I have to say that I found some of this to be high horse hogwash. There are clones on the market that are 1:1 coppies, and their are many reviews of some clones that show the clone functioning BETTER then the way more expensive"authentic". Buying a clone doesn't mean you are foregoing quality as you seem to claim. Just like the tool analogy. Did you know that Harbor Freight, a store known for selling cheap tools, warranties their tools for LIFE? How is the $15 screw driver better? I am a horseshoe
if you believe that the $1 screwdriver is just as good as the $15 screwdriver because they both can turn a screw then good for you, you just saved yourself $14. I did say that I think anyone can buy anything they want, that of course does include you
harbor freight is 100% legit and I have no problem with cheap stuff, everyone has the choice of weather to buy cheap stuff or buy good stuff and there is a place and a market for both. harbor freight is NOT selling cheap tools that are copies of and labeled "snap-on" though, they are a legitimate off brand seller and to anyone with morals and ethics, there is a HUGE difference, and if having morals puts me on a high horse then I don't see that as an insult, too many low horses out there if you ask me
some people appreciate the finer things and are willing to pay for them while some people don't want to spend a penny more that they have to, both are fine and everyone can make there own choice. yes a honda can do much of the same things that a mercedes does, and yes it may even be better in some areas too. if you are trying to supply the most cost effective mode of transportation then yeah the honda may be a better fit for you and there is nothing wrong with that, but running around saying the honda is better and that the mercedes is a rip off is just ignorance
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the term clone is a cute term, it's used to disguise the fact that these things are really counterfeit rip offs, plain and simple. they in no way fit the definition of "clone", but they are counterfeit by it's very definition, just as fake gucci bags and fake rolex's are counterfeits too. to say they are just cheaper off brands is far from true, something can be a cheap off brand and not try to steal from the popularity of established brands, that's perfectly fine.
companies like hcigar and tobeco and whoever else is capitalizing by ripping off an established design are not just off brands, they are thieves, and the sad part is, the general public is supporting them and making them rich, rewarding them for their thievery because they are either ignorant or greedy or just don't care. it's a shame that in this industry thievery has run so rampant and so many greedy or ignorant consumers are driving this market, so much so that they stand there and fight FOR the thieves and defend them. I'd like to believe that most are just ignorant, unfortunately this is not always the case, many know they are ripoffs but support them anyway, driven by greed and not really caring about anything but their own benefit. it's actually pretty sad to me... some will do it simply because they feel it's all they can afford which may very well be the case, but just because you don't have many hundreds to spend does not mean you have to support this kind of stuff, it's entirely possible to buy a complete vape setup on a budget without supporting and driving the market for thievery if you actually care, it's really a shame most don't care though
if a thief goes out and steals a car radio and can sell it in 20 minutes then guess what, he'll go steal another, and another, and keep doing so until he either gets caught or winds up not being able to sell anything he has stolen. by buying "hot" merchandise you are driving the thief to steal, you are creating their market. if everyone had morals and refused to buy the hot merchandise then there would be no market for it, unfortunately greed runs rampant through our society and there will always be those whose sole concern is for themselves and they are happy to get a $400 item for $40, never giving any thought to the victim or the fact that they are driving the thief to steal again. don't care, I got a $400 thing for $40, that's all that matters.
how wonderful it would be if when a company goes out and rips off someone elses design, the public rebelled against them and refused to by them. the shame of the whole thing is, if these companies had any ethics at all they could easily dominate the market with legitimate off brands too, hell they could actually become legitimate brands in their own right, but when the market supports this thievery they have no reason to do so. this is organized crime, not capitalism and the customers drive this market which really is sad. they even defend this market and defend the thieves because of their own greed or ignorance and they accept the way things are because as they see it everyone else does too... they tell themselves that there is no victim and even blame the victim and accuse them of being the rip off, it's just so ironic. there are not many markets out there that would knowingly support this thievery, if for nothing more than appearances... many legitimate companies outside the vaping world would not want to be associated with supporting thievery, but in the vape business you have guys building their whole business on selling these counterfeit rip off items and you have many consumers also supporting these businesses too. personally I refuse to support thieves or those who resell these counterfeits just to make a quick buck.
the sad part is that the original mod makers are probably the only ones in this chain that are NOT stealing, yet the supporters of this thevery are the ones calling the mod makers "rip offs" to justify their own actions and somehow try to justify their support of this thevery, turning the victims into thieves in there own mind to irrationally justify themselves... it really is pretty sad...
