Wish.com

[HomerJSimpson]

Never had any issue with Golfbidder. If the OP is down south then a detour to Chessington and their warehouse/store means you can see the goods in person before buying. They have terminals in the store and so you can peruse and get them brought up to peruse

 

[Hobbit]

I have heard that on occasion a manufacturer might outsource the making of, say, 100 sets of irons. The company thats been asked to do the production run will make 120 sets, and then sell the extra 20 to one of the dodgy sites you see advertised. Made in the same factory by the same production methods and by the same operatives and, maybe, with the same materials.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I have heard that on occasion a manufacturer might outsource the making of, say, 100 sets of irons. The company thats been asked to do the production run will make 120 sets, and then sell the extra 20 to one of the dodgy sites you see advertised. Made in the same factory by the same production methods and by the same operatives and, maybe, with the same materials.

Like I said, it happens!

It certainly was a major concern for the OEM's and I know they were taking steps to stop it. But how can you tell if those steps have succeeded?

 

[need_my_wedge]

I have heard that on occasion a manufacturer might outsource the making of, say, 100 sets of irons. The company thats been asked to do the production run will make 120 sets, and then sell the extra 20 to one of the dodgy sites you see advertised. Made in the same factory by the same production methods and by the same operatives and, maybe, with the same materials.

Not golf related, but in the scheme of the thread. One of my lads recently bought a couple of football shirts from one of these sites, £10 each delivered, instead of the £80 or so from a shop here. He knew they were fakes, but decided the price difference was key. They turned up from China in a week, and to all intensive purposes, look as good as the ones in the shops, the shirts look fine, the stitching was all neat and tidy, I don't think you could tell the difference at a glance. Not sure on the longevity of the printed characters, but he was not bothered about that for the price. Obviously golf clubs are a little different, but as Hobbit says, have heard that the manufacturing companies just double the order run and send half out a different door.

 

[jmf1488]

People who talk about things going out the back door are the same people who buy the muck then try to convince themselves its not a replica. The fake stuff are not made with the same materials and precision as the real items. It might look the part, it might look terrible but either way its still a replica and will not perform like the real thing.

My friend was selling 716 irons he bought off one of them Chinese websites. He took it to the pro at our golf club and visually you couldnt tell the difference. You would only know it was a replica if you had the real one to compare the shot data.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

People who talk about things going out the back door are the same people who buy the muck then try to convince themselves its not a replica. The fake stuff are not made with the same materials and precision as the real items. It might look the part, it might look terrible but either way its still a replica and will not perform like the real thing.

My friend was selling 716 irons he bought off one of them Chinese websites. He took it to the pro at our golf club and visually you couldnt tell the difference. You would only know it was a replica if you had the real one to compare the shot data.

If it's "backdoor" i.e. made from the same component parts why will it not perform the same?

After all it isn't a copy.

 

[peld]

I have heard that on occasion a manufacturer might outsource the making of, say, 100 sets of irons. The company thats been asked to do the production run will make 120 sets, and then sell the extra 20 to one of the dodgy sites you see advertised. Made in the same factory by the same production methods and by the same operatives and, maybe, with the same materials.

This is very common across all different industries. There are tons of shops in the Far East that only sell back door stuff. You cant describe them as fakes as they are the same, rather that they "aren't legit". The only difference is the final quality control stage done by the big company.

I too have bought my kids some footie tops from China - £12.50 vs £58 for a legit one. Cannot tell the difference and given they'll only wear them a handful of times it was no argument.

 

[road2ruin]

If it's "backdoor" i.e. made from the same component parts why will it not perform the same?

After all it isn't a copy.

That might well be however you also can’t tell whether you’re buying a ‘backdoor’ set of clubs or a set that are just cosmetically the same but otherwise are junk.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

That might well be however you also can’t tell whether you’re buying a ‘backdoor’ set of clubs or a set that are just cosmetically the same but otherwise are junk.

Except the production costs involved mean the "back door" jobs are likely to be more expensive than the fakes and may be offered through the apparently legal trade.