A Counterfeit DuPont’s Progress

[Briar Lee]

Never thinking about our trade war a few days ago I paid $50 complete for shipping and taxes to the dad blasted gubbermint for this utterly spurious counterfeit DuPont lighter.





I see where it was shipped today from China.



If I fall a victim in this cruel war, and pay about another $50 in taxes, I’ve nobody to blame but the man in the mirror.

I was trying to cheat a Frenchman anyway.

But let’s watch the progress of my counterfeit DuPont.

I’m about $50 curious how they’ll collect the tariff duty, you know?

And is this an electronic good, on the exempt list?

 

[OzPiper]

Fingers crossed it’ll arrive.

If it gets through without the tariff impost you will have not just a counterfeit DuPont
But a contraband counterfeit DuPont

 

[BingBong]

Can't wait to find if there really is a "PING sound" or if that was the maker's name.

 

[Briar Lee]

I read where my buddy Jeff Bezos has already lost about 27 billion dollars so far and he’s back to only 175 billion, which is where he was when he traded his first wife for the sexy helicopter pilot.

So my risk of losing $50 is not such a cross to bear, you know?

What intrigues me, is if Jeff’s customers are going to all have to go to the post office or UPS or Fed Ex and pay duties, or will the delivery person collect it?

Jeff is not likely to pay it for me, anyway.

All this is my own fault anyhow. I’ll have my Zippo this morning while they are loading my fake DuPont on the plane.

 

[telescopes]

Can't wait to find if there really is a "PING sound" or if that was the maker's name.

Yes, they ping. I was visitung with @Manawydan yesterday and we both were using our “DuPont” lighters to light our pipes. They really are excellent lighters for the money.

 

[Briar Lee]

My fake DuPont arrived today via Brooklyn New York, with no tariff or drama!

Sing one Robert Mitchum!

 

[telescopes]

Got to make the best of a bad situation.

 

[Briar Lee]

I’m studying my counterfeit ST DuPont, and wow is it high quality! It goes ping, and has that high dollar glow a luxury good should have.


Xxx
S.T. Dupont is a French manufacturing company based in Paris, which has been making luxury goods since its founding in 1872. Products commercialised include handbags, lighters, collectible pens, perfumes (produced under license by Interparfums), cigarettes (made by Philip Morris International), and recently other gadgets using the trademark diamond-head pattern.[4]

It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kongluxury goods company Dickson Concepts.



Imagine if you will a Chinese company who wins an order for ST DuPont lighters.

And then they discover a competitor has underbid them on the next order.

These are not really reverse engineered counterfeits.

They are unauthorized production in China.

Same as Parker pens.

 

[pauls456]

Many are willing to pay for authentic merchandise rather than knock-offs, but only if the difference in quality is significant. The manufacturing process in China has evolved, and the gap has narrowed considerably. Looking at the photos, I wonder if ST Dupont is sourcing their manufacturing to China. Obviously all of this is threatening and destabilizing in the economic sense, and the current tariff uproar should be no surprise to anyone.
Great-looking lighter!

 

[onepyrotec]

Do these lighters have the same threaded filling port as the DuPont lighters?

 

[woodsroad]

They are not the same as the genuine article. But they are damned nice lighters. I own 4 or 5. Not sure, exactly, as they are scatteted around the house, pipe bag, car, etc. I do have a real Dupont in the car right now, though and it is hands down a much nicer bit of kit.

 

[telescopes]

There are some quirks about these lighters - nothing that bothers me too much. They can be a bit temperamental in the wind as well as needing some pressure being put on the thumb wheel when lighting. I am guessing that the DuPonts are a bit more reliable - although my knockoffs are reliable enough.

 

[woodsroad]

There are some quirks about these lighters - nothing that bothers me too much. They can be a bit temperamental in the wind as well as needing some pressure being put on the thumb wheel when lighting. I am guessing that the DuPonts are a bit more reliable - although my knockoffs are reliable enough.

The knockoffs have been 100% reliable for me. The real Duponts have a noticeably superior fit, finish and function. Time will tell if they are reliable, but I have several vintage Duponts that I bought used and they still work just fine. So, it’s really just a luxe goods advantage for me.

 

[sablebrush52]

My 1851 Barling sterling silver tobacco box is beginning its voyage from the UK to my humble abode in Oregon, and I’m waiting to see what happens when it reaches the US.

Fingers crossed!