Fake DFI Motherboard in Indonesia [Hot Case]

[vicong]

This case beginning from one new DFI distributor in Indonesia (DPJ) notify that there some Fake DFI Motherboard in the market.

The representatives than make a thread at :
http://forum.chip.co.id/dfi-motherbo...ard-palsu.html
(sorry this forum host at Indonesia, so maybe if you try access it from outside Indonesia it's very slow).
Beside that inform DFI Taiwan about this case. The representatives also say that this fake product distribute in Indonesia by old DFI distributor (not Official DFI distributor anymore).

DFI Taiwan make official statement here :
http://us.dfi.com.tw/Upload/News/US/arch479.jsp

From the discussion at the forum one member (Gunawan I think here his nickname spursindonesia)say that the Fake DFI is relabel from JW motherboard product. So the DFI distributor (in Indonesia and Philipines) asking JW for confirmation.

And then JW release official statement here :
http://www.jwele.com/news_detail.php?337

Until now there's no official statement from the old DFI distributor. I have email them too about this problem.

I make an conclusion with a lot of picture about this case at :
http://naonmaksud.wordpress.com/2008...ard-dfi-palsu/
(in Indonesian, my English is not very good)

Others site that make this as news in english :
http://hardware.slashdot.org/hardwar...5/035213.shtml
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.a...tno=533&pgno=0
http://www.vr-zone.com/articles/DFI_...ware/5713.html

[jonnyGURU]

This happens a lot in the industry and it's quite simple how it happens....

As you know, most companies don't make their own product. There are a handful of OEM's, like JW, and unless the company they're building for can fulfill a minimum quantity, there is no exclusivity to the product.

Let's say a graphics card company commissions a fansink company to make a unique fansink. Let's say tooling charges are around $8K. A deal is struck up to absorb $1 into the cost of the first 8K units. Let's say they only buy 5K and leave the OEM hanging to dry on the tooling costs. Someone comes along and says that would be a suitable fansink for their product, buys a few thousand "non-branded", goes back to their warehouse and slaps the other brand's label on the product and shoves it in another brand's box. I don't find the OEM at fault.. unfortunately, how do you stop it from happening?

[Super Nade]

Good points Jon, but I think the problem is with XYZ company using DFI's name. I don't think it would have been a problem if it was branded XYZ.

This is bad press for JW, who are supposed to come out with their own branded boards.

[vicong]

Originally Posted by jonnyGURU

I don't find the OEM at fault.. unfortunately, how do you stop it from happening?

Yes the OEM is not at fault, all the blame can goes to the one that slap other brand to that OEM product. Not currently a mistake when using your own brand, but slap famous brand that you don't own is a NO...no and no (I thinks it called infringements ?).

Even worse the culprit is the old distributor using their reputation as a valid distributor for the brand (in the past of course) so a lot of computer shop and buyer believe thats a real product (from famous brand).

Just like J&W press release say :

this kind of infringement activities, which is illegal and immoral

But hey I have been met PSU with Seasonic brand with price for $10 here (even less if you good at bargain), theres also Seasonic keyboard that only cost you $2 (I even get this for free when buy some hardware for my friend PC), interested ?
If they creative enough maybe we will see some el cheapo..hardware serial killer PSU come with Jonny Guru Recommended Label

In my opinion the culprit now is play with fire because they use brand that have official representatives in Indonesia and care with their image..

[jonnyGURU]

Originally Posted by Super Nade

Good points Jon, but I think the problem is with XYZ company using DFI's name. I don't think it would have been a problem if it was branded XYZ.

This is bad press for JW, who are supposed to come out with their own branded boards.

Of course. The problem IS with whomever is slapping the brand on JW's product (Tiga-Dimensicom?). I'm just clarifying that I personally don't find JW at "fault". I'm sure JW was doing just "business as usual" and being told the product would be used in system builds lowers their exposure so minimizes risk even more so. Of course, if the perp is shifty enough to use DFI's name, than naturally they're shifty enough to lie about how the product is going to be used.

[rip97000]

Originally Posted by jonnyGURU

Let's say a graphics card company commissions a fansink company to make a unique fansink. Let's say tooling charges are around $8K. A deal is struck up to absorb $1 into the cost of the first 8K units. Let's say they only buy 5K and leave the OEM hanging to dry on the tooling costs. Someone comes along and says that would be a suitable fansink for their product, buys a few thousand "non-branded", goes back to their warehouse and slaps the other brand's label on the product and shoves it in another brand's box. I don't find the OEM at fault.. unfortunately, how do you stop it from happening?

what i don't like about this pratice is that the graphics card company (in this example) brought it on themselves by only buying the first 5k units. IMHO if they only ended up needing that many units, then they should have paid for the tooling costs that were left over and then the company would not have to worry about other companies "selling thier products"

[jonnyGURU]

Absolutely. There's plenty of blame to go around. Happens with PSU's too. You help a company develop a PSU, but they're going to expect a minimum order to recoup development costs. If you can't commit to that quantity, that design is open for anyone to use.