Ithaca, NY for a few years in the crazy winters up there....
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Old May 4th, 2005, 06:26 AM
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I disagree Bill, sorry: Fakes are mass produced in a hurry vs. the care put into an original and I think it shows. There are ways to tell a real bag from a fake. In fact there was an article I read about what customs officers look for. Its not that hard really. As for what people assume when they see a designer item is anyones guess IMHO. Anyway to each their own and if she likes it thats cool. Like I said JM2C. Happy shopping. BTW as for watches there are fake Rolexes that go for as high as $800.00 or more. These are good copies with good materials, genuine Swiss auto movements (as opposed to real Rolex movements), etc. I have seen them on ebay. The idea is to sell them as if it is an original and make alot of loot. Cheers, Larry
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Old May 4th, 2005, 06:31 AM
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On the flip side of fakes in china consider this:
There is fake Viagara that actually killed someone.
There are fake electronics that fail almost as soon as you buy them.
Then their is the case of fake Calloway golf clubs theat looked so real to a pro who plays the real thing he couldn't believe it.... until he used them. Really pieces of doo doo that were actually cheap steel instead of titanium. Just remember, "caveat emptor"
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Old May 4th, 2005, 06:46 AM
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Yes I agree with Jacketwatch- be careful and inspect the product. We don't buy the electronic gadgets or watches. But the bags are fun to buy and use/give away. My wife (thank god!) has finally realized that its a huge waste of money to spend hundreds of dollars on the real thing. She does have a few real designer bags- Bally for instance and her Dooney and Burke. But she has seen the light and likes to shop the knockoffs now. Case in point- for example imaging spending hundreds of dollars on a Louis Vittuon bag- you know the vinyl ones- geeze for that money you would expect to get quality leather! It seems everyone carries these around so they are common place and you can be sure a lot of them are knockoffs.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 07:27 AM
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If you want to buy fake bags in Beijing, go to Ya Xiu basement or to Hong Qiao (Pearl Market). They are cracking down on fakes right now, so forget the New silk market (where they just arrested some vendors and confiscated their merchandise to make a point). At HQ, you need to wait about 15 minutes while they call and have it delivered. They don't keep the "A" ones on premises any more. Or, accept their offer to go to their "factory" (usually a parked van outside or a small room nearby.)

The quality can be amazing, if you know what to look for (zippers, stiching color, etc) and when it is something for fun (not a serious purchase like medicines, electronics, etc) if it only lasts a season, who cares?
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Old May 4th, 2005, 07:27 AM
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Reminds me of a funny story about fakes. We vacationed in SD once and went into TJ's or the China of Mexico. Lots of fakes there. My son's buddy who went with us scarfed up alot of fakes watches for gifts. I asked my wife if she wanted one too and she said no in very clear terms! No fakes for this gal. . Well upon our return to Chi I saw something glistening on the conveyor belt as we were waiting for our luggage. Well lo and behold what did I get? A real ladies Gucci watch! Well I knew it would be missed by someone so I told a worker there what I had found and asked if it would be ours if no one claimed it. Her reply, rather "unconvincingly" was "maybe" That answer rang like a cracked bell so we kept it and my wife was vindicated, as it were, about fakes. LOL!
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Old May 4th, 2005, 07:38 AM
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Bchen- right on! Women are always on the hunt for another bag/shoes- if you are Donald Trump you can afford to buy the real deals all the time!
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Old May 4th, 2005, 11:22 AM
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When I was in Beijing back in 2000, there was a huge market for fake designer goods (Prada, LV, Gucci) near the US Embassy. My guide took me here. There were other goods for sale, like hand-carved lions and cheap silk cheonsongs.

As someone who used to work for a major American fashion house, I am against buying "fake" goods. It is the same as theft to me. How would you like it if you created something and someone else stole your idea and was making money off of it?

If you can afford a trip to China, you can afford to spring for a real Kate Spade bag.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 11:47 AM
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I have actually found really good knockoffs in the Philippines. There is a place called Greenhills outside Manila and it has really good stuff. You have to ask. They rate their things from an "A" to a "AAAA" which is the best. The lining, colors, etc. are better. I got some really great Louis and Burberry. I hear that Thailand may have better prices.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 11:48 AM
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Thingorjus:

You are in the minority on this one!
These designer bags are way over priced- a lot of people can't afford these prices- I say the knockoffs satisfy the pent up demand that exists out there.
I don't think we will see the Designers on the bread lines any time soon because of the knockoffs!
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Old May 4th, 2005, 01:08 PM
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In Shanghai, you can find everything on your list at or near Xiang Yang Market (corner of Xiang Yang and Huai Hai roads). Everyone knows where it is, so just ask for directions at your hotel if you're unsure. Quality varies widely and you'll have to choose carefully. If you don't see what you like out, you can always ask if they have better stuff hidden elsewhere. Some of the stuff may actually be real, straight from the production floor. DVD's run the gamut from perfectly crisp to unwatchable. Regardless of what the jacket says, they won't have the extra features often found on real DVD's (trailers, documentaries, director's commentary, etc.).

Be advised that legally you're only allowed to bring one of each type of item per person through US customs (i.e. one watch, one purse, etc.) and no copyrighted material (i.e. DVD's, software, etc.).

jacketwatch,
I agree that the fake watches are often easy to spot (this more or less applies to everything else too if you look hard enough), but it's still fun to buy one once in a while. We don't look at them as substitutes for the real ones of which we also have several. They do stop working after a year or so and the plating wears off but for $20, who cares? Usually we just give them away.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 01:34 PM
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I don't think there's written rule that says we are allowed to take "one copy of fake goods" into the country. But in practice, it's true that US Customs probably won't get you for bring in fake goods for personal use.

However, people should use their brain. I know people who're stupid enough to bring a whole bunch of fake DVDs - one per title - while still just on a student visa. How stupid is that? It's so easy for the Customs people to make his/her life very miserable, even if it's just "one copy per title".

And, I totally agree with what Patty says about the quality of the DVDs. Most often, they are copied from VCDs, which are of much lower audio and video quality; plus a US-market Region 1 NTSC-only player often cannot play these discs for a variety of reasons. So, legality aside, do not buy fake DVDs from overseas!
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Old May 4th, 2005, 01:53 PM
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rkkwan,
Somewhere on the US customs website, there is a exception that says we can! Let me look for it and I'll post a link.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 02:06 PM
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Here it is - http://www.customs.gov/xp/cgov/trave...ightedArticles

See the 3rd and 4th paragraphs under Trademarked and Copyrighted Articles. Perhaps we all need to print out a copy and bring it with us next time

I had previously thought that all copyrighted material was a no no, but according to that page there's a personal use exemption for copyrighted materials as well, although it's rather vague about quantities.
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Old May 4th, 2005, 02:10 PM
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Patty - I also found the page on the US Customs website. But do note that you're only allowed one piece of item of each type:

"For example, an arriving person who has three purses, whether each bears a different infringing trademark, or whether all three bear the same infringing trademark, is permitted only one purse."

And also only one exemption per 30 days. So, if I bring twenty fake DVDs in for my own use, I think they can forfeit 19 of them, if I'm reading it correctly.

Interesting read...
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Old May 4th, 2005, 02:14 PM
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Everyone has an opinion. Actually I think you will find many who have thin's opinion about designer knock-offs, esp. as it relates to trademak infringement and if this is a minority opinion so be it. She has a right to it. It's not a simple issue. I agree with rkkwan in that if you bring a few fakes into the country for personal use Customs will probably not make an issue of it. However if you are bringing in a large quantity to turn a profit good luck. Thgere are laws against that. I do know that if you bring in a fake Rolex and it is found Customs can seize it. No questions asked, no recourse. BTW the cost of some designer hand bags actually does exceed the cost of a R/T ticket to China.
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