Neiko Tools "USA"

[kartracer55]

Heres another thing that gripes my ***...


Im in the market for a set of metric wrenches in larger sizes... IE maybe Starting around 13mm instead of 8mm... I must have 10 8mm wrenches to my name. Well Im eyeing up the craftsman pro (or posibly the matco long patterns depending on what the truck can get them to me for) so I did a quick search on ebay to see if anybody had any deals. Well...

Look at this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-Pc-Neiko-Soft...1QQihZ014QQcategoryZ29527QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They are branded by Neiko Tools USA... Is that legal? They Say USA right on them like most of thier other products, but Im willing to bet quite a bit that they arnt made here in the US. In fact, IIRC I remember seeing Made in China on the big roll these HF type tool tents had at the sway meet.

Is this legal? Or are they actually made here? There are tons of thiese Neiko USA items floating around on ebay

Jim

 

[SPECV]

I am assuming that if thats that name of the company they can do it.

 

[dink]

Hahahaa maybe USA, China pronounced OOOSSSAAA

 

[chevy302dz]

Probably not legal, and probably will not be around very long (with the USA in their name anyway)

 

[wantedabiggergarage]

Neiko has been around at least 5 years now. A local autoparts store, stocked and sold them for a while. It wasn't untill someone tried to turn something in under the warranty that they had problems. Don't see a website or mailling address readily available on the net. And yes it's foreign stuff. (although the stuff I looked at, is better quality then HF)

We nicknamed them NikeMyDough.

 

[wilbilt]

As long as they have a "division" named "Neiko Tools USA", they can probably get away with it.

Of course, it could be just a storefront mailing address or somebody's barn.

I think the problem would be if they actually said "Made in USA" on them.

It's all about making a huge profit while exploiting cheap Asian slave labor (and the tool-buying public).

 

[mike944]

I don't think it's illegal. Is it deceitfull? Yes, is it misleading? Yes, is it sleazy, Yes, but not illegal. As long as they're not falsely saying "made in the USA" then it's not illegal, but they're implying "Made in the USA" with the brand name, and i'm sure that was completely intentional

It's done everywhere. You really have to watch out. Take a look in Home Depot, there's a brand of lights called "American Flourescent" Their logo even has stars and stripes in it. I'll give you one guess where the products are actually made......and it begins with a C. But, it does say that right on the box (although it's in very small print)

 

[MXtras]

In case you haven't noticed, Asian manufacturers really could care less about laws, patents or ethics. It's cut-throat. Our government should become involved, but ultimately it is us - the consumer - that could make the largest statement by choosing not to purchase items from such companies.

Scott

 

[Hawk231]

Tell me about it!!! We recently found a website of a Chinese company that is copying one of our products. They list our company name on their web page and say that their product is a direct replacement for ours.

 

[l_bilyk]

I'll give you one guess where the products are actually made......and it begins with a C.

CANADA????

 

[wilbilt]

Tell me about it!!! We recently found a website of a Chinese company that is copying one of our products. They list our company name on their web page and say that their product is a direct replacement for ours.

Yes, that *****. I have seen instances where not only the product was copied, but the instruction manual as well.

It has to be upsetting to design, develop and market a product, only to have it ripped off and show up for sale at HF for half the price. Then finding out that their instruction manual is a direct photocopy of your own.....there should be a law against that....

Of course, when they write their own manuals in Chinglish, they are completely incomprehensible.

 

[eschoendorff]

Tell me about it!!! We recently found a website of a Chinese company that is copying one of our products. They list our company name on their web page and say that their product is a direct replacement for ours.

Oh man, that's awful! Do you have any recourse? I've heard that it is difficult to persue the Asian companies legally...

 

[OldCarGuy]

Tell me about it!!! We recently found a website of a Chinese company that is copying one of our products. They list our company name on their web page and say that their product is a direct replacement for ours.

I feel your pain!!

It’s sad but true, Chinese companies are great at copying products and so many have no integrity. To my knowledge the laws are weak or nonexistent in China to prevent such practices or pursue them.

One of the OEM’s of where I worked decided to tool up one of their biggest selling products in China to save a buck. A year later that Chinese subcontractor marketed the identical product through an American distributor. Not only did they save on engineering they produced a lookalike down to the manual, it turned out that the Chinese were using the same tooling (worth $$$$) that the OEM paid them for! Needless to say they pulled their tooling and found another Chinese subcontractor.

There was some poetic justice in the world! Seeing that we had to downsize because we last the contract… The sad part about all of this is that the product cost the consumer the same today as when we manufactured it in the USA.

 

[Hawk231]

Oh man, that's awful! Do you have any recourse? I've heard that it is difficult to persue the Asian companies legally...

Nothing reasonably cost effective or enforceable.

 

[TENMMIKE]

IV BEEN HUNTING THESE GUYS DOWN...(NEIKO) i have found the actual maker of at least the NEIKO tachs also known as NICETY among other names . i was looking at the laser tach and wanted more info and started my jurnrny hunting for them the real company and factory is
Zhejiang Kangle Group.
owned buy the chinese govt. and have several accociated other companies they disperse product through with many different names ......damn it took a while to hunt them SOB down.
http://www.made-in-china.com/showro...EQDaAWZ/China-Laser-Tachometer-KL-6234C-.html

Heres another thing that gripes my ***...


Im in the market for a set of metric wrenches in larger sizes... IE maybe Starting around 13mm instead of 8mm... I must have 10 8mm wrenches to my name. Well Im eyeing up the craftsman pro (or posibly the matco long patterns depending on what the truck can get them to me for) so I did a quick search on ebay to see if anybody had any deals. Well...

Look at this.

http://cgi.ebay.com/5-Pc-Neiko-Soft...1QQihZ014QQcategoryZ29527QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

They are branded by Neiko Tools USA... Is that legal? They Say USA right on them like most of thier other products, but Im willing to bet quite a bit that they arnt made here in the US. In fact, IIRC I remember seeing Made in China on the big roll these HF type tool tents had at the sway meet.

Is this legal? Or are they actually made here? There are tons of thiese Neiko USA items floating around on ebay

Jim

 

[Danglerb]

I have one neiko tool, and its a lifetimes worth, never buying another one. Looks ok, feels like junk.

 

[MarkH]

"Canada"

If they were I would buy them. They would be a more usable quality and could be called Neiko North American without shame.

As for the rest it should be two things. One is the part of looking for the made at. I do this in the manner that is very easy to notice and make sure I frown or growl before returning items. We need more of it.

Second, direct rip-offs are illegal and stopped at most other countries borders, we need to follow this trend and no it is not anti whatever someone will call it, it is just following the crowd. We would be doing the same thing the worst offenders here do!!!!!

The fact you see so much garbage trying to look USA, Canadien, German, Japanese, or British means the marketers know that made in these countries is a desirable attribute. It is just this attribute needs to be protected so it is not cheapened.

 

[SpiderGearsMan]

hey , every company in red china is owned by the government , we are under attack , but hey if it saves money .......

 

[TENMMIKE]

hey , every company in red china is owned by the government , .......

thats not true just google private companies in china and youll see ....btw im in no way or form in sympathy with the PRC ..AKA commie bastards..(is minor cussing allowed here?)

 

[kartracer55]

thats not true just google private companies in china and youll see ....btw im in no way or form in sympathy with the PRC ..AKA commie bastards..(is minor cussing allowed here?)

Haha yup go ahead. We all pretty much share mutual feelings.

 

[-lecroix-]

thats not true just google private companies in china and youll see ....btw im in no way or form in sympathy with the PRC ..AKA commie bastards..(is minor cussing allowed here?)

Actually it is true. No one can go into China and set up a business with out partnering with a Chinese national that is appointed by the Chinese government.

 

[TENMMIKE]

Actually it is true. No one can go into China and set up a business with out partnering with a Chinese national that is appointed by the Chinese government.

the issue of foreign investment has nothing to do with private companies.
Thats not the definition of "private company" but more protectionest in nature we have laws here in the USA that prevent foreign majoraty ownership in several area, a private company by definition is one that has no stock holders and owened by a private citizen, it can also mean but not be defined by owened as a public holding(stock holders) not under control of the central govt...what im getting at is the partering has noting to do with "private "companies..sounds to me like your talking about freetrade /open market type stuff
edit btw id like to bail on non tool talk unless it through pm...im here to talk about tools.

 

[wilbilt]

I went as far as contacting the FTC regarding the Neiko "USA" wrenches. I feel the product labeling is misleading, as the "USA" emblazoned on the tools is located where manufacturers generally display the country of origin.

I was asked if there was any other indication on the tool or the packaging related to the country of origin. Since I don't own any of these tools, I was unable to answer that question. If any of you can provide this information, please contact the investigator that responded to my complaint:

Steve Ecklund, Investigator
Division of Enforcement
Federal Trade Commission
601 New Jersey Ave., NW
Mail Drop NJ-2122
Washington, DC 20001
Phone: 202-326-2841
Fax: 202-326-3197
URL: http://www.ftc.gov
Email: [email protected]

 

[-lecroix-]

... edit btw id like to bail on non tool talk unless it through pm...im here to talk about tools.

That's a big Negative, Good Buddy.

You haven't been here long enough to set ground rules on what can and can't be debated.

Again, I stand by my argument that private companies can NOT conduct business within the borders of the Chinese mainland without Chinese Communist Government / P.L.A. approval.

 

[ImportTuner]

I think people are barking up the wrong tree. China does not have companies in the US; what they have are American companies who contract out to China to build tools to their specifications at a price that they want to pay so that they can make a GOOD profit. A big reseller of Neiko Tools is www.maxtools.com ...

They applies also to toys (Mattel), computers (HP, Dell), and other goods that American companies are selling.

 

[TENMMIKE]

That's a big Negative, Good Buddy.

You haven't been here long enough to set ground rules on what can and can't be debated.

Again, I stand by my argument that private companies can NOT conduct business within the borders of the Chinese mainland without Chinese Communist Government / P.L.A. approval.

ok, fair enough, noobs have no privlege,that i can deal with ...
the thing is your stuck on private companies doing buesness IN china ,that was not the issue what was stated was that china has private companies now that are not owned and or operated by govt.you dont think the PRC economy is doing fairly well under strict communistic direction do you?,it been since they started limited and increasingly liberal market reformes,,,,, if you desire i can start dragging stuff in that backes my statements .................JUST TO REINTERATE I DO NOT SUPPORT THEM COMMIE BASTARDS IN ANY WAY , i just post the facts,underestemating is as dangerous as overestemating them ....KNOW YOUR ENEMY...............so has anybody picked up any cool ignition KV testers lately?

 

[MarkH]

All I have is a set of punches and chisels in a Orange Pouch. It state the Neiko USA name on it. The tools have no indicator of where they are made. All it states on them is in English CR-V Safety Google.

This was not my usually buy, I flip and look. I was told by a friend who had them it was USA so I took them.

From family sources in Asia who are Asian and involved in business development. Business in China. Chinese can have their own private businesses up to certain sizes. Me starting my own company in China without
a Chinese partner, usually someone involved in the government. Their type of graft. NO.

Some companies have put their "own plants" in china usually on some type of deal where the government gets something. It may be a tech transfer at the minimum, which means some dumb CEO just set up their own competition. They are run a separate subsidiary incorporated in China usually with some hidden Chinese ownership, it takes huge political pull or payoffs to bypass that step. Usually the better way to describe it is they have a dedicated plant.

But then this is nothing new. In WW II both the Axis and Allies used Ford trucks and had their own assembly lines for them. Maybe that inspires some of the fear in older people.

Also do not get my started about who owns the tooling. That is a whole different issue. It is something wise to own, that way you have some leverage, the deal that makes the tooling for you is you cannot make your own product. States, very easily why after about a year, another company making identical items at a slightly lower cost.

Yes the Chinese have companies in the USA. Harder to trace but they are there.

 

[reversegear]

I feel your pain!!

It’s sad but true, Chinese companies are great at copying products and so many have no integrity. To my knowledge the laws are weak or nonexistent in China to prevent such practices or pursue them.

One of the OEM’s of where I worked decided to tool up one of their biggest selling products in China to save a buck. A year later that Chinese subcontractor marketed the identical product through an American distributor. Not only did they save on engineering they produced a lookalike down to the manual, it turned out that the Chinese were using the same tooling (worth $$$$) that the OEM paid them for! Needless to say they pulled their tooling and found another Chinese subcontractor.

If you don't have serious patent protection for your product, don't try and produce in China.

Again, I stand by my argument that private companies can NOT conduct business within the borders of the Chinese mainland without Chinese Communist Government / P.L.A. approval.

True, but not an issue. Anyone can take a sample to a Chinese manufacturer and ask them to quote it. The Chinese company doesn't care if it is yours or someone else's, or if there is a U.S. patent.

 

[Longboy]

Its the name of the company...........

...........Not place of manufacturer. Definitely legal. I don't feel bambozled going to HF and buying tools labled "Chicago Tool" or "Pittsburgh" anymore than buying car parts........from "Honda U.S.A." Now off to HF to find that new manure shovel branded...............(U guessed it).........."Tulsa"!

 

[kartracer55]

Its funny how many companies make stuff in china and will not put their actual name on the product.

Tires are a good example. We are a Michelin/Goodyear dealer, but we carry a line called "Trivant Warriors" Made in china, not a great tire but its safe and its cheap, not everybody wants to spring for even a cheap goodyear integrity or uniroyal. Nowhere on the tire does it actually say Michelin, but they are made in a Michelin owned plant in China. Bridgestone/Firestone does this with their Fuzion brand tires as well.

Jim

 

[mellowde]

The tools look great. I thought they might be like Makita was when I ran across them back in the early 80's. Where anything is made these days has become more than a mystery. Scrap from the USA. Finished steel from Spain. Tooling and assembly from China. Shipped on boats owned by Saudi Arabia and/or Al-Queda. Sold by salesmen from India. And bought by a Canadian distributor and then trucked across the line to us here in the good old USA. Is that re-cycling? Does that make them green (environmentally friendly)? And it's only going to get worse. Makes me want to go into my shop, close the door and enjoy my collection of tools. When the electric tools started coming over from China back in the 90's I tried them because of the low price but found the motors ran at different speeds because of issues with bearings, windings and brushes. The Dewalt/Black&Decker went over and taught them how to make decent quality. Now they're not so bad. Trouble is I can't afford them because I don't have a job. It was exported to China or Mexico. I'm not sure, anymore. If you buy a Chevrolet that's built in Brazil is it still a US car? If GM gets a bailout from US taxpayers will they have enough money to build another plant in China or India? We can't let them fail because... I can't finish that because I'm not sure what the answer is.

 

[Vinko]

I am assuming that if thats that name of the company they can do it.

US Customs has an article, in the form of a PDF, about this on their website. The article claims, in summary, that using USA as part of branding can be thought of as deceptive, if the item isn't made in the US.

 

[goodfellow]

Bringing back an old thread eh!! Well, I actually saw one of these NEIKO USA tools the other day. The stubby wrenches were in a nice roll pouch that does say NEIKO USA on the pouch. In very small letters on the bottom of the pouch is written "Made in China".

The wrenches are nicely polished chrome and ONLY have the size stamped on them. They have no model number, or country of origin stampings whatsoever. It is very deceptive and although I liked the fit and polish, it's a crime what these guys are doing to deceive consumers.

 

[Frank Elson]

We have a simple law to cover this in the UK.
It's called The Trades Descriptions Act.

additionally, throughout Europe we have legislation that says you can't have Champagne from Spain, only from the place called Champagne in France; Melton Mowbray pies come from Melton Moybray, not Berlin; Eccles Cakes have to come from Eccles etc etc.
It's very simple.

 

[Blacknwhitepit]

We have a simple law to cover this in the UK.
It's called The Trades Descriptions Act.

additionally, throughout Europe we have legislation that says you can't have Champagne from Spain, only from the place called Champagne in France; Melton Mowbray pies come from Melton Moybray, not Berlin; Eccles Cakes have to come from Eccles etc etc.
It's very simple.

Yeah, Here in the states we pay no heed to what we call "Champagne". But anyone who knows enough about wines knows what "real" Champagne is.

-BWP

 

[dwilliams35]

Friend of mine bought some of their long hex sockets off Ebay about a year ago: the first time it was used, the 1/4" socket broke pretty much instantaneously, leaving a razor-sharp end stuck in the bolt: his hand jerked over there when it broke and left him with about five stitches across his palm.

 

[Mr_fixit]

I have some of China's finest " neiko tools usa" drill bits. CAN DRILL RIGHT THROUGH BUTTER NO MATTER IF ITS REFRIDGERATED OR NOT!

They didn't like the neutral ebay feedback I gave them.

 

[Frank Elson]

I have some of China's finest " neiko tools usa" drill bits. CAN DRILL RIGHT THROUGH BUTTER NO MATTER IF ITS REFRIDGERATED OR NOT!

They didn't like the neutral ebay feedback I gave them.

LOL... but I am interested in how you found out they could drill through butter
Married are you ?

I can't help smiling,. I have this mental image of a block of butter in the fridge... with holes in it

 

[ToolSarge]

Having worked in government procurements, I've seen many overseas companies try this marketing tactic. As long as it doesn't actually state "Made In"...the USA. Having the three letters there only makes one think the USA initials stands for United States of America. In the home country language, it could be something entirely legit.

Many tools are now outsourced and produced by Kabo tools and as long as they're manufactured to ANSI standards, then it meets safety and quality standards. The SnapOn "BluePoint", Mac Tools "Edge" and even some Kobalt and "Sears/Matco" tools are outsource to Kabo.

But I still find it amusing that most mechanics, protect their hands and feet in made in China MechanixWear gloves and shoes, wear their made in China Carhartt coveralls, and make sure they have the best Made in China cell phone, iPod, LCD TV, Home Theater, etc...yet pitch a quality fit if that chunk of metal is not made in the USA.

 

[danc333]

My Carhartt is made in Mexico. (with US and Mexican components)