So much is assumed, or reasonably deduced, and so little is verifiable.
This is true at present. iSmoka previously operated from a different website, using the name iSmoka. To further muddle things, Joyetech is thought by many to own both iSmoka, a product development and mfr.co. and former product trade name, and eleaf, a product line brand name. So far we have seen actual proof only that Joyetech owns the eleaf registered trademark (Not a company), an important bit of intellectual property, and not a tangible asset. Joyetech applied for IP legal protection for the iSmoka trademark (Again, a trademark, not a company.) but abandoned the application process. So we know that Joyetech owns the eleaf name, and reasonably conjecture or speculate that Joyetech also owns the operating assets of iSmoka, which has recently branded itself as eleaf. As Gabby Hayes might have said in a black and white Western of the 1950s, "they went whichaway!", pointing in many directions.
Then
we agree that
eleafworld.com can be looked upon to be an official source from the actual manufacturer
. Bikenstein also provided a link
Contact Information for Shenzhen iSmoka Electronics Co., Ltd. which helps to confirm the loop. Current website is
eleafworld.com from that link.
iSmoka introduced a brand name that they applied to all their products (
eleafworld.com says so).
iSmoka's website then becomes
eleafworld.com (to reflect the branding maybe) (they still use @ismoka.com though for email which shows they are one and the same - ie: they have control of both @eleafworld.com and @ismoka.com right now).
I'm not trying to figure out if Joyetech owns anything right now... I am just trying to figure out if the premise:
"eleafworld.com can be looked upon to be an official source from the actual manufacturer" is true or not.
..small steps
.
So it would seem, but we don't know for sure. Eleafus is, possibly among other things, an internet retailer. I don't know if other U.S. retaillers order goods through eleafus.com, or through eleafworld.com, which does have wholesale information on its site.
Bikenstein provided two different emails from eleafus.com basically confirming this. And I clarified if it was indeed eleafus.com with
Bikenstein that what I am about quote is
eleafus.com words.
"For eleaf products we are only one of the distributors in USA we are not the manufacturer."
"there are so many distributors are out there just like us in USA who carry joyetech and eleaf products."
- see post 12383
Bikenstein asks "If you are only a distributor and not the manufacturer then why is this on your "about us" page?" - see post 12379
Which is the exact question that never gets answered on many other forums by eleafus.com. It is very misleading to many people.
Does any of the ownership stuff matter to us, as retail customers? Only if (A) we have warranty issues or questions, in which case it may matter a lot, or (B) we would like to know product release and/or discontinuance intentions to inform our own purchase plans.
Those things matter to me and it is on topic with the thread, I figured it would be ok ask questions and try to find out whats the real deal. I complied information about iSmoka before... this isn't the first time... check my blog... it is pretty dry but I tried to get it as factual as I could. Credited my sources... etc...
ie: - If
eleafus.com says your istick isn't under their warranty that does not mean that
eleafworld.com (ismoka) didn't make the product. It might be important to establish if the product is "authentic", in general, at one central website. The only way I know to do that is through
eleafworld.com site. If
eleafworld.com is actually the manufacturer then anyone can know if their istick is "authethic" through the serial number checker which they host.
eleafus.com doesn't host the serial database as far as I know and has nothing to do with manufacturing or decision making as far as I can tell and only warranty stuff that is sold from their website. (ie: everything else that is made at a ismoka factory doesn't matter to them).
And yes I agree with your points A) and B) as well.
Cheers
GranFumador