Undertoad Sunday Nov 19 11:26 AMNovember 19, 2006: Counterfeit sneaks destroyed
The WaPo (found by you-know-who) picks up the European terminology for its official cap: A wheel loader moves shredded counterfeit trainers curing an operation by the customs authority in Hamburg, Germany.
IotD often has these kinds of shots, of counterfeit material being destroyed. Usually it's CDs and DVDs in smaller Asian nations, but somehow somebody has figured out how to make a counterfeit buck on Nikes. I'm amazed at the volume, but since Nikes are already manufactured at low cost Asian labor mills, you'd need volume to make money on fake ones, even considering the high profit margins built into $100 and up "trainers".
It just goes to show the power of a strong brand, I guess.
busterb Sunday Nov 19 11:40 AMProlly made by night shift at Nikes plants.
Trilby Sunday Nov 19 11:58 AMOh! The Humanity!
Won't Someone think of the Children?!
CaliforniaMama Sunday Nov 19 12:23 PMRecycle anyone?
TorasMommy Sunday Nov 19 12:39 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama
Recycle anyone?
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Good point..
Why can't they just give these things over to some third world country somewhere that doesn't have money for this kind of thing??
Elspode Sunday Nov 19 01:42 PMBecause some scammer in a third world country would snatch them all and resell them as authentic on the black market, that's why. Think Nigerian Scam.
thecynicproject Sunday Nov 19 02:02 PMDo they really have to SHRED them though? You'd figure they could deface them somehow and then donate to someone who needs shoes.
xoxoxoBruce Sunday Nov 19 02:32 PMThey might fall into the hands of terrorists allowing them to run away too fast.
CaliforniaMama Sunday Nov 19 07:33 PMSpeaking of Nigerians and terrorists . . .
One of hubby's coworkers pissed off a Nigerian and now the Nigerian mafia (is there such a thing?) has been making threatening phone calls to anyone even remotely associated.
They made a big boo boo and talked to the main receptionist in the big famous building in which hubby plies his trade, who called in the police, who called in the FBI, who will probably call in Homeland Security.
Tsk tsk. One faction in Nigeria is about to be put out of business!
I know, nothing to do with the image, a little word association side-track.
Ibby Sunday Nov 19 08:32 PMMan, such a goddamn waste...
DucksNuts Sunday Nov 19 11:01 PMohh I thought they were destroying counterfeit snakes
breakingnews Monday Nov 20 01:06 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by DucksNuts
ohh I thought they were destroying counterfeit snakes
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Glad I wasn't the only one who read that wrong at first glance.
But yeah, seriously, why not donate them to people in need? Wouldn't that just more branding for Nike? Who cares if they're real or not? Imitation is the greatest form of flattery?
rupip Monday Nov 20 03:53 AMRECYCLING: yes they do!
the material will be used for building tracks for athletics.
so it will not be what people run in but what some school-kids run on.
CaliforniaMama Monday Nov 20 04:06 AMCool!
Sundae Monday Nov 20 10:02 AMThe French are very tough on fakes too. British tourists sometimes run into problems after going to Italian markets just over the border. On the way home the cars/ coaches may be searched for counterfeits - not smuggling, individual items.
A lady I know had her handbag confiscated, despite it being a fake she bought in Turkey some two years previously.
Torrere Monday Nov 20 01:12 PMI need some of those shoes!
ferret88 Monday Nov 20 03:45 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by CaliforniaMama
Recycle anyone?
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Around here (Albuquerque) they use what amounts to ground up tennis shoe soles as the ...um... underlayer for those faux lawn things like RealTurff and such. Supposedly works well as a drainfield. Or something.
Bitman Tuesday Nov 21 07:50 PMI didn't realize the sneak was popular enough to warrant counterfeits.
CaliforniaMama Tuesday Nov 21 08:50 PMCool. Can I get a recycle bin for that?
BigV Wednesday Nov 22 08:37 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by rupip
RECYCLING: yes they do!
the material will be used for building tracks for athletics.
so it will not be what people run in but what some school-kids run on.
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Indeed. And at DaughterofV's school, the track in the student gym is made of this made of this material, too. whe describing the track, our tour guide explained that the direction of traffic was reversed each day, to even out the wear. Clockwise, counterclockwise, clockwise, rinse repeat.
CaliforniaMama Thursday Nov 23 06:22 PMwipe on, wipe off
lookout123 Wednesday Nov 29 01:14 AM
Quote:
The French are very tough on fakes too.
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I heard that. In fact, I heard they give them a stern look before offering to surrender. Very tough indeed.
elderban Wednesday Nov 29 02:50 PMFirst off, you will never see "counterfeit" sneakers donated to anyone. Why? Because those that they are counterfeiting aren't making a profit, tax write-off or any other "incentive" for them to want to donate them. Additionally, if they are donated, then that will drive down their $150/pair prices (heaven forbid).
Furthermore, this also show how materialistic we are. Here we have a shoe that is probably no different than the "real" thing, yet they are being destroyed because they weren't made by some 8 year old kid in a Nike factory, but were made by an 8 year old kid in some other factory. With all those shoes, they could probably put several pairs on every kid that works in their factories.
xoxoxoBruce Wednesday Nov 29 10:08 PMI think you're right.
Welcome to the Cellar, elderban.
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