Stay away from WowoGolf

Someone posted this on another forum-A fun discussion with WowoGolf's 'live help'. If it sounds too good tobe true....

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Lucky : 15:57:39
Hi,what can I do for you?
I: 15:57:55
Are your products genuine?
Lucky : 15:58:05
yes
Lucky : 15:58:14
we can gurantee the quality
I: 15:58:15
How can you prove this?
Lucky : 15:59:09
we have serial number and warranty
I: 15:59:42
So if I contacted the manufacturer, they could confirm the serial number as genuine?
Lucky : 16:00:01
yes
I: 16:00:23
What country are you based from?
Lucky : 16:01:08
USA
I: 16:01:22
Which state?
Lucky : 16:01:51
Chicago
I: 16:03:02
That’s a city not a state.
Lucky : 16:03:22
yes,city
I: 16:03:42
No, what state are you based in?
Lucky : 16:04:09
Illinois
I: 16:08:37
Well done you can use google. I’ll be honest with you: I don’t believe that these are genuine items and I don’t believe that you are from Chicago. But I’m willing to give you a chance if you’re honest with me. Can I have the serial number on a set of the G10 irons. I will check it with Ping.
Lucky : 16:09:48
the item will be shipped from the factory,so we do not know the serial number before they shipped out
I: 16:11:35
If it is shipped direct from Ping, how on earth are you able to offer such a low price? The cost price Ping charges my brother’s pro-shop for a full set of g10s is a lot more than what you charge? How do you make a profit?
Lucky : 16:12:14
we are one of the agent
Lucky : 16:12:26
so the price is wholesale price.not retail one
I: 16:13:04
No you’re not. You are not listed as an official distributor of Ping products on the Ping website in the IL area.
I: 16:14:01
The wholesale or cost price is significantly more than what you have these clubs listed as.
I: 16:17:51
How about some original photos, rather than the ones you have taken off the official websites? Or are you given these because you are “one of the agent”?
I: 16:19:38
No response? I will take that to mean that you are selling illegal, counterfeit equipment and are probably based in China. It’s good to ask questions isn’t it?
Lucky : 16:20:37
............
Lucky : 16:20:48
Thanks for your advice!
I: 16:23:05
What advice? I didn’t offer any. I will say this: You should do some research before you try to scam someone. If you’re from ‘Chicago’ then at least have that wiki page open infront of you so you can answer follow up questions.
Lucky : 16:23:49
ok
I: 16:24:43
You give up too easily. At least confirm that these are not genuine clubs and that you are not based remotely near USA
I: 16:27:01
zzzz bye lucky
Lucky : 16:27:55
bye

It would be hard for Ping to close an account that does not exist.

All their products are couterfit and are definitely chinese versions.

Not sure if they would perform too differently than the originals?

The fact is that they are not strictly speaking counterfeit.  The components for both the clones and genuine are often made in the same factory, with the same tooling the same materials and to the same standards.  This is done with the full knowledge of, in this instance, PING.  This allows the factory to hugely increase the production run, reduce the unit prices to PING, and get more use of out of the tooling. Based on the dealings I've had with Chinese volume manufacturers I would be suprised if an iron head cost PING more than £1.50 fully badged up and delivered.

The upshot of it is that the manufacturers make money because of the volume increase.  The 'counterfeiters' make money because they are selling 'branded goods' at a reasonable profit.  PING make shed loads of money selling to people who believe in the exclusivity of the brand name.  As usual we pay the price for both.  The 'counterfeiters'  trade with impunity with the full knowledge that PING don't mind, and PING can trade on hollow threats, sob stories of lost profits and stories of shoddy goods - together with an added bonus of some nifty reverse marketing.

I know of only one instance of a real claim by a big manufacturer against a counterfeiter and that involved putters - a different manufacturing strategy altogether because of relatively small production quantities and mind boggling profit margins.   

This is nothing new.

Ben Sayers moved Clubhead production to Taiwan back in the 70's. They did a deal with Diawa to make Clubheads over there.

The 'Trypower' Club was born and Ping took them to court, not because the Club looked like a Ping but because they put the Heel-Toe Balance design on them (the one that looks like a cartoon lighthouse).

Diawa/Ben Sayer took it off and when they followed up with the EeZee 3 (Ping Eye 3) Ping said nothing.

David - that was quite common in the '70's because of the inherent difficulties of moving manufacturing abroad, especially for large US companies and their patriotic following.  With the growth of the Pacific Rim tiger economies and easier transport this all changed, items like golf clubs, stereos etc:, up until then traditionally built at home, became cheap and generally of better quality.  This generates huge profits - on a set of 8 irons costing £300 the company probably nets £180 profit.

Golf Clubs are usually shipped in parts, Head, Shaft & Grip and can be sorced from different countries. It used to be very easy to get hold of a set of Clubheads, so if you had the facility to make clubs, you could clone anything.

The only Sets of Clubs that were dangerous were the ones sold as a Half Set via Mail-order during the 70's. You took the 9iron, hit it once and it became a 7iron. Hit it again and it was a 5iron, then again and the Head snapped. Cost £29.99 if I remember, 3-5-7-9irons, 3wood, Putter and Bag.