Bogus Parts: What's All The Fuss About?
If you're not upset, you should at least be suspicious.
Counterfeit. The word itself strikes fear into one's heart, inducing nightmares of being stuck with stacks of worthless ten-, twenty- and hundred-dollar bills by some money-hungry criminal.
Well, that's how it used to be. People got upset when counterfeit money was discovered in circulation - rare as such discoveries might have been.
Today in this industry, the concern is not over counterfeit greenbacks but counterfeit parts. They're all over the place, and other than the genuine parts manufacturers whose oxen are being gored, nobody seems very upset about it.
As pointed out in this month's cover story, our globalized economy - coupled with a tendency for buyers to shop for price - has spawned a worldwide counterfeit parts-spewing monster that gets stronger every day.
So why should that upset anyone buying parts for trucks and trailers? The price is usually right, the parts usually fit just fine, and there's a pretty good chance they'll perform well.
Not necessarily. Here are Ten Top Reasons To Be Upset With Counterfeiting:
10. High profit in counterfeiting spells organized crime and terrorism.
9. Counterfeiters are slick and sneaky people.
8. Anti-counterfeiting laws are not keeping up with them.
7. A counterfeit part may be priced higher than genuine (just to throw you off).
6. Good luck finding service support.
5. Forget about warranty.
4. Counterfeit parts are likely to fail early (think cost of downtime).
3. Counterfeit failures can lead to system failures.
2. System failures can lead to accidents.
And the No. 1 reason to be upset with counterfeiters . . .
Accidents can lead to liability suits, and if a counterfeit part causes a wreck, guess who's liable? (Hint: The lawyers aren't going to find the manufacturer, even if they go looking for him).
Of course, you're not one of those people who would buy counterfeit parts on purpose. But are you buying them without knowing it?
That's where the slick and sneaky part comes in. The counterfeiters do everything they can to make their products look like the real thing, right down to parts numbers and packaging.
We hope our cover story will upset you enough about counterfeiting that you'll use it to tell the real thing from the bogus. It also offers some tips on how you can help in the fight against counterfeiters.
And if we don't scare you, at least maybe you'll be a little more cautious when you buy your parts.
Doug Condra
President
Email Doug Condra at dcondra@truckinginfo.com, or write PO Box W. Newport Beach, Calif. 92656.
