Ethics question re counterfeit clubs.

[dokex]

Let's say that you somehow bought a set of fake clubs. What do you do with them?

[happygolfer]

Sinply put, If he has ethics, he keeps the clubs. If he doesn't, he tries to sell them without disclosure.

I've seen auctions on ebay where they clearly state they are fake. I would call that having ethics.

[SubaruWRX]

Hypothetical question? Waste of time.

[SubaruWRX]

It didn’t happen. smh

[dokex]

Let me clarify. You are stuck with the clubs, and can't return them.

[SubaruWRX]

Let me clarify, this didn’t happen. ??‍♂️

[dmecca2]

I have a putter I got when I was in high school from my dad. It was my first scotty cameron and a gift from my dad. I used it throughout high school and some of college, and after giving it to my brother, I recently got it back an I can see now that it's a fake. Unfortunately I'm stuck with it and I definitely can't sell it. It will sit in my basement and maybe if I have a kid I will cut it down for him to use.

[brkuck]

Re-selling it for money = zero ethics. Some will say "well, the buyer should be more informed", which is BS.

 

Otherwise, you are forced to play with them or give them away for nothing. Just dont make the same mistake twice.

 

 

[jschwarb]

Just to play devil's advocate, why not? If you say it's FAKE in the title and the description and list at a silly low price that removes any doubt as to what it is -- what's the harm? Maybe someone takes it as a project set to cut up or whatever. I'm not saying I would do it, I've been a seller on ebay and elsewhere for years with perfect feedback and don't want the hassle, but I wouldn't be offended if someone else did as long as it was labeled clearly.

[straightshot7]

Well as usual no one cares about the actual manufacturer in these conversations. Blatant trademark/patent infringement and counterfeiting is a serious problem that costs our economy billions. It probably costs America jobs as well.

There's one reason for you. I respect that the manufacturer had to spend a lot of money and time to legally establish a brand identity. And I don't support anyone who wants to blatantly rip off someone else's IP and try to profit from it.

"Counterfeit goods cost the U.S. economy an estimated $600 billion a year, or 3 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, according to Steve Shapiro, the unit chief for the FBI’s intellectual property rights unit."https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/13/heres-how-the-trade-war-could-lead-to-a-boom-in-counterfeit-goods.html

[SubaruWRX]

This is a counterfeit post...

[dokex]

Good point. In my mind, it would be no different than knowingly passing fake currency.

[BYK]

That's great until the guy that buys the fakes then sells them as real

[TheMagicStinger]

Is this regarding a recent ebay purchase you made? If so, what are the clubs in question and why do you believe they are fake?

[dokex]

No, I haven't bought any counterfeits. I just started a discussion about the right/wrong to do once you are stuck with fakes.

[Skhacker]

Can you report a sale of counterfeit goods to the proper authority? Notify the seller that’s what you’re doing. Maybe start with that.

[Krt22]

I can't imagine a scenario where this holds true, unless you bought them off craigslist for cash, in which case you should have done your homework.

[dmecca2]

Take a look at my scenario in post #7

[dokex]

When I worked at GG, we had people trying to trade in fakes quite often. In fact, we had the same set of bogus pxg irons come into the store three times in one day! The first guy brought the clubs in for a shaft repair. When he was told they were fake, he returned them to play it again sports. That same day, two more people brought them in for the repair. I don't know what play it again did after the third return.

[ChitownM2]

I'm not sure how your post is at all relevant. Obviously if you don't realize something is fake until 5 or 10 years later you're stuck with it. I'm sure that if you or your dad had realized that putter was fake at the get go you would have taken it back and gotten a refund.

This conversation is about what to do if you find out something you recently purchased is fake. I would say 30 days or maybe up to 60 but definitely no more.

Personally, I would do everything in my power to get a refund from the seller. Paypal dispute, CC dispute, etc. If all of that was futile, then I'd probably re-sell them (locally if possible) with full disclosure that they are fake. After that it is not my job to be the morality police and ensure that an unscrupulous person doesn't resell them again.

[dmecca2]

I read the scenario as, "you have a fake club and for some reason you are stuck with it. Ethically, what is the right thing to do. Sell it as a labeled fake, throw it away, or keep it."

Obviously if you just bought the club you need to take it back to whoever you sold it to.

I was giving an example to a situation where I am stuck with the club and cant return it, and what I am doing with the club. Literally exactly what the OP is requesting.

[ChitownM2]

I see what you are saying, I just interpreted his post differently. It says "...you somehow bought a set of fake clubs. What do you do with them" so I assumed that the purchase was recent.