Just an update in case you guys and gals are following other recent threads on ECF that have been brought to my attention by three separate people (not that I have read the threads.. lol, shame on me).
From what I gather there have been some insinuations that
"some vendors" are carrying knockoffs and poorly performing products and selling them for less.
While I am sure they are not referring to DV...
For the record:
Please read this in grand-fatherly voice as it is not intended to sound angry 
1. I have purchased all of my CE4+ DV editions from VISION, this is the same place the "stardust" (Ce4) comes from.
If you want to call it the improved stardust, so be it, cause that's what it is, improved
Obviously not knockoffs.
2. The bargain bin CE4's V1 I had are factory seconds, as stated in the descriptions, they are not perfect, this is the reason they were cheap and it was clearly stated. No one is trying to pull a fast one as implied. And to potentially use that as something to point to is disingenuous at best. There is nothing wrong with selling a less than 100% product if you clearly state it.
3. The CE5 and CE6 are not knockoffs, the CE5 is a new product based on the CE4 and is rebuildable, this qualifies as a new item, not a knockoff and the CE6 is completely new and different as it uses a bottom coil wick system.
I realize some vendors out there may be in fact selling knockoffs, if you guys saw how many CE4 emails I am getting from 50+ Chinese factories you'd be floored, they are all making them now. Don't fault any vendor for purchasing these as each time they are made they get slightly better, a new knockoff is (usually) better than the original, not always but these people aren't dumb, they want you to buy more, not one and done. That said I will not be buying from anyone but Vision for CE4's, but again., it's not a bad thing to get a different manufacturers take on a good product like the CE4.
::::: I know some people will get mad at me for ranting again on this but I can't help myself I have no self control lol :::::
There is also continuing talk about the "work" that goes into developing new items and the costs associated with it as a justification for a higher price. The bigger vendors pay
less for these items than I do so that's.. a crock...
I know I am beating a dead horse because I ranted on this already
but it does irk me when I see things being presented improperly and as long as I do not call out anyone specifically and keep it in this thread, I think it's ok. A price is a price, you set it, you sell the item for what you can get, there is nothing inherently wrong with charging more than your competition and there should be no outside justification for it. You don't see Sears telling customers they pay more for it because Sears helped Whirlpool "develop" the item.
Here's a tip to tell if a vendor actually was in on the design and paid money to have it developed:
Go to the manufacturers website, see if they are selling it, if they are the vendor telling you they helped make it is not being all that truthful. Anyone in business, if they paid money or invested anything of significance in a product would make that product 100% exclusive to themselves. Not for a week, not for a month, but forever. Why would you pay mold and engineering fee's
(or spend hours and hours developing and testing with a group of people 12 hours time difference) and then let someone else reap the benefits at the same time to undercut you? Not happening.
Over the past year I have learned a LOT, from the backdoor sleaziness of some vendors when I first started (those who have been with me from the start can attest to that) , to the junk that some Chinese manufacturers peddle unapologetically. I have seen vendors have every single item in their store "on sale" and vendors list ridiculous "original" prices. I have been pushed out of purchases, ignored and harassed.
But most importantly and most humbly, I have learned that no matter how hard I try to avoid it I will be snowed over, fooled and buy some bad items sometimes.
What I promise to you, to everyone who thinks about ever purchasing from me is this...
Honesty. Period. I am still one of you.
I also promise not to talk about this more than a few dozen more times or so
Now, I am off to watch the Game of Thrones... Holy Moly that's a cool show!
AND! Today, with the profits from this business, I purchased a new generator! So the next time the power goes out I have you all to thank for my lights being on! It's even got a remote!
THANK YOU!
but don't stop buying because gas is really expensive!!
