Smksignals
Explorer
When company's charge $290.00 for plastic planks, $250.00 for propane camping stoves, or $100.00 for plastic portable toilets, some of us have to purchase the copy cats. Kind of an endless cycle I suppose ...
Smittybuilt Element Ramps
- Thread starter Arvin G
- Start date
When company's charge $290.00 for plastic planks, $250.00 for propane camping stoves, or $100.00 for plastic portable toilets, some of us have to purchase the copy cats. Kind of an endless cycle I suppose ...
And that concept is both honorable and perfectly acceptable to about 15% of the consumers. There is another ~15% that would like to have a product that is use-ably similar for a lower cost to them. Lower cost products, regardless of moral situations between manufacturers, allow different folks the ability to get into the market, enjoy the hobby, and get in this situation potentially get them unstuck for half of the cost of MaxTrax. I've fallen in the latter market for the last few years. If I had the choice, I would buy a used quality product. And for the most part that has worked out phenomenally for me. I also tend to be more thrifty than some and will wait for the opportunity to buy a new quality product at a discounted price.
Like I said in an earlier post, it comes down to the economics of the consumer. Regardless of the market, there is always a competitor with a less expensive/less quality product, but it is up to the consumer to determine its value to them.
For several examples, I've recently picked up an used ARB bumper, used ARB roof rack, and OME coil springs. The bumper and rack I paid 30% of its MSRP. After months of research, I actually ponied up and bought OME springs instead of Iron Man. Partially to give business to a local business and friends, but for the piece of mind to go with a higher quality product.
Its all perspective.
Last edited:
Yeah, my research has shown a surprisingly significant amount of positive reviews on IH8Mud, pirate, and yotatech about the smittybilt winches. Sure, there are negative reviews... but I've also got 6 personal negative reviews for an "industry leader" at double-3x more expensive.
RusherRacing
Adventurer
Something like that 1 person a couple months 15% or less of there time for all the engineering work, solid modeling, fea, documentation, material research, waiting for samples, approving samples, and starting production build etc..
If you want to talk about profit margins - both products are over priced in my opinion.
I agree with the previous poster that stated that bringing it to market at a different price point is innovation! Because it opens up the product to a lot larger consumer base.
Price point is critical in the aftermarket.
If you want to talk about profit margins - both products are over priced in my opinion.
I agree with the previous poster that stated that bringing it to market at a different price point is innovation! Because it opens up the product to a lot larger consumer base.
Price point is critical in the aftermarket.
Whooh easy there killer.
bat
Explorer
It all comes down to the mighty dollar and how many you have in your pocket. The market has gone crazy in the offroad stuff in the last 10 years and some companys are realizing not all can afford the $250 plastic get out of sand thingy. I am is still using the carpet method cause I am cheap 
and save my money for really important stuff like chrome beer bottle opener.
and save my money for really important stuff like chrome beer bottle opener.50/50 between gears and the need to replace solenoids like a fat kid buys twinkies.
john101477
Photographer in the Wild
I have a smittybuilt winch I have used numerous times with no issues. The one I bought originally was a little stiff so i called smitty and asked about the issue. I was asked for the # on the winch and asked my address. I recieved a completely new gearset and housing as well as them sending me a second remote. I called on thursday morning figured 6-8 weeks, I had it monday afternoon... Sorry to all the folks that demand name brand top of the line but the smitty company will continue to get my business. My next buy will be the big smitty winch for the ford.
I do not care Who made it first as long as it is: improved on, cheaper, and has GREAT customer service. I mean come on folks. If we depended on "firsts" we would all be driving a Benz and be using a "russian furnace" to cook our food on while camping.
I do not care Who made it first as long as it is: improved on, cheaper, and has GREAT customer service. I mean come on folks. If we depended on "firsts" we would all be driving a Benz and be using a "russian furnace" to cook our food on while camping.
john101477
Photographer in the Wild
Mc Taco
American Adventurist
Where did you get that number?:sombrero:
I also have a pretty good idea of when it's not happening. And I really don't see it happening a lot on some of these products. This is why we get people complaining about things failing or not working, even from the name brand companies.
Too many times, they don't even employ an engineer. You've got somebody who knows how to fabricate, they figure out what works, and push it out the door.
You know, look at ARB bumpers for the D2. Great company, but they screwed up the D2 bumper. They should have known the way they made the crush cans wasn't going to work with winching loads. There's lots of people who spent lots of money on that bumper. Luckily for me, and unbeknownst to me, they fixed the design for the 03-04 model. But everybody who bought one for a 99-02 got hosed. And they're probably still making them that way even though they could update to the new design.
Believe me, I hate filling up the landfill with cheap, broken junk, and then having to go out and buy a second time. I will ALWAYS pay for quality instead of buying junk, and I will tend to buy nothing until I see something worth while.
I had to hunt around last week to find a true, solid hardwood bedroom furniture set for my daughter. I won't buy chipboard/veneer junk. But it's getting harder to find good furniture. The big stores say nobody wants to pay for hardwood anymore. But I found a set, well-made, made in Canada, for the same price as the off-shore junk. I see the value in good product. My son is using the hardwood furniture my parents bought me when I was a kid, and it's in perfect condition despite having been moved through about 10 houses. If he's good to it, there's no reason it won't last a 3rd generation. My wife's childhood set was cheap white MDF, it's now in a landfill.
Some people think Ikea is high quality because it's high priced. I don't.
I also don't like designs being copied either. It does discourage innovation and time spent engineering. Sometimes I'm too cheap live up to this, however.
But what I don't do, is just blindly assume that a name brand, or a higher price, guarantees quality. It doesn't.
I honestly thought the WASP was a new design, never saw the PRT before. I'm curious if the Element ramps are a photocopy of the MaxTrax design. Looks like a clean-sheet design with a similar concept and a lower price point to me. I'm still waiting for a response to the "original Maxtrax" comment.
Roaming Robertsons
Adventurer
As was I but right now it doesn't look like it's going to come. This thread has drifted so far towards Fireside ******** or just being closed that I don't think anyone will bother posting any actual reviews of the product.
I did a Google image search, and I can see two distinct MaxTrax designs. But the Smittybilt does not appear to be a photocopy of either of them. Seems to me like a cleansheet design, based on the concept but, at a much more attractive price point, and possibly better design, we don't know.